These gluten-free blueberry thyme hand pies are a practical, easy-to-serve dessert for a cookout, picnic, lunchbox treat, or casual gathering. Each hand pie is made with tender gluten-free piecrust dough and filled with fresh blueberries, lemon, and a small amount of thyme for a bright, fragrant finish. Because the pies are individually portioned, they are simple to pick up, pack, and share without slicing or plating.
For the best results, prepare the gluten-free piecrust dough before beginning the hand pie recipe. The dough needs time to chill so it can be rolled, cut, filled, and sealed more easily. Keeping the dough cool also helps the crust bake up crisp and sturdy enough to hold the juicy blueberry filling.
Gluten-Free Blueberry Thyme Hand Pies
MAKES 8 HAND PIES
These gluten-free hand pies combine a flaky homemade piecrust with a fresh blueberry filling flavored with lemon zest, lemon juice, and minced thyme. The filling is lightly thickened with cornstarch so it bubbles inside the pastry as the crust browns. Serve the pies after they have cooled slightly, which allows the filling to settle and makes them easier to handle.
Olivia Mack McCool
Ingredients
-
Brown rice flour,
for dusting the work surface -
1
recipe gluten-free piecrust dough
(recipe below) -
6
ounces
fresh blueberries -
2
tablespoons
sugar -
1
tablespoon
cornstarch -
1-1/2
teaspoons
fresh thyme leaves,
minced -
1
tablespoon
lemon zest -
1
tablespoon
lemon juice -
Pinch
of kosher salt -
1
egg,
beaten -
Coarse sugar,
for sprinkling
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper so the hand pies release easily after baking and any bubbling filling is easier to clean up.
-
Lightly dust a clean work surface with brown rice flour. Roll the chilled gluten-free piecrust dough to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-1/2-inch round cookie cutter or the rim of a glass, cut 16 rounds from the dough. If necessary, gather the scraps, reroll the dough to the same thickness, and cut additional rounds. Transfer the rounds to a parchment-lined plate, separating layers with parchment, and refrigerate them while you prepare the blueberry filling.
-
In a large bowl, combine the fresh blueberries, sugar, cornstarch, minced thyme, lemon zest, lemon juice, and kosher salt. Stir gently until the berries are evenly coated and the cornstarch is distributed throughout the mixture.
-
Place 8 dough rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the edges lightly with water to help seal the pastry. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of blueberry filling into the center of each round, keeping the edges clear. Top each filled round with another dough round, then press the edges together with a fork to crimp and seal. Brush the tops with the beaten egg, sprinkle with coarse sugar, and cut a small slit in the top of each hand pie to allow steam to escape.
-
Bake until the blueberry filling is bubbling and the gluten-free crust is browned and crisp, about 40 minutes. Let the hand pies cool for 20 minutes before serving so the filling can thicken slightly and the pastry can be handled more easily.
Recipe Notes
Work with cool dough whenever possible. If the rounds become soft while you are assembling the pies, return them to the refrigerator briefly before filling and sealing. A well-chilled dough is easier to crimp and helps the hand pies keep their shape in the oven.
Do not overfill the pastry rounds. A heaping tablespoon of filling is enough for each hand pie; adding too much can make the edges difficult to seal and may cause more filling to leak during baking.
Gluten-Free Piecrust Dough
MAKES DOUGH FOR 1 (10-INCH) PIECRUST
This simple gluten-free piecrust dough is designed for sweet or savory pies and tarts, including the blueberry thyme hand pies above. Brown rice flour, potato starch, white rice flour, xanthan gum, chilled butter, and ice water come together to create a dough that can be rolled, cut, and shaped after chilling.
Ingredients
-
1/2
cup
brown rice flour -
1/2
cup
potato starch -
1/4
cup
white rice flour -
2
tablespoons
sugar -
1
teaspoon
xanthan gum -
1/2
teaspoon
kosher salt -
1/2
cup
(1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled for 20 minutes -
2 to 4
tablespoons
ice water
Instructions
-
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown rice flour, potato starch, white rice flour, sugar, xanthan gum, and kosher salt until evenly combined. Add the chilled butter cubes. Using your hands, work the butter into the flour mixture, breaking it into smaller pieces until no large chunks remain.
-
Using a fork, mix the dough while adding the ice water gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time. Add only enough water for the dough to become moist and begin forming a ball. Use your hands to bring the dough together, then flatten it into a disk. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes before rolling. If the dough feels too crumbly when rolled out, knead in 1 to 2 additional teaspoons of ice water.
Dough Tips
Add the water slowly rather than all at once. Gluten-free pie dough should be moist enough to hold together but not so wet that it becomes sticky. Chilling the dough before use helps it firm up and makes it easier to roll into an even thickness for hand pies, pies, or tarts.
Photography Christine Han