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Pear Hand Pies

Pear Hand Pies are an easy take along dessert that are so easy to make! Perfect for anyone who wants a quick single serving with no guilt!

 

Main image for recipe of pear hand pies.

 

This time of year, my heart beats in pears. Roquefort Salad, Pear Crisp with Oats, Pear and Brie Sandwich, you know all the good recipes! Pears grace my table at least once a week.

But you know when you make an entire delicious Pear Pie and then eat the whole thing yourself? Guilty! Pear hand pies allow me all the yummy goodness of regular pear pie but in perfectly sized portions!

Crispy crusts, soft and delicate pears sweetened to perfection make the ultimate pie everyone loves. I love how there is no pre-cooking. Because the pears are already so soft, just cut and toss them in.

And I also love how easy this spiced pear hand pies recipe is to make. Hand pies don’t need to be more intimidating than a regular pie.

I make these hand pies and then lay them out for the family or put them out for a gathering of friends. They’re good for every occasion!

 

spices for pear hand pies in a bowl, unmixed.

 

What Ingredients are in Pear Hand Pies?

You’ll be using the same ingredients as in regular pear pies! Pear hand pies aren’t overly sweet but instead just the perfect amount of sugar to cinnamon and pear.

  • Crust: This Flaky Butter Pie Crust is SOOOO crispy and perfect.
  • Sugar: Use regular white sugar. Brown sugar overwhelmed the delicate pears.
  • Flour: I use all purpose flour to help thicken the pear filling.
  • Salt: This is for flavoring so don’t leave it out.
  • Cinnamon: The cinnamon goes with pears so well you think they were made for each other.
  • Lemon Zest: I prefer to use fresh lemons zested as I also need their juice later on.
  • Pears: Peel and dice these to get them ready to go into the hand pie crust.
  • Butter: I always use salted butter but unsalted butter should work well too.
  • Lemon Juice: Lemons add a perfect contrast to all that sweetness
  • Egg: The egg helps seal the crusts closed and also helps them turn perfectly golden.

Pro Tips:

  • Apple peeler-corers work well on pears too and save you some time!
  • Always zest the lemon first before juicing. It’s hard to do the other way around.
  • If you’re short on time, use store bought pie crusts in place of the homemade.

 

Pear seasoning added to pears and mixed.

 

How to Make Pear Hand Pies

  • Crusts: The crusts are actually simple to shape when you use a bowl and trace around it for perfect circles.
  • Filling: Add the pears last to a filling of sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and lemon zest so they don’t get squished.
  • Seal: Before closing dot each with butter and lemon juice. My kids love doing the fork design around the edges.
  • Bake: When the pear hand pies are golden brown and smell heavenly, you’ll know they’re done!

Pro Tips:

  • A little bit of egg will help to seal the edges closed and keep them from opening.
  • Dust each hand pie with coarse sugar for a beautiful and delicious effect.
  • Don’t forget to add slits to the top of the pies or the steam and bubbling juices will burst out the seams.

 

pie crust rolled out with a bowl being used to cut circles.

 

Can I Use Canned Pears in Pear Hand Pies?

Sure! Just be sure to thoroughly drain them first. Any extra liquid from the canned peaches will affect the pear pie filling.

 

6 hand pies on cookie sheet. 4 folded in half while 2 are open with pear filling.

 

Can I Freeze Pear Hand Pies?

Yes! And they freeze beautifully!

First, allow the pies to cool completely. This way they won’t stick to the inside of any of your bags.

Take however many you want to freeze and wrap tightly before placing into a freezer friendly bag. Pear hand pies will stay good in the freezer for up to three months.

Pro Tip: Write the name and expiration date on the bag to make sure you use them up and they don’t get lost in the black hole of the freezer.

 

filled pies folded over with a fork crimping the edges.

 

Do You Peel Pears for Pear Hand Pies?

Yes, I prefer to peel pears for pear hand pies. I feel it gives a much better texture to the final product.

Peels in pie just seem to throw most people off. If you don’t mind peels in your pie, you can always leave them on too.

There’s no wrong way to put pears in your pie. Well.. maybe whole. If you put an entire whole pear in your pie… you’re doing something wrong.

 

baked hand pies on cookie sheet.

 

Can I Use Store Bought Pie Crust for Pear Hand Pies?

Absolutely! Store bought pie crust works wonderfully for pear hand pies.

Here’s how:

  • Don’t use graham cracker or Oreo pie crusts. They will fall apart and not hold up well in pear hand pies.
  • Buy uncooked pie crusts. Precooked won’t allow you to mold them and cook them again.
  • Buy boxed or rolled pie crusts that aren’t already shaped to pie form. They’re cheaper and easier to work with.
  • You could also buy pie crust mix and mix it up at home quick and easy.

 

cooled hand pies on platter.

 

Can You Use Homemade Pie Crust for Pear Hand Pies?

Yes! Flaky Butter Pie Crust is easy to make at home. As the name implies, it’s flaky, buttery, and totally easy to make into pear hand pies.

Homemade pie crusts are a little more work than store bought pie crusts but worth it in flavor in my opinion.

 

 

Can Dogs Eat Pear Hand Pies?

The pears themselves are safe for dogs to eat. But canine bodies have a hard time processing sugar, fat, and flour, which is mostly what pies are.

If you want to give your dog a treat, pass him some cut up slices of pears while you’re cutting. But once the pears have been mixed in, avoid giving the pear hand pies to your dogs.

Pear Hand Pies are a delicious and easy treat to make.  Perfectly sized portions make pear hand pies the perfect addition to any holiday, party, or gathering.

Be sure to make pear hand pies and keep some in the freezer for whenever you need a quick pick me up! Enjoy!

More Recipes with Fruit You’ll Love…

 

Yield: 8 Hand Pies

Pear Hand Pies

cooled hand pies on platter.

Pear Hand Pies are an easy take along dessert that are so easy to make! Perfect for anyone who wants a quick single serving with no guilt!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 double pie crust store bought or homemade
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 5 cups pealed and diced ripe pears
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 egg

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350*F
  2. In a medium sized bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and lemon zest. Mix well
  3. Add diced pears to sugar mixture and mix gently until well coated.
  4. Roll pie crust out.
  5. Using a bowl as a pattern that is approximately 4 - 5 inches in diameter, cut out round circles for your hand pies.
  6. Reroll excess dough to create more crusts.
  7. Place crusts onto a lined baking sheet.
  8. Place a small amount of pears in the center of one cut pie crust - leaving approximately 1/2 inch space around sides.
  9. Dot pear mixture with a small amount of butter.
  10. Sprinkle with few drops of lemon juice.
  11. In a small bowl beat egg with 1 tablespoon of water.
  12. Brush egg around the edge of the circle. This will act as a glue.
  13. Fold circle in half enclosing the pear filling.
  14. Crimp edges with a fork to ensure a good seal.
  15. Brush egg mixture on top of each hand pie.
  16. Slice slits on top and dust with course sugar if desired.
  17. Place on a lined cookie sheet.
  18. Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 311Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 237mgCarbohydrates: 54gFiber: 5gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g
Adapted from All Recipes

Originally Posted: December 21, 2013

Recipe & Photos Updated: February 12, 2018

Recipe & Photos Updated: February 17, 2022

 

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