Recipes Desserts Pies Peach Hand Pies 1 Review These adorable peach hand pies are a fun alternative to a traditional pie. Freeze them up to a month in advance and pop in the oven for an impressive last-minute dessert. By Lisa Donovan Lisa Donovan Instagram Twitter Website Lisa Donovan is a James Beard Award-winning writer and chef who has redefined what it means to be a Southern baker as the pastry chef to some of the South's most influential chefs.Expertise: baking, pastry, foodways, social justice.Experience: Lisa Donovan has been formative in developing, writing, and establishing a technique-driven, historically rich narrative of traditional Southern pastry in restaurants across the country and in print. She is a regular contributor to Food & Wine and has been a featured speaker at René Redzepi's globally renowned MAD Symposium, discussing the culture and responsibilities of restaurants. Lisa centers her work on advocacy and education. Her recipes and writing have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Eater, Literary Hub, and Saveur. She is the author of Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger, which earned her a Les Dames d'Escoffier International M.F.K. Fisher Prize in 2021. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on August 1, 2016 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: © John Kernick Active Time: 45 mins Total Time: 4 hrs 45 mins Yield: 16 Ingredients FILLING 3 small peaches (about 12 ounces) 1/4 cup granulated sugar 1/4 cup light brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped, pod reserved for another use DOUGH 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon kosher salt 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cubed 1/2 cup ice water 1 large egg, lightly beaten Turbinado sugar, for sprinkling Directions Make the peach filling Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Using a sharp paring knife, mark an X on the bottom of each peach. Add the peaches to the saucepan and blanch until the skins start to peel away, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to the ice bath and let cool completely. Peel, halve and pit the peaches and cut into 1/4-inch pieces; you should have about 2 cups. Wipe out the saucepan. In the same saucepan, combine the peaches with all the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and syrupy, about 12 minutes. Scrape the filling into a small bowl; let cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate until cold, 2 hours. Meanwhile, make the dough In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the salt. Scatter the butter over the flour and, using your fingers, pinch it in until the mixture resembles very coarse crumbs, with some pieces the size of small peas. Stir in the ice water just until a dough forms. Turn out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead gently to form a ball. Pat into a 1-inch-thick round, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the dough in half. On a lightly floured work surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out 1 piece of dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 4-inch biscuit cutter, stamp out 6 rounds and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Top with a layer of parchment paper. Gather the scraps and form into a ball; roll out again and stamp out 2 more rounds. Transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with the second piece of dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with 1 dough round at a time, brush the rim with the beaten egg. Spoon 2 teaspoons of the filling into the center and fold the round in half to enclose. Press the edge firmly to seal and transfer to a prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, arranging the hand pies 2 inches apart on the sheets. Brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Using a paring knife, cut 2 small slits in each hand pie. Bake until puffed and golden brown, shifting the pans from top to bottom and back to front halfway through baking, 18 minutes. Transfer the hand pies to a rack and let cool slightly. Make Ahead The unbaked hand pies can be frozen for up to 1 month. Brush with the egg wash, sprinkle with sugar and bake from frozen according to the recipe. Rate it Print