Homemade Peach Hand Pies - House of Nash Eats

This post was created as in partnership with Imperial Sugar. All thoughts and opinions are 100% my own.

Peach season is too short, so don’t miss making these delightful Peach Hand Pies! They are a handheld version of your favorite summer pie full of juicy, sweet peaches at their peak freshness. Made with a buttery, flaky crust, and homemade peach pie filling, these are always a hit at pool parties and backyard BBQs.

Glazed peach hand pies on a plate with a bowl of peaches behind them.

Make the most of peach season with more reader-favorites like our wildly popular Peach Ice Cream, Southern Peach Pie, Easy Peach Milkshakes, and Homemade Peach Cobbler!

Table of Contents

What You’ll Need
How to Make Peach Hand Pies
Recipe FAQ’s
How to Serve With Peach Hand Pies
Storage & Freezing Instructions
More Peach Recipes

I think of peach hand pies almost like being peach pie cookies since you can pick them up and eat them with your hands, no fork required!

The flaky, buttery crust is the perfect compliment to the sweet, summery fruit filling of fresh peaches spiced with just a hint of cinnamon and vanilla. And the simple almond glaze is the perfect pairing with the peach flavor and seals in freshness so the hand pies stay fresh for a day or two longer.

My family actually prefers hand pies over a traditional pie and begs me to make them all year long in all different flavors, but peach just might be my favorite.

A peach hand pie that has been cut in half with the halves stacked on top of each other showing the peach filling inside.

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.

Pie crust – You can use store-bought refrigerated pie crust or make your favorite pie crust recipe.
Peaches – There is nothing like fresh, ripe peaches! You can use frozen or canned peaches, but trust me that fresh peaches at the height of their summer season are unmatched in terms of flavor.
Granulated sugar – Peaches are naturally deliciously sweet, but they need a little help from some white sugar to boost the pie filling sweetness. I tested this recipe to make sure we had just the right amount so that the peach flavor is still the star of the show.
Cornstarch – This is my favorite thickening agent for making pie filling.
Lemon juice – Keeps the flavor and color of the peach pie filling balanced and bright.
Ground cinnamon – Just enough for that yummy spiced peach flavor without overpowering the fruit.
Salt – Brings out of the best in almost any baking recipe so the flavors aren’t bland.
Vanilla extract – If you haven’t tried our homemade vanilla extract, it’s so easy and makes a great gift for friends and neighbors!
Egg wash – Whisking an egg and cold water together to brush on top of the peach hand pies ensures a golden brown finish when they are done baking. You can skip it if you want, but the pies will be pale looking (albeit still delicious!).
Glaze – A simple combo of powdered sugar, heavy cream, and almond extract are the perfect finish to these hand pies. Another option is to sprinkle coarse sanding sugar over the egg-wash brushed hand pies for a sparkly, crunchy finish, if you prefer.

How to Make Peach Hand Pies

Draw out peach juices. Add peaches, sugar, corn starch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt to a large bowl. Let sit for 15-20 minutes. Ripe peaches typically release quite a lot of peach juice this way!
Strain. Dump the macerated peaches into a fine mesh strainer over a medium saucepan to separate the accumulated juices from the sliced fruit. Set the peaches aside.

Combining sliced fresh peaches with sugar, cinnamon, and cornstarch in a white bowl.

Draining juices from macerated peaches over a saucepan.

Thicken. Cook peach juices over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until thickened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract, reserved peaches and any additional accumulated juices. Cool completely.

Cool peach gel pie filling in a saucepan.

Adding peach slices to thickened gel filling in a saucepan.

Prep. Preheat oven to 400°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Roll and cut out dough. Roll out pie dough on a lightly floured surface until approximately 1/8-inch thick. Cut out large circles using a large round cutter.
Fill and fold. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons pie filling into center of each circle of pie dough. Fold dough over and press with tines of a fork to seal. Transfer to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining pie dough and filling.

Cutting out circles of pie dough with a large round cutter.

Adding peach pie filling to circles of pie dough.

Brush with egg wash. Whisk egg and cold water in a small bowl. Brush each hand pie with egg wash using a pastry brush. Cut a slit in top of each hand pie to vent.
Bake. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown on top. Remove from oven and cool before enjoying.
Glaze. Whisk powdered sugar, heavy cream, and almond extract to form optional glaze. Add more cream as needed to get the desired consistency. Brush the glaze onto the cooled hand pies with a pastry brush and let sit for 30 minutes to set up before enjoying.

Sealed peach hand pies before baking on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Baked and glazed peach hand pies on a baking sheet lines with a wire rack next to slices of fresh peaches.

Be sure to visit Imperial Sugar’s site for the FULL RECIPE and instructions.

Recipe FAQ’s

What is the best rolling pin for rolling out pie crusts?

You can use any rolling pin for a pie crust, but my personal favorite is a wooden one with handles on the side. I’ve tried marble rolling pins, stainless steel rolling pins, and french rolling pins with no handles, and I just prefer the simple, old-fashioned wood handled rolling pin best for pie crusts. But use whatever works best for you!

Can I make these with a different kind of filling?

Absolutely! The technique for hand pies is the same no matter which filling you use. You could make my raspberry cake filling for raspberry hand pies, or try cherry pie filling, blueberry pie filling, or even vanilla pastry cream instead. I have a separate post about apple hand pies because those are my family’s fall favorite treat!

Homemade peach hand pies with vanilla glaze on a wire rack over a baking sheet.

How to Serve With Peach Hand Pies

The beauty of hand pies is that they are a piece of pie you can eat with your hands! Serve them at a party with napkins and no utensils or plates are required!

Or serve them with a scoop of ice cream on a plate for a delicious treat with a slightly higher crust-to-filling ratio than a traditional peach pie.

These are also great for packing in kids lunches for a special treat at school.

A close image of glazed peach hand pies on a wire rack with slices of fresh peach.

Storage & Freezing Instructions

You can keep any uneaten hand pies in an airtight container on the counter once the glaze has completely set for 4-5 days, although they are best eaten fresh. Stack in a single layer or lay a piece of parchment paper or wax paper between the layers to prevent the glaze from sticking. They can also be refrigerated and served chilled, if you prefer.

You can freeze any uneaten hand pies for up to 3 months. Transfer the finished hand pies to an airtight, freezer-safe container in a single layer and freeze. The glaze might be slightly sticky when thawed, but the hand pies will still taste delicious.

Be sure to stop by Imperial Sugar’s site for the FULL RECIPE. I have partnered with them now for a few years and love their products for my baking needs!