These heart-shaped strawberry hand pies are a fun, festive twist on classic strawberry hand pies, made with a flaky crust and a sweet homemade strawberry filling. This easy strawberry hand pie recipe is perfect for Valentine's Day and parties, and you can use store-bought pie crust for a shortcut or a homemade option like vodka pie crust for extra flakiness.
If you're planning a full spread with Valentine's Day treats, pair these pies with our heart chocolate chip cookies and peanut butter heart cookies for a festive mix of heart-shaped desserts that's perfect for celebrating the holiday.
🔍 Quick Look: Heart-Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies
⏱️ Prep Time: About 20 minutes
🔥 Cook Time: 18-22 minutes per batch
🕒 Total Time: About 2 hours and 25 minutes (including filling, baking, and cooling)
🥧 Yield: About 8-10 heart-shaped strawberry hand pies
🧑🍳 Tools: Rolling pin, heart-shaped cookie cutter (3.5-4 inch), saucepan, mixing bowl, baking sheet, parchment paper, pastry brush, fork
🎉 Perfect For: Valentine's Day, bridal showers, baby showers, picnics, dessert boards, party treats
⭐ Difficulty: Easy to Moderate (use pre-made pie crust and store-bought strawberry pie filling to make it even easier!)
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❤️ Why You'll Love Strawberry Hand Pies
- Adorable: These heart-shaped strawberry hand pies are so cute and perfect for Valentine's Day, anniversaries, bridal showers, wedding showers, and party dessert boards. The heart shape makes them look bakery-worthy while still being easy to make at home.
- Simple and Flexible: This hand pie recipe works with homemade pie crust or store-bought dough, plus fresh strawberry filling or even strawberry jam for a shortcut. You can customize it based on how much time you have without sacrificing flavor.
- Delicious: This hand pie is filled with a scaled-down version of my very popular strawberry cake filling recipe! Wrapped in a flaky pie crust that bakes up golden and crisp, it’s the perfect balance of buttery pastry and delicious fruity filling.
Jump to:
- 🔍 Quick Look: Heart-Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies
- ❤️ Why You'll Love Strawberry Hand Pies
- Key Ingredients
- How to Make
- 👩🍳 A Note on Activating Cornstarch for Fruit Filling
- ❤️ Make Strawberry Hand Pies Even Easier
- Tips For Perfect Hand Pies
- Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pie FAQ
- Storing and Making Ahead
- Looking for more strawberry dessert recipes?
- Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies
Key Ingredients
See the recipe card for a full list of ingredients and quantities.
- Pie Dough: You can use store-bought or homemade pie crust (this vodka pie crust is my favorite!)
- Strawberries: Both fresh and frozen strawberries work in this recipe.
- Cornstarch: This thickens the strawberry filling. Do not use flour in place of the cornstarch, it will not work in this recipe.
- Coarse Sugar (optional): Sprinkled on top for extra texture and sweetness.
How to Make
Make Strawberry Filling
1. Add Ingredients to Saucepan: In a medium to large-sized saucepan, add the strawberry filling ingredients.
2. Mix Until Coated: Mix all ingredients until the strawberries are coated.
3. Bring to Boil: Place over medium to medium-high heat. Stirring constantly, bring the mixture to a boil. Boiling is what will activate the cornstarch thickener. It should turn from a pinkish opaque color, as shown above, to a translucent glossy red, as shown in the next picture. The whole process of activating the cornstarch should take less than a minute from when it starts to boil.
4. Simmer: Once the mixture boils and turns red, immediately turn the heat down to low and simmer for 5-8 minutes until the mixture has thickened and the strawberries are soft. If desired, you can break apart the strawberries further with a fork. Once the filling has thickened, remove from heat and let the filling cool completely before assembling the hand pies.
👩🍳 A Note on Activating Cornstarch for Fruit Filling
Cornstarch needs to reach an almost boil of around 185-203℉ in order activate and to start thickening a sauce or filling. You will know it has activated when the mixture changes from a cloudy, milky color to a deeper translucent color. As soon as it changes, turn the heat to low. Do not over-boil the mixture! If you boil it at a high heat for too long, the cornstarch can lose its thickening ability.
