Have you ever made hand pies? Or homemade pastries? These little raspberry-orange pies were my first experience. Driscoll’s challenged me to come up with a raspberry pie recipe, so I stepped up to the plate and spent a slow Sunday perfecting these babies.
That day, I tested different whole grain flour combinations, experienced an epic coconut oil crust-shattering fail and popped raspberries when I just couldn’t resist.
Finally, I was finally rewarded with perfectly golden, flaky crust wrapped around juicy raspberry-orange filling. Raspberries are the star ingredient in the filling, which might seem a little unexpected given the time of year. I’ve always associated raspberries with blazing hot summer days, but did you know that there’s actually a second raspberry season that lasts until the first frost? Like all other sweet fall produce, raspberries play nicely with warming spices and winter citrus.
These portable little pies aren’t complete without that orange zest-flecked cinnamon glaze, which contributes a Pop Tart-level irresistibility and some fun abstract stripes. I can’t imagine a kid or an adult who wouldn’t smile when they take a bite of these unexpected treats around the holidays.
Fair warning: hand pies can be a little tricky, but if I can manage them, then I am confident you can, too. The key to a manageable dough and perfectly crackling crust is cold butter—you want little chunks of butter in there, which create flaky pockets in the dough.
I highly recommend making this dough the night before, as it’s more manageable after an overnight rest in the refrigerator. I also recommend rolling out the dough in a cool room, which shouldn’t be too hard to find in November and December. My house was way too warm when I rolled out the hand pies you see here (80 degrees at the end of October!), so if that happens to you, turn on the air conditioner and chill the dough again, as often as necessary.
Since pastries can be intimidating, I took extra care typing up detail instructions on how to make these little raspberry pies. You can find my recipe below and on Driscoll’s website over here! Be sure to check out all the other holiday raspberry treats created by other bloggers and recipe developers over here, too.
This post is a paid endorsement from Driscoll’s – Visit www.driscolls.com for more berry recipes and to enter their holiday sweepstakes.
Raspberry Hand Pies with Cinnamon-Orange Glaze
- Author:
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 12 hand pies 1x
- Category: Dessert
These handheld raspberry-orange treats feature delicious maple flavor and a touch of warming cinnamon. The whole grain dough is remarkably crisp and flaky. You can use it to make full-sized pies, too!
Ingredients
Pie Dough
- 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour or all-purpose flour
- ½ cup white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 sticks (1 cup) cold unsalted butter
- 8 to 12 tablespoons ice water
Raspberry Filling
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons arrowroot starch or 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 packages (6 ounces each) Driscoll’s Raspberries
Egg Wash
- 1 egg, beaten
Orange Glaze
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon orange zest
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- To prepare the dough: In a medium mixing bowl, combine both flours and the salt, then whisk to blend. Slice one stick of butter down the center lengthwise, then rotate the butter a quarter turn and slice it down the center lengthwise again, so you have quartered the butter. Slice across the butter to make even cubes. Repeat with the remaining stick of butter. Toss about half of the cubed butter into the bowl.
- Working quickly, squish each piece of butter between your fingers under the flour so it turns into a flat, irregularly shaped disc. Continue with remaining cubes, then add the rest and repeat. Grab handfuls of buttery flour in your palms and press to break up the butter just a bit more. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and stir to combine. Repeat with an additional 2 tablespoons ice water, stirring to combine, and again with another 2 tablespoons. Mix with a spoon until it starts coming together into a workable dough. The mixture should be moist enough that you can squeeze it between your palms and it will stick together; if it won’t, try adding another two tablespoons of water or more, just until the mixture sticks together. Divide the mixture into two equally sized halves.
- Place two square pieces of plastic wrap nearby, then shape each pie dough into a round disc about 5” in diameter and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days (this is necessary because cold butter is the key to a flaky crust!).
- To prepare the filling: In a medium mixing bowl, combine the maple syrup, starch, vanilla extract, orange zest and cinnamon. Whisk until there are no clumps of starch remaining. Add the raspberries and gently toss with a spoon to coat the berries in a light, even layer. Place the bowl in the refrigerator to chill for now.
- To prepare the hand pies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll half of the chilled pie dough into a circle about 12-inches across and between ⅛” to ¼” thick. Use the top of a drinking glass 3 ½” in diameter (a working glass is perfect) to cut 12 circles. Re-roll the scraps if necessary. Carefully transfer each round to your prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pie dough.
