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Homemade hand pies with a sweet or savory filling, wrapped in a buttery, flaky crust. Bake them, deep fry them or even use the air fryer with no leaking! Fill them with your favorite flavors like apple filling, peach filling, lemon curd, and blueberry filling. Everything you love about a pie in the palm of your hand. 

A hand pie is basically a miniature pie that fits in your hand. It can be sweet or savory and is made by placing a small amount of filling onto a circular (or rectangular) piece of pie dough, folding the dough over and sealing it shut before baking. You'll be shocked how much easier they are to make than an actual pie. 

Hand pies make great desserts for parties and weddings because there's no need to cut a pie and serve it. Simply set them out and the guests can serve themselves! 

Does anybody else remember these hand pies? The grocery store was always a magical place for me when I was a child. The bakery would always give me a "free sample" and if I was really good, my dad would buy me one of those $1 hand pies.

I used to LOVE these! We very rarely got any kind of treats or sweets growing up so this was a major big deal if you ever got one of these.

I decided to show Avalon what she was missing so I picked her up one while I was out (and one for myself of course). 

Sadly the hand pie was not as I remembered. The crust was stale and bland and the filling was very goopy and not very flavorful. 

Why are childhood treats never as good as we remember them? 

So of course, I had to try and remake them for myself but this time, extra delicious and with multiple fillings! 

HAND PIE INGREDIENTS

There are endless options for making hand pies as far as flavors go, depending on the season. Most of the ingredients you will need are pretty standard like flour, salt, sugar, eggs, water, and butter. 

For the filling, the ingredients will vary. One ingredient you might need to purchase ahead of time is ClearGel (similar to cornstarch but stays really shiny) or you can use cornstarch if that's all you have.

PÁTE BRISÉE (MEALY PIE DOUGH) STEP-BY-STEP

Pâte Brisée is a French version of classic pie dough. It's great for hand pies because it repels liquid while baking, making sure your hand pies don't get soggy.

Step 1 – Place flour, salt, and cold butter pieces into the bowl of your stand mixer and blend on low until mixture resembles coarse sand.

Step 2 – Add in your egg and just enough cold water to bring the mixture together.

Step 3 – Press into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for one hour minimum. Don't skip the chilling, or your pie crust will melt in the oven. 

HOMEMADE HAND PIES STEP-BY-STEP

Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper. The parchment paper will save you from a messy clean-up if one of your hand-pies bursts during baking which can happen!

Step 2 – Take out the chilled pie dough and place it on a flat surface dusted with flour. Let your dough warm up for a bit (around 20-40 minutes) until you can roll it out without it cracking. You don't want it TOO warm though or it will stick to your rolling pin. Take out your filling(s) and let it come to room temperature.

Step 3 –Roll out your cold pie dough to ⅛" thick and cut into 6" circles. I also made some with a 5" cutter so the pies were a little smaller and better if you don't want such huge servings.

Pro Tip: When rolling out cold pie dough, start in the center and work your way out, making tiny little rolls and rotating frequently until it becomes easier to roll. Go slow and be patient!

Step 4 – Add 3 Tablespoon of filling (don't overfill or they will burst while baking) 5" circles only need 1 Tablespoon of filling. If you're using curd, you can add a tiny bit more.

Step 5 – Brush the edges with egg wash, fold and crimp edges firmly to seal shut with a fork.

Step 6 – With a small sharp knife, cut 3 slits into the top, center of the pie. Be careful to not cut all the way through to the bottom, but really make sure the slits are open. Air will release through these vents while baking and keep your filling from blowing out. 

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO BAKE HAND PIES?

Baking, air-frying, or deep-frying? Which way is the best way to bake those tasty hand pies? I wanted to find out so I tested out each way of baking.

First up, baked hand-pies! 

Step 1 –Place pies on the baking sheet and refrigerate for 20 minutes. 

Step 2 – Bake for 20-25 minutes. They should be golden brown on the tops and bottoms and the filling will just be starting to bubble.

Step 3 –Let your hand pies cool for 10 minutes. While your hand pies are cooling, make your glaze. Just whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth.

 

WHAT KIND OF CRUST IS BEST FOR HAND PIES?

A hand pie is a tiny version of a full-sized pie so we want to use a similar pie crust. I'm using Pâte Brisée which is a very simple, not-too-sweet but delicious crust.

It's very similar to pie dough but the texture is finer and stronger than traditional pie dough. Perfect for making hand pies. Pâte Brisée is also perfect for savory hand pies since it doesn't contain any sugar. 