Roll and Cut Pie Crust
5. Roll dough: on a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out the pie crust until about 1/8- 1/4 inch thick.
6. Cut Shapes: Use a 3.5 to 4 inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out an even number of hearts. Re-roll the scrapes to cut out more heart until all the dough has been used. You'll need to two per pie, and for a double batch of pie crusty you should get about 8-12 total hand pies or 16-24 individual hearts (the total number can vary depending on your pie crust recipe or brand of premade crust, and the size/shape of your cookie cutters). You can also cut out circles or use a knife to slice into squares or rectangles.
7. Add to Prepared Baking Sheet: Place half of the heart-shaped pie crusts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat. Keep the hearts at least 2 inches apart. If your hearts don’t fit on one baking sheet, fill and bake only one tray at a time, keeping the dough in the refrigerator until you’re ready to assemble the second batch.
8. Re-roll and Press Steam Vent: Reroll remaining pie crust and cut out the remaining hearts. If you’d like a heart shape to vent the steam, use a mini cookie cutter or mini fondant press to cut out a heart shape in the middle of half of the pie crust hearts. This will allow the steam to release so the don’t explode in the oven. If using a knife to make an X to allow the steam to escape, you can do it after assembling the hand pies.
Assemble Hand Pies
9. Add Filling: Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the strawberry filling to the center of each heart, leaving a border around the edges.
10. Egg Wash the Edges: Brush the edges with egg wash to help seal the pies.
11. Top and Seal: Top with the remaining dough hearts and press the edges with a fork to seal. If you didn't already use a mini cookie cutter to cut out a shape to allow the steam to escape, use a small knife to cut a tiny slit or two on the top of each pie.
12. Add Egg Wash: Lightly brush the egg wash all over the tops of the assembled hand pies. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops.
Bake Hand Pies
13. Bake: Bake one tray at a time in a 350℉ preheated oven in the middle rack for 18-22 minutes, until the edges are golden and the strawberry filling starts to bubble.
14. Cool: Remove from oven and let cool on the baking tray. Serve warm or at room temperature.
❤️ Make Strawberry Hand Pies Even Easier
Make this recipe even easier using store-bought pie crust and strawberry jam! Just use the assembly and baking method outlined above!
Tips For Perfect Hand Pies
- Do Not Substitute Flour for Cornstarch: They are not the same thing, and the strawberry filling will not thicken if you use flour.
- Using Frozen Berries: If using frozen berries to make your filling, there is no need to defrost and slice them. Just cook from frozen, and gently mash with a fork while simmering.
- Keep Pie Dough Cold: Keep your pie dough cold to ensure a flaky crust. If it gets too soft, pop it in the fridge for 10-15 minutes before rolling it out.
- Don't Overfill: A tablespoon or so of filling is perfect, any more and it can burst or leak out of the pie.
- Try Different Shapes: While heart-shaped hand pies are adorable, you can also make circle hand pies, or use a knife to make rectangular or square hand pies (no cookie cutters needed!).
- Get Them Golden Brown: The egg wash and extra coarse sugar is optional, but adds a nice golden color and fun crunch to the pies.
Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pie FAQ
A 3.5 to 4 inch heart shaped cookie cutter works best. This size gives you enough space for the strawberry filling while still being easy to seal and handle.
I personally like these heart cookie cutters with this heart fondant press for the steam vent.
Make sure you are using cornstarch, and not flour. Flour will not work as a thickener for this recipe. Also, the cornstarch needs to be fully activated, and you’ll know this happens because it will turn from a milky pinkish red, to a deeper, more opaque red.
And, do not overboil the fillling. If you boil for too long after the cornstarch is activated, it can lose its thickening ability. So, turn down the heat as soon as it changes color, then continue to simmer on a low heat. And note, the filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
Yes, absolutely. You can use about 1 tablespoon of thick strawberry jam (or any thick fruit jam!) per hand pie as a shortcut.