- Brush half of the rounds with egg wash, then top each of those rounds with a heaping tablespoon of raspberry filling (about 7 raspberries per hand pie). Place another round on top of each raspberry-covered round. With a fork, gently press down on the outer ¼” of the rounds to seal the hand pies, working your way around until they are completely sealed. Gently poke a few holes on the top of each hand pie with the tines of your fork, then brush egg wash on top of each hand pie. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the hand pies are deeply golden brown. Transfer the baking sheet to a cooling rack and let the hand pies cool for at least 30 minutes before glazing.
- To prepare the glaze: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, orange juice, maple syrup, orange zest, cinnamon and salt. Whisk until the mixture is well blended and completely smooth. It should be thick but pourable (if it’s too thick to drizzle, mix in a bit more orange juice). Use a spoon to drizzle a striped pattern back and forth over the cooled hand pies. Wait for 5 to 10 minutes for the glaze to set and then serve! Leftover hand pies are best stored covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.
▸ Nutrition Information
Vegetable enthusiast. Dog lover. I'm probably making a big mess in my Kansas City kitchen right now. 
Amy @ Parsley In My Teeth
Oh my! Aren’t these just the prettiest little things? What a great idea to make something a bit different for the holidays!
Liz Witting
Kate – I never write stuff – but am motivated to do because there’s a trick that’s worth the extra gadget, and I love and now rely on your recipes even though I know how to cook all kinds of things… your recipes are delicious, inventive, healthy, and carefully tested. I resist adding kitchen gadgets that take up space when I can do the same a more usual way… but got these after using with a friend. Those little folding molds (or big, they come in sizes) really make dumplings or hand pies WAAY faster and easier. Wish I could send you some! Look for two halves and a hinge, most have those, BUT get ones that have circular rim on the backside that you can use as a circular cutout when the mold is open. Roll, use the mold open backside is cookie cutter, put pastry round in mold, putt filling in depression, fold shut which crimps. Cook on sheet, can poke or glaze or use parchment or silicone liner all the usual things. Or you can deep fry but I don’t. They come in sizes from dumplings to calzones and I even managed to find at the thrift store before. We cranked Savory pies out with these out by the hundred- and even making a few at home for family, it seems only a few are devoured fast so I try to make more and freeze.
val laing
What an amazing combination of flavors. Can’t wait to try these! Thank you.
Karen @ Seasonal Cravings
Thanks for your honesty. As a food blogger it’s nice to know I’m not the only one who has some fails in the kitchen now and again. What a treat these would be over the holidays!
Kate
Oh, I experience lots of fails! Thanks, Karen!
lisa @ garlicandzest.com
Kate, First your hand-pies look very appetizing — kudos to you! Second, I have a love-hate relationship with pastry. I love to eat it, hate to make it. In South Florida it’s impossible to get a really cool day to roll out dough and the a/c only goes down “so far”. So it fights with me every step of the way — as was the case with the rugelach I’ve spent the last 3 days making. I’ve discovered that I have a mouth like a sailor! I’ll put this recipe in my back pocket for when I’ve calmed down from this cream cheese dough experience. Aaarrggghhh!!!
Kate
Oh man! I hope that rugelach starts behaving for you! I don’t think I’ll ever be a pastry chef, that’s for sure. Argh!
Medeja
Great treats! These hand pies look so yummy!
ZazaCook
These Raspberry Hand Pies look so delicious! I would love to eat one right now:)
Bella B
I love pie and mini hand pies sound delicious! Homemade pastry is always so much better then buying it! I can’t wait to try
Laura (Tutti Dolci)
Gorgeous hand pies, love that raspberry filling and that glaze – so pretty!
Caroline
I know exactly what you mean about using coconut oil in pastry dough…I’ve had major fails with that too! These sweet little pies are perfection…really! Pinning to make soon!
Kate
Right?! My coconut oil dough was such an epic fail that I thought it would be too finicky even if I did figure it out. Thanks, Caroline!
elisehanhnguyen
Oh, I’m really very like this recepies. So It’s wonderful for my tea party weekend.
Lynne
Ha ha, its great to know I am not the only one who has those ‘fails’ in the kitchen…it’s really frustrating hey. I haven’t had much success with coconut oil and baking really, so just go straight back to good old reliable butter :-) Anyway, your little hand pies are so cute, and so different. I love the idea of the raspberry filling and the orange glaze. :-) Pinned for sure. Hope Cookie enjoyed one :-)
Kate
Oh no, you’re definitely not the only one! I had great luck making scones with coconut oil, but pie crust was such a fail that I reverted to butter. Cookie got more than a few crumbs of these!