HOW DO I STOP MY PIES FROM LEAKING?

There are three reasons why your hand-pie might be leaking. Follow these steps to make sure your hand-pies don't burst. 

1. Don't Overfill - You might think you want to fill that hand pie to the max but filling expands while baking so if your hand pie is too full, the filling will expand and then leak out of your crust. 
2. Seal The Edges - Make sure you really seal those edges. Dampen the crust with a little egg wash and then press together with a fork. Make sure there isn't any filling on the edge of the dough or it will break the seal and cause the hand pie to leak. 
3. Vent - Don't forget to give your pies some vents for steam to escape during baking, otherwise, the pressure can build up and cause your hand pie to leak everywhere. 
4. Cracking - Cracks can also cause your pies to burst while baking. Smooth them out to prevent your filling from seeping out. 

WHAT KIND OF FILLING IS GOOD FOR HAND PIES?

Apple and blueberry are the most popular fillings for hand pies but you can use pretty much any type of filling you like including cherry filling, lemon curd, chocolate pastry cream, strawberry filling or peach filling.

If you don't want to make a bunch of homemade fillings, you can buy pre-made pie filling at the grocery store and I won't judge you one bit. 

For savory hand pies, you can try chicken pot pie filling, creamy mushrooms, and beef, or even ham and cheese for a breakfast hand pie. 

I'm not convinced there's any meal that could not be transformed into a hand pie. 

Peach Filling
Blueberry Filling
Cherry Filling
Lemon Curd
Strawberry Reduction
Berry Filling

Recipe

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4.78 from 40 votes

Hand Pies Recipe

The best hand pies with endless flavor options. Bake, deep-fry or air fry! Sweet or savory. This one recipe is all you need. Apple, blueberry, lemon, peach, or cherry. The filling options are endless. Follow my tips for troubleshooting common problems and avoiding leaks and cracks.

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time20 minutes mins

chilling1 hour hr

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 8 servings

Calories: 274kcal

Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment

Ingredients

For the hand pie dough

• 12 ounces all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces cold unsalted butter cut into cubes or grated
• 1 large egg
• 1 ounce ice cold water

Fruit filling

• 16 ounces fresh or frozen fruit (apples, peaches, blueberries, strawberries etc)
• 2 Tablespoons lemon juice you can use more or less to your taste
• 6 ounces water or juice that complements the flavor of the fruit
• 1 ounce unsalted butter
• 2 ounces sugar white or brown
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 ounce ClearGel or ½ ounce cornstarch
• 1 ounce water

Glaze

• 4 ounces powdered sugar
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

For the hand pie dough

• Place flour, salt, and cold butter pieces into the bowl of your stand mixer and blend on low until mixture resembles coarse sand.
• Add in your egg and just enough water to bring the mixture together
• Press into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Chill for one hour.

For the fruit filling

• Prepare your fresh fruit by chopping into small cubes (if needed) or use frozen fruit. No need to defrost.
• Place your fruit and butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until the butter is melted and bubbling.
• Add in your water (or juice), sugar, lemon juice, and salt and mix until combined. Bring to a simmer.
• Combine your ClearGel with your water and whisk to make a slurry. Pour into your simmering mixture and mix for 1-2 minutes to cook the gel. If you're using cornstarch, you only need to cook until it's clear.
• Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool.

How to make hand pies

• Preheat your oven to 400ºF and line a large sheet pan with parchment paper
• Let your dough stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to let it soften a bit
• Dust your surface with flour. Begin by pressing your dough with your rolling pin to start flattening it.
• Roll your dough out to ⅛ thick or about the thickness of a cake board. Thinner than you think. Thinner dough results in a crisper, crunchier crust for your hand pies.
• Cut your dough into 6" circles. I used a 6" cake board as a template or you can use a 5" circle cutter if you want smaller hand pies.
• Fill your 6" hand pie with 3 tablespoons of fruit filling (5" circles take 1 heaping Tablespoon). Do not overfill.
• Brush the outside edge with egg wash (one egg whisked with 1 tablespoon of cold water)
• Fold the hand pie over and crimp with a fork to seal well
• Use a knife or fork to make some vents on top
• Brush the hand pies with more egg wash and place them onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Chill for 20 minutes.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes. They should be golden brown and the filling will just be starting to bubble.
• Let your hand pies cool for 10 minutes.
• While your hand pies are cooling, make your glaze. Just whisk the powdered sugar and lemon juice together until smooth.
• Use a pastry brush to brush the thin glaze over the hand pies and enjoy!
• These hand pies taste best the day they are baked but will last for three days in an airtight container in the fridge or frozen for up to 2 months.