Excessive leaking usually happens when the hand pies are overfilled, not sealed tightly enough, or not properly vented.
Use about 1 tablespoon of filling, brush the edges with egg wash or water, crimp very firmly with a fork, and cut vents in the top crust to let steam escape.
Yes, strawberry hand pies freeze very well, both unbaked and baked. For unbaked hand pies, assemble them completely, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F, adding 3-5 extra minutes to the bake time. The baked and cooled hand pies can be frozen for up to two months
Storing and Making Ahead
The strawberry filling can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
These baked strawberry hand pies are best enjoyed fresh, but can also be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two. The baked and cooled hand pies can be frozen for up to two months.
Looking for more strawberry dessert recipes?
You will love our best strawberry recipes for spring and summer including:
Heart Shaped Strawberry Hand Pies
Equipment
- Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper
- Baking pan
- Mini Heart Fondant Press optional
INGREDIENTS
Strawberry Filling
- 2 cups fresh strawberries, diced from 12-16 ounces whole strawberries, see notes for using frozen
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup sugar
- pinch salt
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Hand Pies
- pie crust double batch, homemade or storebought
- flour for rolling
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
- coarse sugar optional
Instructions
Strawberry Filling
- In a medium to large size saucepan mix all ingredients until the strawberries are coated.
- Place over medium to medium high heat, and stirring constantly bring the mixture to a boil (this will activate the cornstarch thickener). It should turn from a light and opaque pink to a translucent red. Do not boil for longer than 60 seconds.
- Once the mixture boils, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 5-8 minutes until the mixture has thickened and the strawberries are soft. If desired you can break apart the strawberries further with a fork.
- After it's thickened and the strawberries have broken down a bit, remove from heat and let cool completely before making the hand pies. This can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Hand Pies
- Make the egg wash by whisking together the egg and water. Set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie crust until about 1/8-1/4 inch thick.
- Use a 3.5 to 4-inch heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out an even number of hearts. Re-roll the scraps to cut out more hearts until all the dough has been used. If using a mini heart press to allow the steam to release, cut it out on half of the hearts now, using it right in the center. If using a knife to make an X to allow steam to escape, you can do it after assembling.
- Place half of the heart-shaped dough pieces on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, keeping them at least 2 inches apart.
- Add 1 heaping tablespoon of the strawberry filling to the center of each heart, leaving a border around the edges.
- Using a pastry brush, brush the edges with egg wash to help seal the pies. Top with the remaining pie dough hearts and press the edges with a fork to seal. If you didn't already cut hearts to allow steam to escape, use a small knife to cut a tiny slit or two on the top center of each pie.
- Lightly brush the egg wash all over the tops of the assembled hand pies. If desired, sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops.
- Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack in a 350℉ preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, until the edges are golden and the strawberry filling starts to bubble.
- Once done, remove from oven, and let cool on the baking tray. Repeat baking with remaining hand pies. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
Video
Notes
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- If using frozen berries to make your filling, there is no need to defrost and slice them. Just cook from frozen, and gently mash with a fork while simmering (you might need to cook a bit longer).
- I used the smallest one of this mini heart press to make heart shapes to allow steam to escape, but you can also use a knife to cut slits on the top of the assembled pies instead.
- Don't overfill the hand pies. A tablespoon or so of filling is perfect, any more and it can burst the hand pie or leak out of the pie.
- While hearts-shaped pies are adorable, you can also make circle hand pies, or use a knife to make squares or rectangles (no cookie cutters needed!).
- The egg wash and extra course sugar is optional but adds a nice golden color and fun crunch to the pies.
- Make this even easier using store-bought pie crust and strawberry jam! Just use the assembly and baking method outlined above.
- This recipe makes 8-12 hand pies, and will vary depending on the recipe or brand of pie crust, and size of the cookie cutters used.
- These hand pies can be stored at room temperature for up to two days or frozen up to two months.
Sophia Assunta says
This is such a fun recipe for Valentine’s Day, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!