Craving strawberry pie? These quick and easy air fryer strawberry hand pies are a perfectly simple solution for summertime dessert on the go.
Fresh strawberries are sweetened with sugar and layered between rich, buttery pastry crust then drizzled with a fresh lemon icing for a simple dessert that is equally easy to prepare and enjoy.
In the summertime, I always crave desserts that feature seasonal produce.
I love recipes that are simple and that allow the natural flavors of the fruit to shine! My favorite post-fruit-picking recipe to make are hand pies.
These air fryer strawberry hand pies with pie crust are a great way to use up some fresh-picked strawberries when you don’t have the time to make a big, fancy pie.
The best part is that these strawberry mini pies can be enjoyed on the go! My kids love that they can grab one of these and enjoy them without a plate or a fork.
In under 10-minutes, you can have impressive, delicious, and healthier strawberry fried pies featuring fresh berries with a little help from your air fryer!
If you love apples, then you need to try air fryer mini apple pies! And for more easy kid-friendly desserts, try this simple chocolate-dipped pineapple and air fryer pineapple!
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Ingredients in Strawberry Hand Pie Recipe
Surprisingly, you don't need much to make this super simple air fryer dessert recipe!
- Refrigerated Pie Crust: Using refrigerated pastry is the secret to making this recipe in under 10 minutes!
- Strawberries: Fresh picked and local is best. Make sure you wash and dry the strawberries completely before making this recipe.
- Sugar: Just a touch of sugar is all you need to bring fresh berries up a notch in sweetness.
- Cornstarch: Helps thicken the strawberry filling for an extra indulgent texture.
- Lemon zest: Just a touch of lemon zest gives the hand pies a fresh and vibrant finish.
- Egg: A light brushing with egg helps each pie turn that gorgeous golden hue when baked.
- Cream or milk: Mixing the egg with a bit of milk helps thin out the texture so it is easier to spread and control.
- Powdered Sugar: Sweetens up that tangy lemon flavor in the frosting.
- Lemon juice: Fresh is best, but you can use bottled as well!
Substitutions
- Refrigerated Pie Crust: Don't care for a pre-made crust? You can use your favorite homemade crust recipe instead. Cooking times and temps should be similar.
- Strawberries: If you are looking for the easiest prep possible, you can also use canned strawberry pie filling. Simply omit the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon zest.
- Egg/Milk: This easy egg wash gives the pies a gorgeous golden finish but you can omit them if desired and the pies will still turn out great!
- Powdered Sugar and Lemon: This powerhouse combination is an amazing addition drizzled over strawberry hand pies, but you can leave the drizzle off if desired and finish the pies with a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead. You may also consider a dollop of whipped cream, cream cheese, or even ice cream!
Equipment
You won't need much to make these air fryer strawberry hand pies.
- Air Fryer: The air fryer is the star of the show and the secret to getting these hand pies cooked in under 10 minutes!
- 3.5-inch round cookie cutter: The perfect size for making hand pies in the air fryer.
- Fork: For piercing the crust - this helps air circulate for better cooking.
- Mixing Bowl: Used for mixing the glaze.
- Whisk: To mix up the glaze.
- Pastry Brush: For brushing on the egg wash.
How to Make Air Fryer Strawberry Hand Pies
The first step to making easy air fryer strawberry pies is prepping the berries.
Whether you picked them fresh yourself or purchased them from a store starting with clean, hulled, and dry berries is a must!
- Cut them into small pieces and place them in a mixing bowl.
- Add the granulated sugar, corn starch, and lemon zest and mix until well combined. Set aside until the pie crusts are prepared.
- To prepare the pie crust, roll the refrigerated dough out onto a prepared surface and use the cookie cutter to cut 16 rounds.
TIP: Each pie will use two round circles, so cutting 16 rounds will result in 8 mini strawberry hand pies.
- Place about one tablespoon in the center of the eight pie crusts. Now, I know that the filling is the best part of the pie but be careful not to overfill or your air fryer may end up with a strawberry pie filling eruption during cooking.