Video

Notes

For fruit filling, feel free to adjust spices and flavorings to suit your tastes. For apple I like to add a little cinnamon. 

Air Fryer Instructions

1. Prepare your hand pies as usual and chill 20 minutes
2. Brush the surface with egg wash and sprinkle on some sanding sugar for color and flavor (optional). 
3. Set your temperature to 400ºF on your air fryer
4. Place your hand pies inside the air fryer basket and fry for 13-15 minutes until golden brown and filling just begins to bubble

Deep fried hand pies instructions

1. Prepare your hand pies as usual but do not cut large slits for vents, use a fork for small vents so the filling doesn't leak out. Then place them in the fridge to chill for at least one hour. 
2. Heat up 4 inches of neutral oil (like vegetable shortening or canola oil) in a deep pot (like a dutch oven) to 375ºF. Use a thermometer to keep an eye on the temp. Make sure you place the pot at the back of the stove, especially if you have kids. Hot oil is very dangerous and so are splashes. 
3. Place 2-3 hand pies in the hot oil and fry 3-4 minutes until golden brown. 
4. Drain on a paper towel and then dust in powdered sugar or cover in sugar glaze before serving. They are best when eaten the same day. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 274kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 158mg | Potassium: 55mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 127IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 2mg

A fresh fruit tart is a summertime staple! I love this buttery shortcrust filled with sweet and creamy vanilla custard and topped with lots of fresh berries! Follow my tips for keeping your berries fresher longer, how to keep the crust nice and crisp, and how to make an easy glaze using jam!

Fruit Tart Ingredients

There are a lot of ingredients in this photo because we're making tart dough, pastry cream, and topping it with fresh berries and glaze. Don't be intimidated though, all these ingredients are very common in most household kitchens. Make sure your butter is room temperature. Soft enough to leave an indent with your finger but not melted. Your eggs should also be warm. I place mine (while still in the shell) into a bowl of warm water for 5 minutes.

Note: This recipe makes enough dough for 2 tarts (maybe even three depending on the size of your pan). Theoretically, you could cut this recipe in half by whisking the whole egg and cutting it in half but it's really easy to just freeze the extra dough to use for later!

How to Make a Fresh Fruit Tart

Making The Tart Dough Step-By-Step

Step 1 – Add the softened butter into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds until it's smooth.

Step 2 – Add in your sifted powdered sugar, salt, and mix until smooth.

Step 3 – Add in the vanilla and the egg and mix until combined.

Step 5 – Gradually add your flour and mix until everything starts to come together and a dough forms.

Step 6 – Divide the dough into 2 pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and flatten into disks. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour before using your dough. If you skip this step, your crust will melt in the oven.

Pastry Cream Step-By-Step

This pastry cream recipe is a baking staple. It’s basically vanilla pudding (if you’re in the USA) or a custard. It's super versatile and can even be made dairy-free by replacing milk with coconut milk and butter with vegan butter!

Pro Tip: Use real vanilla bean or vanilla bean paste to take your cream up a notch. Vanilla extract will work fine, but I love seeing all the little black specks in my dessert. Plus the star flavor is vanilla, so why not?! 1 vanilla bean pod = 1 tablespoon vanilla.

Step 1 – Bring milk and first quantity of sugar (5 oz) to a simmer over medium-high heat. Whisking constantly to avoid burning.

Step 2 – In a separate, large heatproof bowl, combine the eggs, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and the second quantity of sugar (4 oz), whisk to combine.

Step 3 – Once the milk is simmering, turn off the heat and add ¼ of your hot milk mixture to the egg mixture VERY slowly while whisking constantly. This is going to temper (slowly heat) your egg yolk mixture and avoid curdled scrambled eggs. Whisk until smooth.

Step 4 – Turn the heat back on (medium) and slowly add the mixture to the rest of the milk in your saucepan, whisking constantly. Bring it to a simmer.

Step 5 – Once your mixture starts bubbling, continue whisking for 1 minute to ensure the mixture is cooked and properly thickened.

Step 6 – Pour your mixture into a heatproof container. Divide your softened butter into cubes and place them on top of the pastry cream, allowing them to melt. Do not cover.

Step 7 – Allow your pastry cream to cool at room temperature until just warm to the touch. This will take a few hours. You will know it's ready to stir when the bowl feels barely warm and the edges of the butter are starting to turn solid in color.

