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These divine Lemon Hand Pies are filled with homemade lemon curd and wrapped in a golden brown, flaky pie crust. Serve them for any event, dinner, or just because!
Here are some glorious hand pies to add to your list: Fried Strawberry Hand Pies, Fried Peach Pies, Fried Apple Pies, Fried Sweet Potato Pies, Baked Pumpkin Pies, and Cherry Fried Pies.
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Growing up, one of my favorite hand pies was a lemon hand pie from Hubig Pies. It's one of my earliest food memories with pies. Those hand pies were incredible, fresh from the wrapper, but the real magic happened after zapping them in the microwave for a few seconds. OMG!
So, in honor of my delicious childhood memories, I wanted to make a lemon hand pie version of my own. Using quality ingredients and a few delightful and cool culinary techniques that could easily be replicated at home by anyone up for the task.
Now, the only way to keep the lemon filling from coming out is to tuck and fold the edges like an empanada; other than that, some will ooze out as the hand pies bake.
Even with the lemon curd oozing out, they're packed with TONS of lemon flavor. However, I was going to remake them because of that, but my wife raved about how incredible they were, so I decided to leave them as is and hope you'll enjoy them as much as we did.
Key Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you'll need for delicious lemon hand pies.
Unsalted Butter
The butter will give our homemade lemon curd its light and buttery flavor and does the same for the pie crust.
Granulated Sugar
I like to use quality sugar that's raw cane sugar, or my go-to regular granulated sugar is Imperial Sugar.
Fresh Lemons
Even though we equate lemons with summertime. Citrus season runs from December to July, but with today's global market, you'll be able to find them all year long. Will be using lemon zest and juice.
Large Eggs
I find that using whole eggs creates a silky texture in the lemon curd and keeps me from stressing about my yolks breaking into the egg whites.
Non-hydrogenated Shortening
I highly recommend you use a non-hydrogenated shortening to make some of the best homemade pie flaky dough. Spend the extra money to feed your family quality food.
Cinnamon
I like to use a little bit of cinnamon in the pie dough to add a subtle warm flavor to pair with the tangy, sweet taste of the lemon filling.
All-Purpose Flour
I love using unbleached flour because the higher amount of protein is incredible for baking. The extra protein will contribute to making a lovely pie dough.
How To Make Lemon Hand Pies Recipe
I wanted my lemon hand pie recipe to be a crowd-pleaser, flavorful, and memorable! Making homemade lemon curd is not as intimidating as it may sound. You only need a few tools and a great song to sing while you make it.
Pie Dough:
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon.
Add butter and use a pastry cutter to blend the butter and flour.
Until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining.
Drizzle in 2 tablespoons water until dough ball forms (adding another tablespoonful of water if needed). You can also do this with a food processor.
Transfer dough to a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes. Set it on the counter for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to roll out.
Lemon Curd Filling:
Fill a medium pot ⅓ of the way with water and heat over medium heat. Once the water simmer, place a large stainless steel bowl over the pot.
Melt butter in the bowl.
Then whisk in sugar, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice.
Once the sugar is dissolved, add in the eggs.
Cook until it thickens, but constantly whisk. If the mixture is cooking too fast, remove the bowl from the pot and continue to stir.
Place the bowl in a large bowl filled with ice water to cool the lemon filling in a few minutes.
Icing:
While the dough chills in a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, salt, and melted butter.
Whisk until smooth. Using a whisk will break up any lumps that foms.
Assemble Pies:
Preheat oven to 425°F/ 218°C. Roll out the dough to ⅛ inch on a lightly floured surface; if it begins to crumble, knead the dough a few more times, then roll it out.
Use a 4 ½ inch large biscuit cutter to cut out crusts. Gather dough scraps and repeat again. Keep pie cutouts on a floured or parchment-lined baking sheet.
Roll each crust another 1 inch in diameter; it must be large enough for the filling.
Roll each crust another 1 inch in diameter; it must be large enough for the filling. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon curd filling to each pie circle. Pull and fold the dough over, seal the edges, and crimp with a fork.
Set on a parchment paper or foiled-lined baking sheet. In a small bowl, beat egg and water. Then brush the pies lightly with egg wash. Repeat with remaining pie crusts.
Bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes before icing.
Pour icing over the top of the pies to coat evenly. Serve warm and enjoy.
