Mini Raspberry Hand Pies

Let's talk bucket lists. I've been talking about making multiple ones for quite some time now. Things I want to do while still living in LA, general things I want to do sometime in my life, places I would like to travel, things I want to bake/try out, etc. I think this stems from my love of making lists.

The only problem is that I actually haven't started writing them down, which is strange because I write down everything else. Maybe because then I would have things actually down in writing and it would make it real? Well, I've finally started working on a 30 before 30 list because I turn 25 this year and that is overwhelming. I know it sounds absurd and everyone says the same thing, but time is only moving faster and faster, and there are so many things I want to do.

I'm keeping a note on my phone as I brainstorm. Some things that will definitely be on the list? Go orca whale watching, live in and explore Sweden, and take a road trip along the coast - specifically the PCH so I can watch many beautiful west coast sunsets. Any suggestions?

Now that I'm slowly baking again and giving this blog the attention it deserves, I realized that I've missed prime produce season. I'm not the biggest fruit person which I know I've talked about a lot, but I do like berries, especially raspberries. Something about the sweet and tart sour flavor is intoxicating.

I have all sorts of other ideas for s'mores related things, ice cream sandwiches, and other summer food that is totally acceptable to eat through October in LA because summer feels like it never really ends. But when I wanted to bake something with fruit that didn't involve a tart pan (I don't have one) or a full blown pie (I've never made a fruit one), I realized I could make mini pie cookies (also known as hand pies). This way you get the flavor of the delicious raspberries PLUS double the pie crust. It's a win-win situation in my eyes.

I know the recipe is long, but it's not hard at all. The dough comes together in 5 minutes and hangs out in the fridge. The filling takes 2 minutes to stir together. The only time is the assembling/baking but that part is fun! They thankfully only bake for 12 minutes and before you know it, you can be eating delicious little hand pies!

They're mini which means you can have more than one! I like mini desserts for that exact reason. And you know what? I brought them into work to share and received no fewer than 3 marriage proposals. That's a sure sign of a success.

Mini Raspberry Hand Pies

makes about 16 mini pies

For the Crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, cold
1/2 - 3/4 cup ice water

For the Filling:

2 cups rounded raspberries
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

1 egg
Turbinado sugar, for topping

To make the dough: Cut butter into large chunks and freeze for 5-10 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, and salt. Add butter into flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter (or two forks), work the butter into the flour until the butter is no bigger than the size of small peas and the flour looks like coarse meal. Drizzle 1/4 cup of the water over the flour and use a spatula to gently to mix it together. Add the rest of the water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough can be lightly kneaded together.

Form dough into a disc shape and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, add raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt. Gently mix together until combined. Careful not to over mix because you don't want the raspberries to break down completely.

In a small bowl, add egg and lightly beat it.

To make the hand pies:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat baking mats. Set aside.

On a large lightly floured surface, roll out half of the pie dough (leaving the other half in the fridge until we're ready for it) until it's about 1/8" thick. Cut out hearts or circles and set them on a plate to store in the fridge while you roll out the other half of the dough. Feel free to re-roll the dough to get more shapes - just make sure you have an even amount!

Lay half of the pie crust cookies on the baking sheets. Lightly brush them with the beaten egg. Top the center of each cut out with a heaping teaspoon of raspberry filling. Be careful not to add too much of the juice - try and just get the fruit and try and keep it just in the center.

Gently stretch out the remaining cut outs so that they are just big enough to cover the fruit and line up along the edges. Place the stretched out cut outs over the fruit covered cut outs, gently pressing the edges together with your fingers. Use the tines of a fork to seal the edges and use a small knife to make a few vent holes.

Brush the tops of each hand pie with the beaten egg. Sprinkle roughly 1/2 teaspoon turbinado sugar over the top.

Bake hand pie for 12 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Remove from oven, let cool on cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

[source: pie crust recipe adapted from my recipe here; raspberry recipe adapted form Joy the Baker]

Note: I used a 3 inch circle cookie cutter and a __ inch heart cookie cutter. Your yield will depend on the size you use.