Step 8 – Stir in your butter with a whisk. Don't be worried if it looks curdled at first, this is normal. Just keep whisking until smooth.

Pro Tip - Use an immersion blender to make your pastry cream super smooth and creamy

Step 9 – Cover the pastry cream with plastic wrap so that it's touching the surface of the pastry cream to avoid a skin forming. Let it cool fully before using it in a tart shell.

Fruit Tart Assembly Step-By-Step

Step 1 – Take your tart dough out of the refrigerator about 30-60 minutes before rolling it out. It should be slightly flexible but still firm.

Step 2 – Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin and roll it out to ⅛ inch thick. Don't make it too thick! Use a ruler to check the thickness. Rotate frequently and pinch together any cracks when rolling.

Step 3 – Roll the dough up onto your rolling pin and lay it into the tart shell. I prefer a tart pan with a removable bottom. That way you can see the beautiful edges of the tart after baking. The removable bottom also makes it easy to take the crust out of the tin. You can make a tart in a regular pie pan, you just won't be able to remove it from the pan.

Step 4 – Carefully lift the dough up on the sides and press it into the pan. Use your fingers to press the dough into the ridges on the side. Don't press too hard that you press through the dough. Make sure you get into the bottom corners!

Step 5 – Roll your rolling pin flush across the top of the tart shell to remove the excess dough. Squish together the leftovers and save them to make another tart!

Step 6 – Freeze the tart shell for 20 minutes. Do NOT skip this step!

Step 7 – Press a layer of tin foil into the tart shell, all the way into the corners and fill with pie weights. Also, do this if you're using a regular pie pan instead of a tart shell.

Step 8 – Place on top of a baking sheet and blind bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Rotate after 15 minutes to promote even browning. After 30 minutes, lift out the weights and bake for another 10 minutes. The edges will be golden brown and will start to pull away from the edges of the pan.

Step 9 – Place the whole tart and pan into the fridge to cool down.

Fresh Fruit Tart Assembly  Step-By-Step

Step 1 – Wash all of your fruit and dry fully. Check out my berry wash recipe to learn how to make your fruit last up to 3 weeks in the fridge!

Step 2 – Prepare your strawberries and kiwi fruit and cut in ⅛ inch thick slices. You do not need to cut berries because they will get mangled looking.

Pro Tip: You want to use the sharpest knife possible when cutting fruits and vegetables. The sharper the knife, the easier it is to cut and the less likely you'll be to push too hard or slip and injure yourself. 

Step 3 – Gently lift your cooled tart out of the tart pan. Transfer to a plate or keep it on the bottom pan.

Pro Tip -  Dab a bit of melted chocolate on the plate to glue the tart shell to the plate and keep it from sliding around

Step 4 – Optional: Melt down some chocolate and brush a thin layer onto the inside of the tart shell. This is a trick I learned while working at a Safeway bakery and will keep the crust from getting soggy. Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes to set the chocolate.

Step 5 – Add in the pastry cream and use a spatula to smooth it out. Fill the tart with pastry cream.

Step 6 – Decorate the tart with your fruit! I like to go from the outside-in and have contrasting colors when I layer my fruit.

Step 7 – Mix the apricot preserves and water and then microwave until melted (about 10 seconds). Glaze the cut strawberries and kiwi with the mixture. This will keep your fruit from drying out and looking very shiny! You can also thin piping gel or corn syrup with water and use it as a glaze.

Step 8 – Refrigerate until serving. I left mine in the fridge overnight and ate this the next day for my husband, Dan's birthday!

The pastry cream sets up overnight so that you can cut through it but is still soft and creamy. The chocolate keeps the crust super crisp and actually tastes amazing with the fresh fruit.

FAQ

Can I Use Granulated Sugar Instead Of Powdered Sugar

Granulated sugar tends to aerate the butter and make the dough fluffy which is not what we want. The air pockets expand and cause the dough to shrivel and shrink during baking

CAN I DO THIS WITHOUT A STAND MIXER?

You can definitely make tart dough without a stand mixer. You can use a hand-held mixer or you can even just mix with a fork by hand.

RELATED RECIPES:

Red Wine Poached Pear Frangipane Tart

Lemon Curd

Fresh Strawberry Cake

Cream Tart Recipe

Hand Pies

Recipe

Print Recipe

5 from 12 votes

Fresh Fruit Tart Recipe

Luscious, seasonal berries and other fruits piled high on top of silky smooth pastry cream and a delightfully buttery and crispy sweet tart crust. Sealing the crust with a layer of chocolate and the cut fruit with a glaze keeps this tart fresh for days. The perfect garden party or summer BBQ show stopper!

