These mini peach hand pies are made with a simple three-ingredient fresh peach filling, a homemade brown sugar short crust, and finished with a quick powdered sugar glaze. They’re an ideal way to showcase seasonal stone fruit and make a shareable dessert for cookouts, parties, or to freeze for later.
Pies don’t belong only to the colder months. Mini peach hand pies are a quick, seasonal bake that highlights ripe peaches in a flaky short crust. This recipe uses straightforward pantry ingredients and simple techniques so you can enjoy fresh peach flavor all summer long.
Ingredients
These peach hand pies require basic pantry staples plus ripe peaches. The ingredient list below covers the pie dough, peach filling, egg wash, and glaze.
- Pie Dough – homemade brown sugar short crust is recommended, though store-bought dough (not pressed into a tin) or puff pastry can work.
- To make the dough used here: all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, brown sugar, salt, and ice water.
- Peaches – 2 large ripe peaches (yellow peaches preferred). Use peaches that are fully ripe but not mushy.
- Brown Sugar – 1/4 cup for the filling; brown sugar gives more depth than white sugar.
- Cornstarch – 1 1/2 tablespoons to thicken the filling (increase if using frozen fruit).
- Egg – 1 large egg for an egg wash (mix with water).
- Glaze – 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar and 1/4 cup water to make a simple glaze.
Pro Tip – A reliable short crust ratio: 3 parts flour, 2 parts fat, 1 part liquid. Weighing ingredients yields the most consistent results.
How to Make Mini Peach Hand Pies
Making mini hand pies is straightforward: prepare the dough, mix the filling, cut circles, fill, seal, bake, and glaze. A mason jar lid or biscuit cutter makes evenly sized pies, but you can shape them freehand if you prefer.
Step 1 – Make the short crust dough
Whisk together the flour, brown sugar, and salt. Chop very cold butter into small cubes and cut or rub into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (pea-sized pieces). Add ice water gradually until the dough comes together into a soft ball. Wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
Step 2 – Prepare the peach filling
Slice peaches, remove pits, and dice into approximately 1″ pieces. Peels can stay on. Toss the diced peaches with brown sugar, cornstarch, and a pinch of salt until coated. Set aside to macerate briefly.
Step 3 – Make the egg wash
Beat one large egg with two tablespoons water. Keep a pastry brush ready for sealing and brushing the pies before baking.
Step 4 – Roll, cut, and shape
Divide chilled dough in half and keep one portion refrigerated while you work with the other. Roll to about 1/4″ thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut 4-inch circles (or use a mason jar lid as a guide). For consistent pies, cut circles about 1 1/2″ wider than the lid if using that method.
Step 5 – Fill and seal
Gently press one dough circle into a lid or into your hand to form a pocket. Add about 2 tablespoons of peach filling, leaving a 1/2″ border. Brush the border with egg wash, top with a second circle, press edges together, trim excess, and crimp with fingers or a fork to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
Step 6 – Brush and vent
Place pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with egg wash and cut small slits for steam vents. This helps prevent bursting and encourages even browning.
Step 7 – Bake and glaze
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 35 minutes, until golden and crisp. Transfer to a cooling rack. Mix 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar with 1/4 cup water to make a thin glaze. Once pies are completely cool, brush or drizzle the glaze over the tops and allow it to set on a piece of parchment under the rack to catch drips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Using 4-inch circles yields about 8 mini pies with a wide-mouth mason jar as a guide. Standard mason jar lids or smaller cutters can yield more pieces.
No—milk or water can be used to help seal edges. Egg wash provides the best golden shine and helps prevent the pies from bursting.
Yes. If using frozen peaches, increase the cornstarch to about 2 tablespoons to account for extra moisture and use them as a one-to-one replacement.
Cold butter is important: chop it into pieces and chill briefly if needed. Avoid working with fully frozen solid butter, which is harder to incorporate; a quick 20-minute chill is usually sufficient.
Storage Tips
Store baked pies at room temperature for up to three days. Avoid sealing them tightly in plastic; instead, lightly cover with plastic wrap or a loose lid to allow airflow and keep the crust crisp.
To freeze, assemble pies but do not bake or glaze. Place unbaked pies on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Bake from frozen and add 5–10 minutes to the baking time.
These mini peach hand pies are a fresh, portable dessert ideal for summer gatherings. They capture bright peach flavor in a flaky crust with a sweet glaze—perfect for sharing and easy to scale up for a crowd.
Peach Hand Pies
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 9 oz (about 2 cups minus 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
- 6 oz (12 tbsp) unsalted butter, cold
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 oz (about 5.5 tbsp) ice water, as needed
Peach Filling
- 2 large yellow peaches, diced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp salt
Glaze
- 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup water
Egg Wash
- 1 large egg
- 2 tbsp water
Instructions (Summary)
- Make the pie dough by cutting cold butter into flour, brown sugar, and salt until coarse crumbs form. Add ice water gradually until a soft dough forms. Chill 30 minutes.
- Prepare the filling by dicing peaches and tossing with brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
- Beat egg with water for egg wash and preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll chilled dough to 1/4″ thickness. Cut 4-inch circles. Place 2 tbsp filling in the center of each circle, brush edges with egg wash, top with another circle, and crimp to seal.
- Place pies on a lined baking sheet, brush tops with egg wash, cut small vents, and bake for about 35 minutes until golden and crisp.
- Cool on a rack. Mix powdered sugar and water to make a thin glaze and brush on cooled pies. Allow glaze to set before serving.
Notes
*You can make the dough in a food processor by pulsing to combine flour and butter; avoid over-processing.
If you try this recipe, leave a rating or a comment so fellow home bakers can benefit from your experience. Happy baking!