Chocolate Hand Pies
These chocolate hand pies are like little pockets of happiness! They're made with this super easy cream cheese pastry that's flaky and yummy, and then filled with ooey-gooey Nutella – talk about a dream combo!
Equipment
- Food Processor
- Cookie cutter or small bowl
- Pastry brush
- Baking sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- 1 and ¼ cups (160 grams) all purpose flour *if not weighing the flour, use the fluff and spoon method, see notes
- ½ cup (117 grams) cream cheese full fat, brick style, cold
- ½ cup (112 grams) salted butter cold
- 2 tbsp (27 grams) granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon fine kosher salt use ½ teaspoon if using unsalted butter
Filling
- ¾ cup Nutella (220 grams)
Egg wash & Finishing
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Pastry
- Cut the butter and cream cheese into half inch pieces, set aside.
- Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the food processor, pulse until combined.
- Add the butter and cream cheese on top of the flour mixture. Pulse until a ball of dough forms. If it is not coming together, add one teaspoon of cold water but it should come together after mixing enough.
- Shape into a flat disc, wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator until cold, about 1 hour.
Assembling
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough using a bit a flour and rolling pin about ⅛-1/4 inch thick.
- Cut out 3 inch circles, place the bottom circles on parchment lined baking sheets (you can roll the scraps of the dough as well, knead the scraps together and refrigerate if too warm before rolling again)
- Egg wash around the edges, place a heaping tablespoon of Nutella (22 grams) in the middle. Place another circle on top.
- Crimp the edges with a fork, making sure it's sealed. Make 3 tiny slits in the top for steam.
- Whisk the egg until broken and frothy. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops with the egg. Sprinkle with sugar, about a teaspoon per each.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brow. Let cool before eating.
Notes
*Start by fluffing up the flour with a spoon to loosen it, then gently scoop it into your measuring cup without packing it down. Once the cup is slightly overfilled, use a straight edge like the back of a knife to level it off.
The dough should be cold while working with it and cold before you bake the pies.
A lot of people don't have a food processor. If you do not have access to one, you can cut the butter and cream cheese into the flour with your fingertips: Using your fingertips, gently work the butter and cream cheese into the flour mixture. Press the cubes between your fingers and thumbs, rubbing them into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Do this quickly to prevent the butter from melting too much. Form Dough: Once the butter and cream cheese are evenly distributed and the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, start pressing the dough together to form a ball. Be careful not to overwork the dough; you want to keep the butter and cream cheese cold to achieve a flaky pastry.
Storage:
Room Temperature
Hand pies are best the day they were made. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Refrigeration
I don't recommend storing these chocolate hand pies in the refrigerator, they will dry out and get soggy. The unbaked dough can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before rolling.
Freezer
Freeze the baked hand pies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Defrost on the counter at room temperature for a few hours before eating.
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