30 by 30: Blueberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Hand pies are a quick and easy way to get the pie flavor without having to make an entire pie. Plus, you can carry these around and not have to worry about a plate & fork! :)

Blueberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies
Recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures

Pie Dough2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water

Filling
8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar, divided
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 large egg
10 oz frozen blueberries
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

For Assembly
2 tablespoons heavy cream
sanding sugar

To make the pie dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the flour, sugar and salt on low speed just to combine. Add the butter, and mix, first on low and then increasing the speed to medium low, cutting the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. With the mixer on low, add the cold water, beating just until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto your work surface. Divide it in half and shape each piece into a disk. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

To make the filling: In a medium bowl mix the cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the lemon zest and egg until smooth. In a second bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar, the lemon juice and flour.

Place one of the disks of pie dough on a lightly floured work surface. Roll into a square about 1/8-inch thick - don't worry if it's not perfect, just trim the edges. My square was roughly 10x10-inches. Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces (so for me, it was four 5x5 squares). Spoon 1 heaping tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture into the center of each square, then top with about 2 tablespoons of the blueberry mixture. Brush the edges of the square with the heavy cream, then bring opposite corners together to form a triangle. Press the edges together, then use a fork to crimp them. Brush the top of the pie with heavy cream and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Repeat with the remaining 3 squares of dough, then do the same with the second disk of dough, making a total of 8 pies.

{Note - I did have leftovers of both the cream cheese and blueberry fillings - I probably could have made several more pies.}

Transfer the pies to the parchment-lined baking sheets. Cut a small vent or two in the top of each pie. Bake for 20-25 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through, or until the pies are golden brown (the filling may bubble out of the vents a little too). Transfer to a wire rack and allow the pies to cool completely.