There is something about mini pies. To me they just taste better. The flaky crust on all sides and yummy filling that spills out once you take a bite, its just sooo good! As I type this I'm eating one of my peach and elderberry hand pies. And let me tell you the flavor is simply divine. It tastes like those last days of summer, where the mornings and nights are starting to cool but its still hot during the day. Kids are just getting back to school and halloween and fall decor is starting to make its way on your front porch and around your home. 🍂 Pumpkin spice and cinnamon candles start to reappear in stores and you may be thinking about breaking out your favorite sweaters soon. For me peaches and pie are the best way to illustrate how much I love this time of year. I hope you make these Peach and Elderberry Hand Pies. I sure will be making them one or two more time before the peaches leave the grocery stores and farmers markets until next year. 🍑

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon sugar ( I used monk fruit)

10 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into small pieces and place in freezer)

2-4 tablespoons ice cold water

There are a few ways you can make pie crust; by hand using a pastry blender or a fork. With a food processor or my favorite way- directly on your work surface with a rolling pin. 

1.) Cut butter into tablespoon sized pieces and place in freezer for a few minutes.

2.) In a medium bowl, add flour, salt and sugar. Stir to combine. Pour flour mix directly onto your work surface. Then add cold butter on top of flour mixture. With your rolling pin, start to mash butter into flour. Cleaning off rolling pin as necessary. Continue to work the butter into the flour for a few minutes. 

3.) Add ice water a tablespoon at a time until the pie crust starts to come together. It will still be quite shaggy and not a smooth dough when its ready. You do not want to add too much water or overwork the dough. Divide in half and place each half into plastic wrap. Mold into a disk shape and refrigerate for at least an hour. This will allow the flour to hydrate. 

4.) Once dough has rested, lightly flour your work surface. Place disk of dough onto work surface and using a floured rolling pin to roll out dough to 1/4 thick. Using a cookie cutter of your choice, cut out equal amount of shapes. The pie crust you place on top should have either slits or a small cut out to all the steam to vent. 

5.) Place cut outs on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet and place in refrigerator until needed. 

Peach and Elderberry Filling:

2 ripe peaches, feeled and diced into small pieces

1 tablespoon Göod Berry Co. Elderberry Syrup

2 teaspoons lemon juice 

1/4 cup monk fruit

1 tablespoon corn starch 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cream for brushing tops of pies

1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water for egg wash 

1/4 cup coarse raw sugar for tops of pies

Add peeled and diced peaches to a medium sauce pan. Add elderberry syrup, lemon juice, sugar, salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine. Sprinkle cornstarch over peach mixture and stir. Simmer on medium heat until the peaches start to release some juices and the filling starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Stir frequently. Add vanilla extract and take off the heat. Let mixture cool for 1 hour. 

Assembly:

Preheat oven to 425F

Pull pie crust cut outs from the refrigerator. Spoon 1 tablespoon of cooled peach filling onto bottom crust. Brush edges with egg wash and place top crust on top. Using a fork to crimp edges. If you take longer than a few minutes to assemble your hand pies, place them back in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This will help the pie to keep their shape when baking. Brush the top with cream and sprinkle with raw sugar. Bake immediately. Bake for 18-19 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy!