Blueberry and Lemon Hand Pies

These Blueberry and Lemon Hand Pies are made with homemade flaky pie crust filled with a sweet blueberry, lemon, and cinnamon filling and sprinkled with sugar! A great tea or breakfast treat!

I have finally got around to posting the first mini pie recipe on the blog! Blueberry and lemon make a great flavor combination (check out my No-Bake Blueberry-Lemon Cheesecake recipe here), especially when combined with cinnamon, and what's better than warm pie in winter? This Blueberry and Lemon Hand Pies recipe features a delicious buttery homemade pie crust stuffed with a blueberry and lemon filling which is so easy to make!

I plan to post more pie recipes in the coming weeks, but these mini pies with cut-out hearts will have to be my first, just in time for Valentine's day! Of course, you can make these in any shape you like, using different cookie cutters, or even one medium-sized pie! This pie crust and filling recipe yields around 10-12 hand pies, depending on size and pastry thickness (mine were 2x2" (5x5cm) squares and 3x2" (7x5cm) rectangles).

Ingredients for Blueberry and Lemon Hand Pies

This recipe is split into two parts; pie crust pastry and blueberry and lemon filling.

Pie crust pastry is super easy to do, but for the best results it needs some time to chill before it can be used. Consider making a batch ahead if you're short on time. For the crust pastry you will need:

• Plain Flour
• Salt
• Butter (cold)
• Water (ice-cold)

You will also need an egg and some milk for brushing the pastry to achieve a beautiful golden crust. And some granulated sugar to sprinkle on top for that little extra sweetness 🙂

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For the filling, you will need:

• Blueberries (fresh)
• Lemon Zest and Juice
• Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon

Tips for the Perfect Homemade Pie Crust

Making pie crust at home is very easy, but there are a few tricks which will help you achieve the best flaky pie crust!

• Use cold butter - This is key to achieving a wonderful flaky crust

• Use ice-cold water - Ice-cold water helps to keep the fat cold and prevent it for melting. Using ice-cold water is really important for that ultimate flakiness.

• This recipe can be easily made using a kitchen stand mixer, however you will need to use your hands for the final step to form a dough ball.

• Add cold water one tablespoon at a time until large clumps of dough start to form. You will still see a few flaky crumbs in your mixing bowl. Use your hands to squeeze these together with the "larger" dough.

• Chill the dough for at least 1 hour. This allows the fat to firm-up and the gluten to relax which will result in a flaky, buttery pie crust.

• For this recipe, you'd want a thickness of around ⅛" inch. If the dough is too thick, you'll lose most of the taste of the filling. Always roll the dough on a lightly floured surface, and if the dough gets too warm, pop it back into the fridge for half an hour so that it rolls more easily.

• Cut the dough at least 2" in diameter. Of course, you can make these hand pies in any shape you like. I used a mini cookie cutter (same as the one used for Linzer Cookies) to cut out a small heart for the top part. This "shaped-hole" will serve instead of scoring the dough and allows heat to escape during baking. If you're not cutting out any shapes and using whole dough for the top part, you will need to score the dough using a paring knife before baking.

• Brush the dough with egg wash (mixture of egg and milk) before baking and sprinkle with some granulated sugar for the ultimate golden-brown sugar effect.

The Best Blueberry Lemon Filling

This blueberry-lemon filling is simply addictive! All you need to do is place all filling ingredients in a saucepan and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. The result is a sweet cinnamon-blueberry-citrusy filling, with a few burst blueberries.

• The whole process may result in the formation of some liquid in the saucepan. Try not to spoon much liquid when filling the hand pies as this can result in a soggy crust. Also, make sure the filling has completely cooled down before using.

• You can prepare the filling whilst your dough is chilling or you can make it ahead and refrigerate it.

• I have never tried making blueberry and lemon hand pies using frozen blueberries, so unfortunately, I cannot be of much help there, but please be sure to drain any excess liquid before using the filling.

Storing and Making Ahead

Baked Blueberry and Lemon hand pies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Pie Crust Pastry can be made ahead and frozen (instead of chilled) for up to 3 months. Thaw the pastry overnight before using. Alternatively, you can chill pie crust for up to 5 days.

If you've tried these warm Blueberry and Lemon Hand Pies, let me know your thoughts in the comments below and don't forget to rate the recipe! Also, don't forget to follow me on Pinterest, and Instagram to stay updated with any new recipes!