Peach Hand Pies
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These peach hand pies are everything I love about homemade peach pie, just in a portable, handheld dessert. They’re made with a buttery, flaky sour cream pie crust, filled with juicy cinnamon-spiced peaches, and baked until golden brown. Add a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce before serving, and they taste like summer wrapped up in pie crust.
I created this recipe because sometimes I want all the flavors of a homemade peach pie, like my peach crumble pie, without committing to making a full pie. Hand pies are perfect for picnics, potlucks, afternoon snacks, or packing into lunchboxes. They’re easier to serve, easier to transport, and everyone gets their own little pie.
After testing these several times, I landed on my favorite pie crust for the job: my sour cream pie crust. The sour cream makes the dough incredibly easy to work with while creating tender, flaky layers. I wanted something sturdy enough to seal well but still light and buttery once baked.
One trick I also use is leaving behind the juices from the peach filling when assembling the pies. The peaches stay juicy while preventing the bottoms from becoming soggy, and after a quick chill before baking, the pies hold their shape beautifully in the oven. If you really want to take them over the top, serve them warm with a drizzle of homemade caramel sauce.
Ingredients
Sour Cream Pie Crust
- All-purpose flour
- Salted butter: Keep it very cold and cut into cubes before mixing. Those cold butter pieces create flaky layers. If you use unsalted butter, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt.
- Full-fat sour cream: Use cold sour cream straight from the refrigerator. Don’t substitute light sour cream, which contains more water and changes the dough’s texture.
Peach Filling
- Fresh peaches: Peel and chop into ½-inch pieces so they cook evenly. Frozen peaches work too—thaw, drain well, and add an extra ½ tablespoon flour.
- Brown sugar
- All-purpose flour: Thickens the filling so it stays inside the pies instead of becoming runny.
- Lemon juice: Fresh lemons is best.
- Ground ginger
- Ground cinnamon
For Assembly
- Egg Wash: Made with an egg mixed with 1 Tablespoon water. For substitutes, read What Is An Egg Wash?
- Coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar: Adds a delicious crunchy finish.
- Homemade caramel sauce: Optional, but highly recommended for serving.
How To Make Peach Hand Pies
Make the sour cream pie crust:
Start by making the pie dough. Add the cold butter cubes to the flour. I like to give it a stir to coat the butter in the flour first before I work it in.
I like using my fingertips to flatten the butter pieces into the flour. You’re looking for a mixture with pea-sized pieces of butter throughout. Those visible butter pieces melt in the oven and create flaky layers, so don’t overwork the dough.
Stir in the cold sour cream with a fork until the dough looks shaggy. It may seem dry at first, but keep mixing and it will come together.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead just until it forms a smooth dough. Divide it into two disks, wrap well, and refrigerate for at least an hour. Chilling allows the gluten to relax and firms the butter back up, making the dough much easier to roll.
Make the peach filling:
While the dough chills, prepare the filling by stirring together the chopped peaches, brown sugar, flour, lemon juice, ginger, and cinnamon.
Let the mixture sit while you roll the dough. This gives the peaches time to release some of their juices.
Assemble the pies:
Roll the chilled dough to about ¼-inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut out circles using a 3½-inch round cutter, rerolling scraps as needed. If the dough starts becoming soft, simply place it back in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before continuing.
When filling the pies, spoon about 1½ tablespoons of peaches into the center of each round, leaving the excess juices behind in the bowl. Skipping the extra liquid helps prevent soggy bottoms while still giving you a juicy filling.
Lightly brush water around the edge of each circle before placing another dough circle on top. Gently press out any large air pockets, then crimp the edges firmly with a fork to seal.
Cut a few small slits in the tops so steam can escape while baking. Without vents, the filling can force its way out of the pies.
Arrange the pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and refrigerate them for another 30 minutes. This final chill is one of my favorite pie tricks because it firms the butter back up and helps the pies keep their shape as they bake.
Baking the mini pies:
While the pies chill, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
Brush the tops with egg wash, then sprinkle generously with coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar. The egg wash creates that beautiful golden color, while the sugar adds a little sparkle and crunch.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the pies are deeply golden brown and the filling is bubbling through the vents. Let them cool for at least 10 to 15 minutes before serving since the filling will be very hot straight from the oven.
For an extra special dessert, drizzle the warm pies with homemade caramel sauce just before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Bake until deeply golden. Don’t pull the pies from the oven when they’re just lightly browned. A deep golden crust means the pastry is fully baked and wonderfully crisp, and you’ll often see the peach filling bubbling through the vents, which is a good sign they’re done.
- Keep everything cold. Cold butter and cold sour cream are the secret to a flaky pie crust. If the dough becomes soft while you’re cutting or assembling the pies, pop it back into the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes before continuing.
