Gluten-Free Hand Pies

To make the pastry: In a large bowl, toss together the crust mix and half of the cubed butter. Work the butter into the dry mix until everything is evenly crumbly.

Add the remaining cubed butter, working it in but leaving it in larger, pea-sized pieces.

Sprinkle the water over the mixture a tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork as you go. Add enough water for the mixture to form a cohesive dough when squeezed.

Turn the dough out onto a piece of parchment and fold it over onto itself once or twice. Pat the dough into a rectangle, cover it with a piece of parchment, and use a rolling pin to flatten it a bit.

Roll the dough into an 8” x 16” rectangle. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 15 minutes to firm up.

To assemble the hand pies: Cut the chilled dough into two 4" x 16" strips, then cut each strip into four squares, making a total of eight squares.

Place a tablespoon of pie filling on the center of each square. 

Brush two adjoining edges of each square with some of the beaten egg/water mixture. Use a small offset spatula to fold half the dough over to make a triangle shape, pressing the edges together with a fork. Cut a slit in the top of each hand pie to vent steam.

Transfer the hand pies, parchment and all, to a baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes for the dough to firm up. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

To finish and bake the hand pies: Remove the hand pies from the refrigerator. Brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg and sprinkle generously with coarse sparkling sugar.

Bake the hand pies for 26 to 28 minutes, until golden brown. Remove them from the oven and cool before glazing and serving.

To glaze the hand pies: Stir together the confectioners' sugar and milk until smooth; drizzle over the cooled hand pies.

Storage instructions: Store hand pies, well wrapped, at room temperature for up to two days; freeze for longer storage.