Blueberry Hand Pies feature make ahead components like Easy Blueberry Compote, Lemon Curd and an All Butter Pie Crust so they can be pulled together quick, frozen and popped in the oven when the mood strikes. They’re a summer must make! This recipe is vegetarian.
This recipe was originally published Aug. 2016 and was updated July 2022. I increased the blueberry compote to accommodate a more generous hand pie.
Easy Blueberry Hand Pies
I’m all in for a lemon blueberry pie, but a blueberry pie with lemon curd that fits in my hand? Yes please! These are such a delight for sharing and perfect for picnics, tucking into lunch boxes or any time where you want easy to grab sweet treats. Not only are they fun to make, but a joy to share! These little blueberry hand pies made with pie crust are:
- Make Ahead Ready
- Enjoy Warm or at Room Temp
- They Easily Portable!
- Crispy Edges
- Freezer Friendly
Best of all, this recipe for hand pies is full of delicious, seasonal blueberries! And, if you have a jar of my Easy Blueberry Compote in the freezer, they’re even easier to make!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pie Pastry – whip up a batch of homemade or in a pinch, opt for prepared.
- Lemon Curd – use homemade or store bought. Homemade is super simple to make and so fresh! It adds sweetness and so much flavor to this hand pie recipe.
- Blueberries – you can use fresh or frozen here to make the compote filling. I like fresh for best flavor.
- Maple Syrup – to lightly sweeten the blueberry compote pie filling.
- Lemon Zest – instead of lemon juice, we’re using lemon zest to brighten the compote.
- Corn Starch – to thicken the compote.
- Egg Wash – egg + water, to create a golden crust
- Turbinado, Raw or Cane Sugar + Cinnamon – for a sweet sparkling finish.
Quick Guide: How to Make Blueberry Hand Pies
Whip up all the components for this blueberry hand pie recipe ahead of time and assemble now or later. Here’s how to pull this blueberry pastry recipe together (see recipe card for details):
- First, make your pie dough, at least one day in advance.
- Second, whip up the lemon curd and allow it to cool completely.
- Third, make the easy blueberry compote.
- Fourth, roll out the pie dough and cut into uniform circles using a pasty cutter or Mason jar lid.
- Fifth, spread a bit of lemon curd and blueberry handpie filling onto a pastry disk, then top with another disk.
- Next, pop the little pies in the freezer, then, preheat oven.
- Last, egg wash and sprinkle a bit of cinnamon sugar mixture over the tops.
Bake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper until golden brown. Enjoy right away with a bit of ice cream or store at room temperature for later.
Can You Freeze Blueberry Hand Pies?
I hear this question often. And why not? Who doesn’t love a make ahead ready hand pies recipe that can be slipped in the oven on your schedule?
I’m happy to say, these hand pies can be made ahead, frozen solid then go right from freezer to oven! If you strategize, you can pull these hand pies out of the oven just minutes after dinner for a warm dessert treat. Don’t forget the vanilla bean ice cream!
A Few Recipe Tips
- Make Ahead! All the components can be made ahead and either stored in the freezer or refrigerator. Assembly takes about 30 minutes.
- To Cut the Pastry: I use a 3 inch cookie cutter from this set. If you’re without a 3 inch cookie cutter, use the metal lid of a large wide mouth Mason jar.
- Lemon Curd: It’s simple to whip up! I have an Easy Lemon Curd recipe if needed or you can use prepared lemon curd.
- The Pastry: While I recommend homemade pie dough, you can always use store bought. You’ll need two refrigerated pie crusts for this recipe.
- Kitchen Tools: I recommend an oven thermometer and weighing your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for best outcome.
More Blueberry Recipes to Love
Blueberry Hand Pies with Lemon Curd Recipe
Servings:14 -16 Pies
Calories:140kcal
Blueberry Hand Pies feature make ahead components like Easy Blueberry Compote, Lemon Curd and an All Butter Pie Crust so they can be pulled together quick, frozen and popped in the oven when the mood strikes. They're a summer must make! This recipe is vegetarian.
Ingredients
For the Blueberry Compote:
- 2 1/3 cup (330 grams) Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
- 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Zest from about two lemons
- 4 teaspoons Water
- 1 teaspoon Corn Starch
For the Pastry:
- Two Disks All Buttermilk Pie Dough 11-12 ounces / 311-340 grams per disk
- 1 Egg
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Cane Sugar or Turbinado Sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon
For the Curd:
- 1 Recipe of Easy Lemon Curd* chilled, you'll need about 1/3 cup (90 grams)
Instructions
For the Blueberry Compote:
- In a small sauce pot, add the berries, syrup, zest, water and corn starch. Turn heat on medium and mash berries with a potato masher, stirring and mashing leaving some of the berries whole. The mixture should begin to simmer and the color will change from light blue to deep purple. This should take about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour into a lidded container and place in the refrigerator to chill, where it will thicken a bit. The compote can also be frozen for several weeks if making ahead.
