Baklava Hand Pies
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Happy Pi(e) Day! These petite baklava hand pies are an utterly adorable way to celebrate Pi Day – there’s nothing not to love about picnic-ready hand pies, baked up to golden and buttery perfection.
Crisp and flaky, with a delightful spiced and orange-scented baklava filling, these hand pies are scrumptious. For the ultimate take on baklava, add a drizzle of honey just before serving, then dig in. Happy baking!
Baklava Hand Pies
- Yield: 12 Hand Pies
Ingredients
Crust
- 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter
- 1 1/4 cups flour
- 1 Tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 1–2 Tbsp vodka
Filling
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp orange zest
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp cloves
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1/4 cup almonds, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup pecans, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 Tbsp honey (for drizzling)
Assembly
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp water
- 2 tsp sugar (for sprinkling)
Instructions
- For the crust, grate 1/4 cup butter into a small bowl; cut remaining 1/4 cup butter into small cubes and place in a second bowl; chill bowls in freezer for 15 minutes. Whisk together flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl; place bowl in freezer to chill for 15 minutes. Chill buttermilk and vodka in freezer for 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle cubed butter over chilled flour mixture and toss with a spatula to coat. Use a pastry blender to cut in butter until the biggest pieces are the size of peas; fold in grated butter. Drizzle buttermilk over flour mixture; use a spatula to gather dough together until it forms large clumps. If needed, add vodka 1 tablespoon at a time, then gently knead just to form a ball. Wrap dough in plastic and flatten slightly to form a disc. Chill in the refrigerator at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days, or place in a freezer bag and freeze 1 to 2 months).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place dough on a floured board and dust dough with flour. Roll out dough until dough is a 12-inch circle, 1/8″ thick (If dough starts to stick, use a floured bench scraper to gently lift dough from board). Use a 3 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out 12 circles of dough (re-roll scraps once). Place circles on baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F.
- For the filling, whisk together brown sugar, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl. Stir in almonds and pecans, then add melted butter and vanilla and fold in until combined. To assemble hand pies, whisk together egg yolk and water in a small bowl. Brush chilled circles lightly with egg wash; top with 1 tablespoon filling. Drizzle filling very lightly with honey. Fold circles over and crimp edges with a fork to seal. Chill assembled pies in the refrigerator for 10 minutes.
- Just before baking, vent pies with a sharp knife, brush lightly with egg wash, and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 18 to 19 minutes, until golden brown. Cool pies on baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Make ahead: Freeze assembled pies on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for storage. When ready to bake, brush with egg wash and bake directly from the freezer, adding 1-2 minutes to baking time.
Nutrition
- Calories: 195
- Carbohydrates: 24
Keywords: Baklava, Cinnamon, Honey
Can these be made without vodka?
Hi Kathy, yes you can. Here’s a newly updated pastry recipe that works perfectly for hand pies: https://tutti-dolci.com/2018/10/cranberry-apple-hand-pies/
What a treat these were! I wish I could say mine were as pretty as yours but they were devoured by too few guests who all went home happy.
I’m so glad you tried them, Maureen! 🙂 I don’t blame your guests – it’s all too easy to devour mini pies!
I’ve been wanting to try a baklava recipe, but I find it slightly intimidating. I think I’m going to give thisversion a try – they look great!
Thanks so much, Kate! 🙂 You might also like my baklava cookie bars – let me know if you give them a try!
These couldn’t be more perfect (or cute!), Laura! <3
Laura I LOVE these beautiful little hand pies. Know why! Because I LOVE the flavors of baklava, but every time I’ve tried to make baklava it’s been an epic fail! Your photos are so lovely, too!
Oh my gosh, I love these! I don’t think it gets better than baklava in hand pie form 🙂 Perfect for pi day.
Love individual size treats and you flavored these hand pies just beautifully! Perfect way to celebrate Pi- Day.
Hehe these are literally two of my favourite foods in one. Baklava and Hand Pies!! 😀