I make the best flaky, buttery peach hand pies with a simple filling. This is my foolproof recipe for a portable, crowd-pleasing summer dessert.
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6-8 tablespoons ice water
2 cups finely diced ripe peaches (about 3-4 peaches)
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground nutmeg
1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)
1 tablespoon coarse sugar (for sprinkling)
Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk flour and salt. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add ice water 1 tbsp at a time, mixing with a fork, until dough just holds together.
Chill dough: Divide dough in half, shape into discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Make filling: While dough chills, combine diced peaches, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Stir well and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll and cut: On a floured surface, roll one dough disc to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut into 8 rounds using a 4-5 inch cutter. Repeat with second disc.
Assemble: Place 1 ½ tbsp of peach filling in the center of half the dough rounds. Brush edges with water, top with another dough round, and press edges to seal. Crimp firmly with a fork.
Finish: Place pies on baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Cut 2-3 small slits in each top.
Bake for 22-28 minutes, until deep golden brown. Cool on the sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Keep all ingredients, especially butter and water, very cold for the flakiest crust. Don’t overwork the dough. Let the pies cool slightly before eating, as the filling will be extremely hot. Unbaked, assembled hand pies can be frozen on the baking sheet, then transferred to a bag. Bake from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Find it online: https://www.cookingbyness.blog/peach-hand-pies-recipe/