Strawberry Picnic Hand Pies (Printable)

Portable hand pies with juicy strawberries and a golden lattice crust, perfect for summer picnics and gatherings.

# Ingredient List:

→ Pie Dough

01 - 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
03 - 1 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
05 - 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

→ Strawberry Filling

06 - 2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and diced
07 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
08 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon juice
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - Pinch of salt

→ Assembly

12 - 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
13 - 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for sprinkling

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add cold butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing just until the dough holds together. Divide dough in half, shape into disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
02 - In a medium bowl, toss diced strawberries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and salt. Let sit for 10 minutes to macerate and develop flavor.
03 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut out 8 rectangles or circles approximately 3 by 4 inches. Place on prepared baking sheet. Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons of strawberry filling onto the center of each piece, leaving a border. Roll out the second dough disk and cut matching shapes. For lattice tops, slice each piece into 6 thin strips and weave into a lattice pattern. Place lattices over filled bottoms, trimming edges as needed. Press edges to seal, then crimp with a fork. Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
04 - Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • They're small enough to eat without utensils, which means they're basically made for adventures and lazy afternoons.
  • That lattice top looks impressive but honestly takes about two minutes once you get the rhythm down.
  • Fresh strawberries shine through without any of the heavy sweetness that sometimes buries good fruit.
02 -
  • Overworking the dough is the fastest way to end up with tough, dense pastry instead of something that shatters when you bite it, so use a light touch and trust the process.
  • Don't skip the cornstarch in the filling or your pies will turn into leaky disasters as soon as you try to pick them up, and that lesson cost me a lot of laundry.
03 -
  • Keep everything as cold as possible until the moment these go in the oven, which is the entire secret to flaky pastry and why I sometimes feel like I'm conducting surgery with butter.
  • If your dough starts feeling warm or soft while you're working, pop it back in the refrigerator for fifteen minutes without guilt because this little pause is what separates good pies from transcendent ones.
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