#pie pops

RECIPE: Hand Pies and Pie Pops (from Icing on the Cake by Tessa Huff)

Featured decorating techniques: pie dough cut-outs and appliqués

These individual treats make pie baking so easy. Whether on a stick or of the handheld variety, these single-serving pies are quick and simple. The mix-and-match fillings are perfect for making by yourself or with the family—plus, you can use whatever you already have in your pantry! Everett loves to help by sprinkling on bits of chocolate and berries, when he is not trying to sneak handfuls of blueberries into his mouth, that is. My personal favorites are apricot jam with tart raspberries, and dark chocolate with fresh cherry halves, but please get creative with whatever combinations you’d like! Serving a crowd? Feel free to double the recipe!

Makes 10 to 14 pie pops or 8 to 12 hand pies

Hand Pies

1 recipe single-crust All- Butter Pie Dough (click here for the recipe), chilled

½ cup (120 ml) assorted jams, apple butter, or Nutella

Berries or halved cherries

Chopped nuts (pistachio, almonds, or walnuts)

Chopped chocolate

To assemble:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon whole milk

Granulated or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Let the chilled pie dough soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

Roll out the pie dough to ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick. Cut out rounds of pie dough using a 3- to 4-inch (8- to 10-cm) round cookie or biscuit cutter. Gently stack the pie dough scraps, reroll, and cut out as many rounds as you can.

Fill the center of each dough round with a tablespoon of jam, a fresh berry or two, a sprinkle of chopped nuts, a few pieces of chopped chocolate, or a combination of any of the ingredients, leaving the edges of the pie dough exposed. Do not overfill. Brush the edges with a small amount of water and fold the dough over on itself to form half-moons. Press the edges together and crimp with the tines of a fork to seal. Vent the hand pies by carefully cutting small slits in the tops with a paring knife. Place them on the prepared baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Finish the hand pies

When ready to bake, whisk together the egg and milk to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the chilled hand pies and sprinkle them with sugar. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until the crusts are golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet on a wire rack before serving.

Hand pies are best eaten the day that they are made. Store leftovers wrapped with plastic or foil at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

Pie Pops

1 recipe single-crust All- Butter Pie Dough (click here for recipe), chilled

½ cup (120 ml) assorted jams, apple butter, or Nutella

Berries or halved cherries

Chopped nuts (pistachios, almonds, or walnuts)

Chopped chocolate

To assemble:

1 large egg

1 tablespoon whole milk or water

Granulated or turbinado sugar, for sprinkling

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Let the chilled pie dough soften at room temperature for about 10 minutes.

Roll out the dough to ⅛ to ¼ inch (3 to 6 mm) thick. Cut out rounds of dough using a 2- to 2½ inch (5- to 6-cm) round cookie or biscuit cutter. Gently stack the dough scraps, reroll, and cut as many rounds as you can.

Place half of the pie dough rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Fill the center of each with a couple teaspoons of jam, a fresh berry or two, a sprinkle of chopped nuts, a few pieces of chopped chocolate, or a combination of any of the fillings, leaving the edges of the pie dough exposed. Do not overfill.

To decorate the pie pops with pie dough cut-outs and appliqués, use a small cookie cutter (like mini hearts or stars) to cut out small shapes from the centers of the remaining pie dough rounds or make appliqués from the pie dough scraps. Attach appliqués to the tops of the rounds with a dab of water.

Place a lollipop stick on top of the filling, halfway up from the bottom of the pie dough rounds, and gently press down. Brush the edges of the bottom rounds with a small amount of water and place a second dough round (decorated or not) on top. Use a spare lollipop stick or the tines of a fork to crimp the edges and seal together the top and bottom pieces, concentrating on either side of the stick to make sure it is secure. Place the baking sheet with the pie pops in the refrigerator for 15 to 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

Finish the pie pops

When ready to bake, whisk together the egg and milk to make an egg wash. Brush the egg wash over the chilled pie pops and sprinkle them with sugar. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes, until the crusts are golden brown. Let the pie pops cool completely on the baking sheet on a wire rack before serving. The lollipop stick will feel much more secure once the pops cool.

Pie pops are best eaten the day they are made. Store leftovers wrapped with plastic or foil at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

As a follow-up to Layered, Tessa Huff returns with Icing on the Cake to dive deeper into dessert decoration and the presentation of layer cakes and other showstopping treats. Providing the confidence home bakers need to get creative, Icing on the Cake guides readers from cake pan to presentation to dessert plate. Organized by style, each dessert showcases a different decorative element, artistic pastry technique, or presentation idea. With hundreds of beautiful photos, including lots of step-by-steps, Icing on the Cake is a richly illustrated guide for creating delicious, beautiful desserts that will be the grand finale of any gathering.