Chocolate-Filled Hand Pies Recipe

Easy Chocolate-Filled Hand Pies Recipe: Cozy Bites of Sweetness

Sweet chocolate tucked inside delicate pastry creates an irresistible hand pie experience.

Crisp edges and rich filling promise pure deliciousness with every bite.

Tender dough wraps around smooth chocolate, creating pockets of pure joy.

Minimal ingredients blend together effortlessly for a treat that feels special yet simple.

Baking these small wonders fills your kitchen with incredible warmth and anticipation.

Each hand pie delivers a personal-sized indulgence perfect for sharing or savoring solo.

A sprinkle of powdered sugar transforms these little pastries into something magical.

One taste will convince you these chocolate-filled treasures deserve a spot in your dessert repertoire.

Chocolate Hand Pies That Are Easy and Filled to Perfection

Quick Weekend Treat: Whip up these delightful chocolate-filled hand pies with minimal effort and maximum deliciousness.

Effortless Preparation: Create these handheld desserts in under 30 minutes, perfect for spontaneous sweet cravings or last-minute gatherings.

Kid-Friendly Cooking: Engage children in the fun process of cutting pie crusts, spooning chocolate, and sealing edges – a playful baking adventure for all ages.

Portable Dessert Perfection: Enjoy mess-free, grab-and-go pastries that are ideal for picnics, school lunches, or casual dessert sharing with friends.

Ingredients Inside Chocolate-Filled Hand Pies

Pie Crusts:
  • Pie Crust, Store-Bought or Homemade Pie Crust: Tender and flaky base for the hand pies, providing a delicate wrapper for the chocolate filling. Homemade crusts offer richer flavor, while store-bought save time.
Chocolate Filling:
  • Chocolate Chips, Heavy Cream: Rich and smooth chocolate center that creates a decadent filling. Use high-quality dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips for best flavor. Cream helps create a silky, luxurious texture.
Egg Wash and Finishing:
  • Egg, Water: Creates a golden, shiny exterior that helps seal the pie edges and gives a beautiful shine. Large eggs work best for uniform coating.
  • Chocolate Chips (Optional): Extra chocolate for topping, providing a melty and decorative finish. Choose chips that match the filling chocolate type.

Chocolate Hand Pie Filling and Baking Guide

Step 1: Fire Up the Oven

Crank your oven to a toasty 375°F (190°C).

Grab a baking sheet and drape it with parchment paper for a non-stick surface.

Step 2: Roll and Shape the Dough

Dust your work surface with a light flour sprinkle.

Gently roll out pie crusts and transform them into perfectly shaped circles or rectangles.

Use a cookie cutter or sharp knife to create uniform pastry canvases.

Step 3: Whip Up Chocolate Magic

Grab a small saucepan and create a silky chocolate mixture:
  • Chocolate chips
  • Heavy cream

Melt these ingredients over low heat, stirring until they become a smooth, glossy pool of deliciousness.

Let the mixture cool and slightly thicken.

Step 4: Build Your Flavor Pockets

Dollop a small amount of the chocolate mixture onto the center of half your pastry shapes.

Leave a tiny border around the edges to prevent spillage.

Step 5: Seal the Delectable Treasures

Crown each chocolate-filled pastry with a matching dough top.

Gently press the edges together.

Use fork tines to create a beautiful crimped border that locks in all the chocolatey goodness.

Step 6: Create a Golden Glaze

Whisk together:
  • Egg
  • Water

Lovingly brush this mixture over the tops of your pastry parcels for a stunning golden finish.

Step 7: Bake to Perfection

Slide the baking sheet into the oven.

Bake for 15-18 minutes until the pastries turn a gorgeous golden brown and develop a beautifully flaky texture.

Step 8: Serve and Indulge

Allow the pastry parcels to cool briefly.

For an extra touch of decadence, sprinkle a few chocolate chips on top while they’re still warm, creating irresistible melty pockets of joy.

Hand Pie Tricks for Melty Chocolate Centers

  • Keep chocolate filling at room temperature and avoid overfilling to stop messy spills during baking.
  • Roll pie dough evenly, around 1/8 inch thick, for consistent and crispy hand pies that bake perfectly.
  • Press fork edges firmly and crimp completely to lock in chocolate and prevent potential splitting during baking.
  • Experiment with different chocolate types like dark, milk, or semi-sweet to create unique taste profiles for your hand pies.
  • Monitor oven closely and rotate baking sheet midway to ensure even golden-brown coloring across all hand pies.

Reheat Chocolate-Filled Hand Pies

  • Store cooled chocolate hand pies in an airtight container for up to 3 days, keeping them fresh and preventing moisture buildup.
  • Wrap individual hand pies tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months, preserving their delicate texture and flavor.
  • Warm refrigerated or thawed pies at 350°F for 5-7 minutes, restoring their crispy crust and gooey chocolate center.
  • Heat pies for 15-20 seconds on a microwave-safe plate, but be cautious to avoid soggy pastry and uneven warming.

Chocolate-Filled Hand Pies Pairings

  • Pair with Luxurious Red Wines: Select bold red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon or rich Port to complement the deep chocolate flavor, creating a sophisticated dessert experience that enhances the hand pies' rich sweetness.
  • Elevate with Espresso Companions: Serve alongside a freshly brewed espresso or cappuccino, allowing the intense coffee notes to highlight the chocolate's deep, complex flavor profile and provide a delightful contrast.
  • Match with Creamy Vanilla Ice Cream: Top the warm hand pies with a scoop of smooth vanilla bean ice cream, creating a delectable temperature and texture contrast that melts beautifully against the flaky, warm chocolate pastry.
  • Enhance with Caramel Drizzle: Drizzle warm salted caramel sauce over the hand pies, adding a luxurious layer of flavor that intensifies the chocolate's richness and provides a beautiful golden garnish.