Storage
Store lemon hand pies are best eaten the same day, but they will remain fresh for 3 in an airtight container on the counter and 7 days in the fridge.
To reheat pies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds until warm. If they're not iced, reheat them in a 400°F/ 204°C oven for 6-8 minutes or in the air fryer for 3 minutes.
After the pies have cooled off, freeze hand pies by storing them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw them for 24 hours before using them.
If you want to make the pies in advance. Freeze hand pies by placing them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Then, just pop them into the freezer. Once frozen, you can transfer them to a storage bag or an airtight container and keep them there for up to 1 month. Just remember to thaw them for 24 hours before you start cooking.
Lemon curd and pie crust can be made 3 days in advance. The lemon curd will remain fresh in an airtight container for 14 days in the fridge. Wrap the pie dough in plastic wrap and store it in a freezer bag for 2 months. Thaw 24 hours before using.
Pro Recipe Substitutions, Tips & Tricks
Here are a few notes I had from making these delicious baked hand pies.
- To fold the hand pies, empanada style, instead of crimping them with a fork, twist and fold the edge over on itself.
- You can fry the hand pies, too! Fill a large skillet ⅓ of the way with oil; heat oil to 325°F/162°C and fry 3-4 pies at a time for 45 seconds per side until golden brown; drain before icing.
- You can use a store-bought refrigerated pie crust instead of making one from scratch, but you'll be sacrificing flavor and a really flaky pie crust.
- Swap the evaporated milk for any milk you have at home.
- Use a glass or large round cookie cutter if you don't have a biscuit cutter at home.
- No rolling pin? Use a glass wine bottle or a large glass cup.
- Do not skip using the lemon zest. The essential oils locked in the zest have more flavor than the juice.
- You can use Meyer lemon juice and zest instead of regular lemons.
- Use salted butter instead of unsalted if that's what you have at home; omit the salt from the recipe.
- Use the zest side of your cheese grater if you do not have a microplane or zester.
- For the best heat distribution, use a stainless steel bowl over the double boiler.
- A whisk is the best tool to incorporate the proper amount of air into the lemon curd.
- Use the beaters from your hand mixer if you don't have a whisk. Use the hand mixer at medium-low speed if you have hand issues.
- If you forget to take your eggs out. Two quick ways to get them to room temperature are 1) crack them into a bowl and 2) Place the eggs in a medium bowl and cover with warm tap water for 3-5 minutes.
- Use an oven mitt or towel to hold the bowl in place as you whisk to prevent burning yourself.
FAQs
Here are the top questions readers have about making baked lemon curd hand pies.
Not letting your lemon curd cook until thickened will give you a runny filling. It's ready once the curd is thick enough to coat a spoon. If you notice that your curd is runny, place it back over a double boiler and cook it some more until it thickens.
Lemon curd can take up to 15 minutes to thicken. Ensure you have enough water in your pot; this will create the right amount of steam/ heat to cook the curd. Keep whisking the curd to keep the eggs from scrambling. The curd will cool as it thickens.
You can take a couple of steps to prevent your lemon pie from becoming soggy. Applying an egg wash (1 large egg + 1 tablespoon of water beaten together) to your hand pies will effectively seal the pie crust, ensuring it remains crisp and dry. The protein in eggs forms a protective layer during the baking process.
Additionally, ensure that you're baking the pies at a high temperature. The oven's high heat will expedite the baking process, preventing the moist filling from causing the crust to become soggy. Use an oven thermometer to confirm your oven is heating correctly.
Sometimes, filling will leak out of the crust as it bakes because the pie crust is expanding, pushing out some of the filling. However, completely sealing your hand pies will ensure all your filling doesn't come out.
Dip your finger in some water and rub it on the outer edge of the pie circle before folding it. Also, using a fork or pressing and gently twisting the edges will help keep your filling from leaking.
More Lemon Recipes
If you love lemon desserts, here are a few more to add to your rotation.
- Blueberry Lemon Tart
- Lemon Ice Box Pie
- Lemon Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing
- Lemon Pound Cake Loafs
- Blueberry Lemon Lavender Sorbet
- Homemade Strawberry Ginger Lemonade
- Simple Fresh Fruit Tart with Lemon Pastry Cream
- Southern Tea Cake Cookies
Before You Begin
Here are my steps for getting organized and moving fast in the kitchen.
