Buttery, flaky, heart-shaped hand pies filled with chocolate or fruit - and ready in under 30 minutes. These Valentine's Hand Pies look bakery-level impressive but are secretly simple thanks to store-bought pastry. Perfect for a Valentine's dinner party, Galentine's brunch, or a sweet surprise for your kids.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
- Uses store-bought pie dough for speed
- Freezer friendly
- Can be made in under 30 minutes
- Easily customizable (chocolate, jam, Nutella)
- Visually high impact with minimal effort
- Perfect for entertaining or gifting
WHAT GOES INTO THIS RECIPE
- Pie Crust (premade or homemade)
- Jam or Jelly of choice
- Cream cheese or goat cheese is optional
- Egg Wash
- Sugar
SUBSTITUTIONS / ADDITIONS
- Swap Nutulla for jam
- Add orange zest to chocolate
- Drizzle with white chocolate
- Dust with powdered sugar
- Use cookie cutters for different shapes
HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE
Roll out your pie dough, cut into shapes with your cookie cutter, add a small amount of filling to one side of the dough, top with the other side, cramp shot really well using a fork, brush with egg wash, and top with sugar.
FAQ
Yes absolutely! Use whatever flavor you'd like.
Yes a perfect Valentine chocolate variation would be to use Nutella spread instead of jam.
To Store at room temperature in airtight container 2 days or refrigerate 4 days.
For best texture, reheat hand pies in a 350°F oven for 8-12 minutes to crisp the crust again. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it can make the pastry soft instead of flaky.
To freeze:
Wrap each cooled hand pie individually in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat directly from frozen in a 350°F oven until heated throug
If your filling is leaking or oozing out of the crust, it's usually due to one of these three issues:
1. The crust wasn't sealed properly.
Press the top and bottom crusts together firmly and crimp the edges well. Any small gaps will allow steam and filling to push through during baking.
2. The pie was overfilled.
It's tempting to pack it full (I get it), but too much filling creates pressure as it bubbles, forcing it out the sides.
Pro Tip:
Cut small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. This prevents pressure buildup and keeps the filling inside where it belongs.
Expert Tip Section
Expert Tip: Chill assembled pies for 10 minutes before baking. This keeps the pastry flaky and prevents filling from bubbling out.
If you make these Valentine's Hand Pies, tag me @laurenlaneculinarian so I can see your creations. And if you're hosting this year, don't miss my other entertaining recipes below.
I'm Lauren Lane, a Kansas City food stylist and entertaining expert who specializes in elevated comfort recipes that feel special but stay simple. These Valentine's hand pies are one of my favorite "wow without stress" desserts - beautiful enough for a party, easy enough for a Tuesday night.
Easy Valentines Hand Pies & Valentine Chocolate Variation
Ingredients
- 2 packs refrigerated pie crust dough one box of 2, I use Pillsbury
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour for dusting
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for sprinkling
- strawberries jam for a Valentine chocolate variation use Nutella spread
- cream cheese or goat cheese optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon water to create an egg wash.
- Roll out the pie dough to ⅛ to ¼ inch thick on a floured surface.
- Using at least a 3 ½ to 4-inch, heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out heart shapes. (or make a square or rectangle)
- Place hearts of dough on the baking sheet.
- Brush egg wash around ½ the hearts.
- Dollop a large tablespoon of jam on the center of ½ the hearts on the baking sheet. (Or gently spread Nutella on the heart for the chocolate variation) Try to spread it out, but leave the edges free of jam or Nutella. (DON'T over fill....trust me!
- Crumble goat cheese over the jam if using.
- Use a knife to cut a small "X" in the middle on the remaining dough hearts to allow for ventilation when baking.
- Top each heart with filling with remaining dough hearts, creating a sandwich.
- Using a fork, crimp the edges around each pie.
- Lightly brush the top of each pie with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
- Bake the pies for 20-30 minutes until they are puffed up and golden. Let them cool slightly and enjoy! Note: Watch them because all ovens are different. They are done when they are golden brown.If you have leftover pie dough scraps, simply reroll them to make an extra hand pie - or sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake for an easy little snack.
Notes
Overfilling or not sealing edges tightly can cause oozing. Use less filling and press edges firmly with a fork. Chilling before baking also helps. Can I make these ahead of time?
Yes. Assemble and refrigerate up to 24 hours before baking. Can I freeze hand pies?
Yes — freeze unbaked, then bake from frozen adding 2–3 minutes. How do you store hand pies?
Store at room temperature in airtight container 2 days or refrigerate 4 days. Expert Tip: Chill assembled pies for 10 minutes before baking. This keeps the pastry flaky and prevents filling from bubbling out. Calories are based on the size of the hand pie
Lauren Lane says
So darling and delicious. They can be made into any shape you'd like, but these hearts are perfect for Valentine's Day. Let me know what you think!