French Toast Roll-Ups with Cinnamon Swirls

  • Gluten-Free Chocolate Hand Pies: Swap traditional pie crust with gluten-free pie dough made from almond flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
  • Vegan Chocolate Hand Pies: Replace butter and egg wash with coconut oil and plant-based milk. Use dairy-free dark chocolate chips and coconut cream for filling.
  • Low-Sugar Chocolate Hand Pies: Substitute chocolate chips with sugar-free dark chocolate or use stevia-sweetened chocolate. Add unsweetened cocoa powder for rich chocolate flavor.
  • Nut-Infused Chocolate Hand Pies: Incorporate almond or hazelnut extract into the chocolate filling. Sprinkle chopped nuts on top before baking for extra crunch and depth.

FAQs

  • How do I prevent the chocolate filling from leaking out during baking?

Make sure to leave a small border around the edges when adding the filling and seal the pie edges firmly with a fork. Avoid overfilling the hand pies, which can cause leakage during baking.

  • Can I use different types of chocolate for the filling?

Absolutely! You can experiment with milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate. Just ensure you use good-quality chocolate chips that melt smoothly.

  • Is it necessary to use an egg wash?

The egg wash helps create a beautiful golden-brown color and gives the hand pies a shiny, professional finish. If you don’t have eggs, you can brush the pies with milk as an alternative.

  • How do I know when the hand pies are perfectly baked?

Look for a golden-brown color on the crust and a flaky texture. The edges should be crisp and slightly darker than the center. Typically, 15-18 minutes at 375°F (190°C) will give you perfect results.

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Chocolate-Filled Hand Pies Recipe

Chocolate-Filled Hand Pies Recipe


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4.5 from 32 reviews

  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 8 1x

Description

Sweet pastry crescents packed with rich chocolate promise a delightful journey through French bakery traditions. Small hand pies deliver pure comfort and indulgence that will melt hearts faster than their delicate golden crusts.


Ingredients

Scale

Chocolate Filling:

  • 1 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate)
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

Pie Dough:

  • 1 package pre-made pie crusts (or homemade pie dough)

Egg Wash and Optional Topping:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • Optional: additional chocolate chips for topping

Instructions

  1. Transform the kitchen workspace by aligning the oven rack and preheating to 375°F (190°C), while simultaneously preparing a parchment-lined baking sheet for optimal pastry performance.
  2. Delicately unfurl pie crusts across a flour-dusted surface, wielding a precise cutting tool to craft uniform geometric shapes that will cradle the decadent chocolate interior.
  3. Craft a silky chocolate filling by gently melting chocolate chips into heavy cream, stirring with meditative patience until the mixture achieves a luxurious, glossy consistency. Allow the molten mixture to rest and slightly thicken.
  4. Strategically deposit dollops of the rich chocolate mixture onto the center of each pastry base, maintaining a careful perimeter to prevent leakage during the sealing process.
  5. Crown each chocolate-laden pastry base with its corresponding crust companion, employing gentle finger pressure to fuse the edges. Enhance the seal by pressing fork tines around the perimeter, creating an intricate crimped border.
  6. Whisk egg with water to generate a luminous wash, then tenderly brush the pie surfaces to promote a golden, glossy exterior during baking.
  7. Transfer the assembled hand pies onto the prepared baking sheet, allowing them to transform in the heated oven for 15-18 minutes until achieving a burnished, flaky perfection.
  8. Permit the hand pies a momentary cooling interlude, then serve while still warm. For an indulgent finale, scatter additional chocolate chips atop the pies, allowing them to melt seductively.

Notes

  • Chill the pie dough before rolling to prevent shrinkage and create flakier crusts that hold their shape better during baking.
  • Control chocolate filling temperature carefully to avoid leaking; let it cool until slightly thickened but still spreadable for easier sealing.
  • Create perfect seals by crimping edges with fork tines and ensuring no filling touches the border to prevent separation during baking.
  • Experiment with alternative fillings like dark chocolate, white chocolate, or add nuts for extra texture and flavor complexity in your hand pies.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 8
  • Calories: 300
  • Sugar: 10 g
  • Sodium: 150 mg
  • Fat: 18 g
  • Saturated Fat: 10 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 30 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 3 g
  • Cholesterol: 20 mg
Angelina Wiles

Angelina Wiles

Content Editor & Culinary Enthusiast

Expertise

Food Writing and Editing, Vegetarian and Vegan Cuisine, Baking and Pastry Arts, Sustainable Cooking Practices​

Education

Portland Community College
Certificate in Culinary Arts
Focus: Emphasis on sustainable cooking practices, vegetarian cuisine, and food writing.​

​Oregon Culinary Institute
Diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts
Focus: Specialized training in artisanal baking, pastry techniques, and dessert presentation.


Angelina’s love for cooking started with handwritten family recipes and weekend trips to farmers’ markets around Portland. She followed her passion with a Certificate in Culinary Arts from Portland Community College, then perfected her sweet side with a Diploma in Baking and Pastry Arts at Oregon Culinary Institute.
Angelina believes recipes should feel like a conversation, not a science project. She’s all about helping readers trust themselves in the kitchen with simple steps, fresh ideas, and easy twists on classic meals.
When she’s not editing recipes, she’s baking bread, sipping coffee, or getting inspired by the changing seasons.

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