Kelly
I love orange and raspberry together. They look delicious!
Gaby Dalkin
there’s something so lovely and nostalgic feeling about hand pies! love that there’s a second wave of beautiful raspberries so we can make these through the fall!
laurasmess
These look beautiful Kate, such a perfect use of fresh berries. I love the combination of citrus and raspberry, I can imagine how these little pies would pop with flavour as you bite into them! I haven’t made pies for a long time but you’ve inspired me to give your recipe a go this weekend (with our glut of summer berries arriving at the market! Yay!). Gorgeous post x
Kate
Thank you, lovely Laura!
Allyson
My dabbles with coconut oil in baking have convinced me to stay close to butter. I had no idea that raspberries have two harvests. Now I can indulge with raspberries without guilt until the frost falls. These hand pies look divine.
June @ How to Philosophize with Cake
Such adorable pies! I need to try making hand pies sometime, they sound so fun. Love this raspberry flavor :)
Kate
Thanks, June! Hope you’ll give them a shot sometime.
Emily
Yum, Kate! Hard to resist the cuteness of a little hand pie! And raspberries are such a bright spot in the line of Fall produce. :)
Paul
Sup Kate. I made them tonight for my fiancé to take to her grad school class tomorrow. I ate one of them already… And damn. They are legit. I made the filling the night before along with the dough and it created a lot of juice which made things messy. Other than that, everything went great. I’m fully prepared to be invited to every food gathering from here on out. Thanks, yo.
Kate
Hey Paul! High five for pulling off those hand pies. Really glad to hear they turned out well.
Keri
Kate! I am such a huge fan of yours. I’m attending a cookie party and I made these hand pies and your Peppermint Bark Popcorn! Delicious. I did substitute the butter for Vegan butter (my son has allergies) and even that did not mess up the perfection. Thanks for what you do!
★★★★★
Kate
Woohoo! Thank you, Keri, for letting me know. I’m so glad these turned out well for you!
Jessica Hands
I love this recipe! Very easy to follow, fresh and delicious. The hand pies are really cute and make a great addition to just about anything or event.
★★★★★
Carly Richardson
These were absolutely divine. I can’t believe how flavorful and satisfying they were. And I can’t belive all pastries aren’t made with whole wheat pastry flour because I couldn’t tell a difference at all! May as well make it whole grain! Thank you for your detailed instructions, too. I felt a little intimidated by pie dough but you made it easy!
Kate
I’m glad you found the instructions helpful! I do try to make them as clear and detailed as I can to allow for your success. Thank you, Carly for sharing. :)
Amy
These pies are delicious. My daughter makes them for us when she is happy, so of course we all work hard to make her happy. :-) My only question is, how do you keep the liquid inside the small pies? I put the egg wash on. I put about three raspberries on a 3 1/2 inch circle and try to closeit up before all the juice runs out. I get a slimy pink mess that looks weird until it is baked. I lose the juicy part of the finished pie, which I think is the best part of a pie. How do you make those perfect pies?
★★★★
Jinny
I made this for the first time today and it was great! I made the dough last night, stuck it in the fridge and then did the rest of the work this morning. My partner decided to experiment with some blueberry filling and his turned out great also. I think I will go have another one right now. :)
★★★★★
Kate
I’m so glad you love this recipe, Jinny!
Joline Ganus
Sounds good! Can I substitute gluten-free flour and dairy-free butter?
Joline
Angie
These just came out of the oven and my house smells amazing! Thank you for making the pastry directions so easy to follow! Everything turned out exactly as expected! Next time I’m making a double batch! : )
★★★★★
Kate
You’re welcome, Angie!
Vincent
This sounds great! Can we substitute frozen raspberries for fresh raspberries?
Kate
Hi Vincent! I want to say yes, but pastry recipes can be finicky and frozen raspberries might add excess moisture. So, I’d stick with fresh raspberries if you can.
Paulette
Hi Kate,
I just made these hand pies for our winter holiday baking contest at work. Everyone loved them & I even got 3rd place. I love your recipes, they are always so great! ❤️
Happy Holidays!!
★★★★★
Somi
WOW!! This is probably the 10th recipe I have tried on your site and it is incredible! I added blueberries and topped the glaze with orange zest! Flavour is a WOW!! Now making your lentil marinara for supper!! Thanks for sharing!!
Kate
I’m delighted you have tried so many recipes! I appreciate your review, Somi.