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Mixed berry hand pies filled with homemade jam and drizzled with vanilla bean glaze. The best berry hand pie recipe for breakfast or brunch!
Why Make These Mixed Berry Hand Pies?
These mixed berry hand pies (a.k.a. fancy homemade toaster streudels) make the perfect excuse for using up an excess of fresh summer fruit, or that half-empty bag of mixed berries in the back of the freezer.
While most homemade pop tart and toaster streudel recipes call for shortcrust pastry or pie crust, I developed this recipe using puff pastry instead. The result? A flaky, buttery hand pie oozing with sweet berry jam. I especially love these when they’re still ever-so-slightly warm from the oven.
Berry Hand Pie Ingredients
To make these mixed berry hand pies, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- Mixed Berries – You’ll need 250 grams (about 2 cups) of fresh or frozen mixed berries, such as blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries. Feel free to use any combination of berries you’d like.
- Granulated Sugar – Or caster sugar, for making the homemade mixed berry jam.
- Lemon Juice – The juice of 1/2 lemon balances the tart berries and cuts the sweetness of the jam.
- Puff Pastry – You’ll need 2 sheets of puff pastry, each trimmed to 8 x 12 inches. I opted for store-bought, but if you have time you can make these hand pies with homemade puff pastry instead. (If you have some pastry scraps left over, save them to make my no waste cheese twists!)
- Egg – A coat of lightly beaten egg gives the pastry its deep golden brown color.
- Confectioner’s Sugar – For making the sweet vanilla bean glaze.
- Whole Milk – Or skimmed milk, or whipping cream, or your favorite plant milk, for adjusting the consistency of the glaze.
- Vanilla Bean Paste – I love the pretty speckles created by vanilla bean paste (or the scrapings of one vanilla pod), but a good-quality vanilla extract will also work.
- Gel Food Coloring – I tinted my glaze with Chefmaster’s Neon Brite Purple gel coloring. You can use any color you’d like, or skip the food coloring for a natural white color.
Making the Homemade Berry Jam
I love making the jam filling from scratch because it allows me to customize the flavor profile, and it’s also a great way to use up “odds and ends” of bags of frozen berries, or fresh berries just slightly past their prime. I’ve tested this jam recipe with both fresh and frozen mixed berries, and they both work equally well.
To make the jam, combine the berries and sugar in a small pan and cook over medium heat until the fruit breaks down and the jam thickens. This will take about 30 minutes, or possibly a bit longer depending on the juiciness of your berries.
To test the jam, check for thread stage by spooning a small amount onto a plate. Once cool enough to touch, stretch a glob of jam between your thumb and forefinger. If a strand forms, the jam is ready to use. Otherwise, continue cooking for a few more minutes, then test again.
After making the jam, scoop it into a bowl and refrigerate until cool to the touch. (If you attempt to use the jam while it is still hot, it will melt the butter in the puff pastry.) Jam will continue to thicken as it cools.
Glazing the Hand Pies
Allow the pies to cool for a few minutes before drizzling the glaze. (If the pies are too hot, the glaze will melt.) You can apply the glaze while the pies are still warm for a transparent glaze that drips down the sides, or wait until completely cool for a more opaque topping that sits on top of the pastry.
You can adjust the consistency of the glaze to suit your taste. For a thicker, icing-like consistency, add a bit more confectioner’s sugar. For a thinner glaze, add more liquid.
For a slightly less sweet option, you can skip the glaze and sprinkle the pies with crunchy Demerara sugar (or Sugar in the Raw) instead. Or, omit the toppings altogether—these hand pies also taste great all by themselves.
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
The jam takes about 30 minutes to cook, and another 1-2 hours to cool in the fridge. You can make the jam up to 48 hours in advance and refrigerate until ready to use.
Puff pastry hand pies are best enjoyed on the day they are made, ideally while still slightly warm. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
Unglazed pies can be layered between sheets of parchment and frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. To enjoy, reheat for 5-10 minutes at 350° F / 175° C in a traditional oven. Serve without the glaze, or glaze just prior to serving the reheated pastries.
I do not recommend freezing glazed hand pies.
Other hand pie recipes you might enjoy:
Cranberry Apple Hand Pies
Apple Turnovers
Strawberry Hand Pies
Peach Hand Pies with Blueberries and Walnuts
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Mixed Berry Breakfast Pastries
Mixed berry hand pies filled with homemade jam and drizzled with vanilla bean glaze.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cooling Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes (jam) + 25 minutes (pies)
- Total Time: About 3 hours, including cooling time
- Yield: 6 4-inch hand pies 1x
- Category: Turnovers and Hand Pies
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Ingredients
Mixed Berry Jam:
250 grams fresh or frozen mixed berries (2 cups)
150 grams granulated sugar (3/4 cup)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pastries:
2 sheets pre-made puff pastry, thawed according to package directions if frozen
1 egg, lightly beaten
Vanilla Bean Glaze:
100 grams confectioner’s sugar (3/4 cup)
15 milliliters whole milk (1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Purple gel food coloring (I used Neon Brite Purple)
Instructions
Mixed Berry Jam:
In a small saucepan, combine chopped berries and sugar over medium heat, stirring occasionally until berries break down and jam thickens, about 30 minutes.
Test the jam by spooning a small amount onto a plate. Cool slightly then stretch a glob of jam between your thumb and forefinger. If a strand forms, the jam is ready to use.
Spoon jam into a bowl. Stir in lemon juice and refrigerate until thickened and cold to the touch, about 1 hour.
Pastries:
Preheat oven to 205° C / 400° F. Line a half-sheet baking tray with parchment or a silicone mat.
On a silicone rolling mat or lightly floured countertop, unroll one sheet of puff pastry. Use a rolling pin to roll the pastry a few inches longer, or a knife to trim away any excess, forming a rectangle about 8 x 12 inches in size.
With a sharp chef’s knife, slice the rectangle into 6 squares, about 4 x 4 inches in size.
Arrange on prepared tray.
Repeat with the second sheet of pastry.
Spoon jam, dividing it equally between the 6 squares.
With a pastry brush, brush a thin strip of beaten egg around the edges of each square.
Top with the remaining 6 squares of pastry. Seal the edges with your fingertips.
Crimp the edges of each square with a fork.
With a pastry brush, brush the tops of the squares with the beaten egg.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes, or until flaky and deeply golden brown.
With a flat spatula, transfer pastries to a wire rack. Set aside to cool while you prepare the glaze.
Vanilla Bean Glaze:
In a small bowl, whisk together confectioner’s sugar, milk, vanilla bean paste, and food coloring.
Spoon glaze over pastries.
Serve immediately. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one day.
