Strawberry Hand Pies

Here's Strawberry recipe #2.  My kids are obsessed with Empanadas both sweet and savory so I was excited to make this Hand Pie recipe!  This sweet version is perfect and easy to make.  Another great dough that you can fill with any filling you like.  We also made chocolate hazelnut hand pies too with the left over dough.  YUM!

Ingredients:

Dough:

1/2 cup butter, softened

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 cup all purpose flour

Filling:

1 cup chopped strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Zest of half a lemon

2 Tbsp cornstarch

Finishing:

1 egg, beaten for egg wash

Preparation:

Cream butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy.  Add in flour and mix just until dough comes together.  Place dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350. Place parchment paper on a pan and set aside.  On a floured or powdered sugared surface, knead the dough a couple of times until it is a nice round ball. Then, roll dough into a circle with a rolling pin, about 1/4" thick.  Cut circles using a large round cookie cutter about 2 1/2 to 3".  Place each circle on the parchment paper prepared pan.  You will need to re-roll the dough a few times until it's all used up.  You may want to refrigerate in between if it gets too soft.

In a small bowl, gently combine chopped strawberries, sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and cornstarch.

Fill each pie round with 1 tablespoon of filling, don't over stuff.  Take one side of the dough and pull it over the filling. Use a fork to crimp the edges together and poke an air hole at the top of each pie.  Brush each pie with eggwash. Sprinkle with white sugar (optional). Bake for 30-35 minutes or until pie is golden brown.