- Next, it's time to seal the pies. Place the second layer of pie crust over the filling-topped first layer and use a fork to press the two edges together. If you have trouble sealing your pie, that is a good sign you have too much filling and may need to adjust the quantity of filling in the middle.
- Once the pie is good and sealed, pierce it with a fork on top. This will allow air to escape as the pie cooks and will result in a perfect and evenly cooked hand pie.
- The next steps making and applying the egg wash. Simple whisk together the egg and milk in a small bowl and use a pastry brush to apply a very small layer to the top of each hand pie. Don't overdo it, a light brushing is all you need for that gorgeous golden finish.
- Lastly, preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. Once it is preheated, add your hand pies to the basket and cook for about 8-9 minutes or until the hand pies are fragrant and golden.
- Once the hand pies have reached your desired level of doneness, remove them and allow them to cool.
- The very last step is topping them with delicious lemon drizzle. To make the drizzle, whisk together the powdered sugar and lemon juice and drizzle over the hand pies. This drizzle recipe is very forgiving. You can adjust the consistency to your liking!
Variations
Love the recipe but looking to change things up?
- Turn them into turnovers. Cut the crust into squares and fold them in half to make simple triangle turnovers instead.
- Make them homemade. Use homemade crust for a truly homemade dessert.
- Try puff pastry. Swap out pie crust for puff pastry for a light and fluffy swap.
- Add cream cheese. A light layer of cream cheese inside each pie will remind you of strawberry cheesecake! You can also drizzle it on top.
- Add more fruit. Try adding additional berries for an extra indulgent treat.
Storage
When properly stored in the refrigerator, these hand pies will last up to five days! Be sure to store them in an airtight container for best results.
This recipe can also be frozen for up to 3 months. To enjoy, thaw in the fridge before serving.
Expert Tips and FAQS
I can't wait for you to try these air fryer mini strawberry pies! When it's time to make them, remember:
- Use fresh strawberries, not frozen ones!
- Make sure strawberries are washed and completely dry before hulling.
- Space them out evenly in the air fryer to allow for better air circulation.
Yes! Using store-bought crust is my quick and easy dessert hack but if you have a favorite crust recipe you prefer you can use it!
Yes. Simply omit the sugar, corn starch, and lemon zest and use the pie filling instead.
Yes! Preheating the air fryer ensures the crust is cooked at optimal temperature and will keep it from drying out.
The pies are done when the crust becomes opaque and starts to turn golden brown on top.
Try a simple powdered sugar glaze, whipped cream, coarse sugar, or even ice cream!
More Dessert Recipes
Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating in the recipe card right below! You can also write a review in the comment section further down the page I always appreciate your feedback. And don’t forget to tag me @freshcoasteats in your photos on social media, I'd love to see your results!
Air Fryer Strawberry Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 2 Refrigerated deep dish pie crusts
- 1 Cup small-diced strawberries approximately ½ pint
- 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
- Zest of one medium lemon 2-3 tsp
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoon cream or milk
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Mix the diced strawberries, granulated sugar, corn starch and lemon zest in a small bowl and set aside.
- Unroll the pastry and cut each pie crust into 8 rounds with a 3.5-inch round cutter (or any shape/size you like). You should end up with 16 rounds.
- Place 1 tablespoon of strawberry mixture in the middle of 8 of the pastry rounds. Top with the remaining pastry rounds, then use a fork to seal around the edges.
- Poke holes in the top of each hand pie with a fork.
- In a small bowl whisk together the egg and cream. Brush over the hand pies.
Air Fryer
- Place the hand pies in a single layer of an air fryer basket. Set the air fryer to 350°F and cook 8-9 minutes until golden brown. Work in batches if needed.
- Let the hand pies cool, then mix the powdered sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl until it is smooth and runny. You can make it as thick or thin as you like.
- Drizzle over the hand pies.
Notes
- Use fresh strawberries, not frozen ones!
- Make sure strawberries are washed and completely dry before hulling.
- Space them out evenly in the air fryer to allow for better air circulation.
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