- Leave the extra juices behind. As the peaches sit, they’ll release liquid. Spoon the fruit into each hand pie, but leave most of the juice in the bowl. This keeps the filling thick and helps prevent soggy bottoms.
- Don’t skip the second chill. Chilling the assembled pies for 30 minutes before baking firms the butter back up so the crust bakes up flakier and the pies hold their shape instead of spreading.
- Seal the edges well. Brush a little water around the edge of the bottom crust before adding the top. Then firmly crimp with a fork to lock in the filling as the pies bake.
Storage
Store cooled peach hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 5 days and warm them briefly in a 300°F oven or the microwave before serving.
To freeze baked hand pies, allow them to cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or warm directly from frozen in a 325°F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until heated through.
To freeze unbaked hand pies, assemble the pies completely but skip the egg wash. Arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container. I like to label the bag with the recipe name, baking temperature (375°F), and today’s date so I never have to guess later.
Bake frozen hand pies directly from the freezer. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, adding about 5 minutes to the original baking time, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
Recipe FAQs
Yes you can. You will need 2 pie crusts. Or one package.
Yes you will need a double pie crust. My all butter pie crust or 3 ingredient pie crust are other great options.
Yes you can. Just thaw and drain the excess liquid. I also recommend adding a little extra flour (1/2 Tablespoon more).
More Recipes To Try
If you’re as excited about peach season as I am, there are plenty more fruity desserts to add to your baking list. My easy Peach Crisp is a reader favorite when you want something quick and cozy, while my peach cobbler pound cake is perfect for parties or summer gatherings.
If pie is more your thing, don’t miss my Triple Berry Pie, Blueberry Crumble Pie, or Strawberry Galette.
Peach Hand Pies
Ingredients
Sour cream Pie crust:
- 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 cup (2 sticks, 227 g) salted butter cold and cubed
- ½ cup (115 g) sour cream (full fat, NOT light sour cream)- cold from the fridge
Peach filling:
- 2 cups peeled chopped peaches cut into ½ -inch chunks
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 ½ Tablespoon all purpose flour use an extra 1/2 tablespoon if using frozen fruit
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Assembly and serving:
- 1 large egg+ 1 Tbsp water for egg wash
- Coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar for sprinkling on top
- Homemade caramel sauce for serving
Instructions
Make the crust:
- Cut in the butter. Add the flour to a mixing bowl. Scatter the cold butter cubes over the flour. Using your fingertips, thumbs, or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Those larger pieces of butter are what create a flaky pie crust. 2 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour 1 cup (2 sticks, 227 g) salted butter
- Add the sour cream. Stir in the sour cream with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. If the dough looks dry at first, keep mixing—it will come together as the sour cream is incorporated. ½ cup (115 g) sour cream
- Shape the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead it just until it comes together. Divide the dough in half and shape each half into a smooth disk. If you notice any cracks around the edges, simply press them back together with your hands.
- Chill the dough. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Make the peach filling;
- In a large bowl stir together peaches, sugar, flour, lemon juice, ginger, and cinnamon. Set aside. 2 cups peeled chopped peaches 2 Tablespoons brown sugar 1 ½ Tablespoon all purpose flour 1 teaspoon lemon juice ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Assemble hand pies:
- Turn dough onto a lightly floured counter. Roll out dough with a rolling pin to about ¼-inch thickness.
- Using a 3 ½-inch round cutter, cut out as many rounds as possible. Re roll scraps and roll back out cutting out more rounds. If dough gets to soft wrap up and refrigerate again.
- Place about 1 ½ tablespoons of peach filling into the center of a pie circle, leaving behind the juice in the bowl. Dip your finger in water and brush the water along the edges of the pie crust to help the top circle stick. Top with a second pie circle. Lightly press out any air at the seam. Crimp edges with a fork. Cut 2-3 slits in the top of each pie to vent the filling.
- Place each pie onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Near the end of the chilling time, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Brush egg wash on top of each pie. Sprinkle with coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar if using. 1 large egg+ 1 Tbsp water for egg wash Coarse sugar or cinnamon sugar
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown. Remove from the oven and cool before serving.
Notes
- Storage: Store cooled peach hand pies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate them for up to 5 days and warm them briefly in a 300°F oven or the microwave before serving.
- Freezing: To freeze baked hand pies, allow them to cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or warm directly from frozen in a 325°F oven for about 15 to 20 minutes until heated through. To freeze unbaked hand pies, assemble the pies completely but skip the egg wash. Arrange them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer them to a freezer bag or airtight container. I like to label the bag with the recipe name, baking temperature (375°F), and today’s date so I never have to guess later. Bake frozen hand pies directly from the freezer. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 375°F for 25 to 30 minutes, adding about 5 minutes to the original baking time, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Frozen fruit: Thaw first and drain excess juices if any. Use an extra ½ Tablespoon of flour in the filling to thicken.
- Salted butter: If using unsalted, add ½ teaspoon salt.