For the Pastry:
- Roll out one round of pastry to 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) dusting the work surface and pin generously so no sticking occurs. Using a 3 inch (7.6 centimeters) circular pastry cutter like the one in this set, or a metal lid from a large Mason jar, cut out as many discs as possible, collect the scraps, reroll and cut out a few more disks. You should be able to get 14 disks from each piece of pastry (plus two more each if using all the scraps). Lay the cutouts on a sheet pan. You can layer them in between sheets of parchment paper if desired. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge. Roll out and cut the second piece of pastry just like the first. If the pastry starts sticking at anytime, pop it in the freezer for five minutes.
- Use the rolling pin to gently roll each cut out disk to just a few millimeters more, keeping its shape the best you can. Assemble now or store in refrigerator, gently wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to two days. The disks may be frozen for up to 3 weeks, stacked between parchment paper.
To Assemble:
- Line two sheet pans with parchment paper. Crack an egg in a bowl and add two tablespoons of water. Whisk. Set aside. Mix the sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Arrange egg wash, cinnamon sugar, pastry disks, blueberry compote, and curd in an assembly line fashion. Each hand pie has a top and a bottom. For each bottom, using a pastry brush, brush the outer edge with egg wash. Using the tines of a fork, poke the center three times. Add one teaspoon of lemon curd and spread it around in the middle. Follow with one generous tablespoon of blueberry compote. For the top of each hand pie, cut three or four very small steam vents using the tip of a knife. Lay the top over the bottom without pressing. Dip the tines of a fork in flour and use it to press the edges together, all the way around. It's okay if a bit of curd and blueberries ooze out. Repeat with the remaining pieces until complete. Use a spatula and gently transfer the pies to the sheet pans, 6-7 pies each.
- Place in freezer (preferably) or refrigerator while the oven is preheating. Arrange baking racks in center of the oven. Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit (190 Celsius).Freeze for Later: at this point the pies can be frozen solid. Omit the egg wash prior to freezing. Freeze, then store in a storage container between sheets of parchment paper. When ready to bake, egg wash, and sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. They can go straight from freezer to preheated oven.
Bake!
- Once the oven is preheated, egg wash the tops of the pies then sprinkle with the cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake at 375 Fahrenheit for 20 minutes. Rotate pans, and exchange their baking positions then reduce heat to 350 Fahrenheit (180 Celsius) and bake for an additional 20-25 minutes. The tops will be golden when done.
- Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream, or cool completely and store in a covered container at room temperature for two days. Reheat at 350 Fahrenheit for 7-8 minutes.
Notes
*Get Ahead: The pastry can be made and refrigerated for up to two days, or frozen for up to three weeks. The blueberries can be cooked and chilled up to three days ahead or frozen for up to three weeks. The curd can be made ahead and chilled for up to two weeks or frozen for up to two months.
*You’ll have leftovers of lemon curd and a bit of blueberry compote, but they both freeze beautifully!
Kitchen Tools: I recommend an oven thermometer and weighing your ingredients using a digital kitchen scale for best outcome.
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Serving: 1pie | Calories: 140kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 102mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 20IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg
Made It? Leave a comment below! The most helpful comment may include recipe rating, feedback, any modifications and/or helping other commenters. On Instagram? Take a snap of your make and share, tagging @VanillaAndBean #VanillaAndBean!
Perfection
Hooray! So happy to hear, Naomi! Thank you for your note :D
Holy cow!! These are amazing!!! The instructions are so detailed, so thank you! I followed everything exactly but I didn’t add cinnamon to the top. Only sugar. I can’t wait to make these all the time! I used a cup to cut them out and it worked lol.
Hooray! Thank you for putting a smile on my face Hannah! Holy Cow! LOL – I love these little pies too… SO much! Thank you for you note :D ! Hooray for the cup trick!
My Granny used to make this when I was little, it was one of my top requests for birthdays! What do you think, can I replace blueberries with sour cherry?
Hi Dora! What a sweet memory of your Granny… and a most celebratory pastry for birthdays! I say YES to the sour cherry! What a fabulous combination! :D
These look absolutely divine! I am saving and making these asap because I still have one lemon curd that I need to use somehow. I have just discovered your blog and love it already! Thank you for sharing so many good looking vegetarian and vegan recipes! :)
Thank you so much for your note and kind words Michaela! I hope you have fun making these cute little hand pies! :D
These have been on my list to make for awhile now and I think tonight my sole needs some good home baking with soft music on in the background and a good tea.
Question: Because I’m one person and I really want to make these. Can I freeze them after I make them? OR what about making them up and freezing them prior to putting them in the oven and then I can just pull out a couple and bake every now and then?
Hi Erin! Thank you for your note. Ah, yes. Baking does the same for me… soft music, tea and a treat! Sounds like a day well spent! Freeze them prior to baking without the egg wash. When ready to bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, egg wash then bake. I hope this helps!
Thanks and I’ll put some together and put them in the freezer tonight. Made the prep items last night and I’m in love with the lemon curd! It looks so amazing in a mason jar in my fridge and might have to make more just to have on hand once in awhile.
Baked these goodies this morning with my grandma, I’m not sure we will be able to resist till tomorrow to taste them!! They’re absolutely delicious, the dough is friable and crusty, and the blueberry compote seems just like a store bought jam. Definitely gonna keep this recipe in my folder for when I need to treat myself!!
Hiii Samantha! Thank you so much for leaving a note. This totally made my day! So happy to hear you and your grandmother are baking together. The best! :D