Step 1: Get all the ingredients for the lemon curd and pie crust on the counter. Read the recipe one full time before starting.
Step 2: Measure everything out into individual bowls.
Step 3: Start following the recipe and get ready for some incredible lemon hand pies!
These lemon hand pies are a fun and rewarding treat for your taste buds. The tangy-sweet lemon filling in a buttery, flaky crust makes these pies irresistibly delicious. I hope you try this recipe and have some fun with home baking.
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📖 Recipe
Baked Lemon Hand Pies
Ingredients
Pie Dough:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour plus more for rolling
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 stick unsalted butter cold, cut into tablespoons
- 3 tablespoons cold water
- 1 egg beaten
Lemon Curd Filling:
- 1 stick unsalted butter quartered
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest and juice of 3 medium lemons
- 3 large eggs beaten
Icing:
- 1 ¼ cups powder sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons evaporated milk
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
Instructions
Pie Dough:
- In a food processor, add flour, sugar, salt, and cinnamon and pulse 3 times to combine. Add butter and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal with a few pea-size pieces of butter remaining. Drizzle in 2 tablespoons water until dough ball forms (adding another tablespoonful of water if needed). You can also do this by hand with a pastry cutter.
- Transfer dough to a ball, cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill for at least 45 minutes. Set it on the counter for 10-15 minutes to make it easier to roll out.
Lemon Curd Filling:
- Fill a medium pot ⅓ of the way with water and heat over medium heat. Once the water simmer, place a large stainless steel bowl over the pot.
- Melt butter in the bowl, then whisk in sugar, salt, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Once the sugar is dissolved, add in the eggs. Cook until it thickens, but constantly whisk. If the mixture is cooking too fast, remove the bowl from the pot and continue to stir.
- Place the bowl in a large bowl filled with ice water to cool the lemon filling in a few minutes.
Icing:
- While the dough chills in a medium bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk, salt, and melted butter until smooth.
Assemble Hand Pies:
- Preheat oven to 425°F/ 218°C. Roll out the dough to ⅛ inch on a lightly floured surface; if it begins to crumble, knead the dough a few more times, then roll it out. Use a 4 ½ inch large biscuit cutter to cut out crusts.
- Gather dough scraps and repeat again. Keep pie cutouts on a floured or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Roll each crust another 1 inch in diameter; it must be large enough for the filling. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon curd filling to each pie circle. Pull and fold the dough over, seal the edges, crimp with a fork, and set on a foiled-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pie crusts.
- In a small bowl, beat egg and water. Then brush pies lightly with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 15 minutes before icing.
- Pour icing over the top of the pies to coat evenly. Serve warm with a dollop of any leftover lemon curd and enjoy.
Notes
- UTo fold the hand pies, empanada style, instead of crimping them with a fork, twist and fold the edge over on itself.
- You can fry the hand pies, too! Fill a large skillet ⅓ of the way with oil; heat oil to 325°F/162°C and fry 3-4 pies at a time for 45 seconds per side until golden brown; drain before icing.
- You can use a store-bought refrigerated pie crust instead of making one from scratch, but you'll be sacrificing flavor and a really flaky pie crust.
- Swap the evaporated milk for any milk you have at home.
- Use a glass or large round cookie cutter if you don't have a biscuit cutter at home.
- No rolling pin? Use a glass wine bottle or a large glass cup.
- Do not skip using the lemon zest. The essential oils locked in the zest have more flavor than the juice.
- You can use Meyer lemon juice and zest instead of regular lemons.
- Use salted butter instead of unsalted if that's what you have at home; omit the salt from the recipe.
- Use the zest side of your cheese grater if you do not have a microplane or zester.
- For the best heat distribution, use a stainless steel bowl over the double boiler.
- A whisk is the best tool to incorporate the proper amount of air into the lemon curd.
- Use the beaters from your hand mixer if you don't have a whisk. Use the hand mixer at medium-low speed if you have hand issues.
- If you forget to take your eggs out. Two quick ways to get them to room temperature are 1) crack them into a bowl and 2) Place the eggs in a medium bowl and cover with warm tap water for 3-5 minutes.
- Use an oven mitt or towel to hold the bowl in place as you whisk to prevent burning yourself.
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