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time40 minutes mins

Cooling4 hours hrs

Total Time5 hours hrs

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 537kcal

Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• Rolling Pin
• Stand mixer with the paddle attachment
• 9 ½" Tart pan with a removable bottom. (You can also use a pie pan.)
• Pie weights for blind baking (Or dried beans, rice, etc.)
• pastry brush
• Knife

Ingredients

Pâte sucrée (tart dough recipe)

• 4 ounces powdered sugar
• 8 ounces unsalted butter room temperature
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 12 ounces all purpose flour
• 1 large egg room temperature

Pastry Cream

• 32 ounces whole milk substitute: almond, soy, coconut milk etc.
• 5 ounces sugar
• 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract use vanilla bean paste or 1 vanilla bean pod if desired
• 3 ounces cornstarch
• 4 ounces sugar
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 large egg
• 4 ounces unsalted butter softened

Fresh Fruit Tart

• ¼ cup semi-sweet chocolate optional for keeping the crust from getting soggy.
• 2 cups mixed berries of your choice
• 2 Tablespoons apricot preserves for glazing any kind of jam will work.
• 1 Tablespoon water

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pâte sucrée (tart dough recipe)

• Add the butter into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
• Place a colander over the bowl of your stand mixer and sift in your powdered sugar. This is not required, but if your powdered sugar has lumps in it, it will show up in your crust.
• Add in the salt. Mix on low until everything is combined.
• Add in the vanilla and the egg and mix until combined.
• Then gradually add your flour and mix until everything starts to come together and a dough forms.
• Divide the dough into 2 pieces. (This is enough for 2 tarts.) Wrap dough in plastic wrap and flatten into 2 disks. Refrigerate for minimum of 1 hour before using. If you skip this step, your crust will melt in the oven.

Pastry Cream

• Bring milk and first quantity of sugar (5 oz) to a simmer over medium high heat. Whisking constantly to avoid burning.
• In a separate, large heat proof bowl, combine the eggs, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and the second quantity of sugar (4 oz), whisk to combine.
• Once the milk is simmering, turn off the heat and add ¼ of your hot milk mixture to the egg mixture VERY slowly while whisking constantly. This is going to temper your egg yolk mixture and avoid curdled scrambled eggs. Whisk until smooth.
• Turn the heat back on (medium) and slowly add the mixture to the rest of the milk in your saucepan, whisking constantly. Bring to a simmer.
• Once your mixture starts bubbling, continue whisking for 1 minute to ensure the mixture is cooked and properly thickened.
• Pour your mixture into a heatproof container. Divide your softened butter into cubes and place them on top of the pastry cream, allowing them to melt. Do not cover.
• Allow your pastry cream to cool at room temperature until just warm to the touch. This will take a few hours.
• Stir in your butter with a whisk. Don't be worried if it looks curdled at first, this is normal. Just keep whisking until smooth.
• Optional: Blend pastry cream with an emersion blender to make it extra smooth.
• Cover with plastic wrap so that it's touching the surface of the pastry cream to avoid a skin forming. Chill before using. Can be kept in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

The Tart Shell

• Take your tart dough out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before rolling it out. It should be slightly flexible but still firm.
• Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin and roll it out to ⅛ inch thick. Don't make it too thick! Use a ruler to check the thickness. Rotate frequently and pinch together any cracks when rolling.
• Roll the dough up onto your rolling pin and lay it into the tart shell.
• Carefully lift the dough up on the sides and press it into the pan. Use your fingers to press the dough into the ridges on the side. Don't press too hard that you press through the dough. Make sure you get into the bottom corners!
• Roll your rolling pin flush across the top of the tart shell to remove the excess dough. (Squish together the leftovers and save them to make another tart!)
• Freeze the tart shell for 20 minutes. Do NOT skip this step!
• Preheat your oven to 350ºF
• Press a layer of tin foil into the tart shell, all the way into the corners and fill with pie weights. (Also do this if you're using a regular pie pan instead of a tart shell.)
• Place on top of a baking sheet and blind bake in the oven for 30 minutes. Rotate after 15 minutes to promote even browning. After 30 minutes, lift out the weights and bake for another 10 minutes. The edges will be golden brown and will start to pull away from the edges of the pan.
• Place the whole tart and pan into the fridge to cool down.

Assembling The Fruit Tart

• Wash all your fruit and dry fully.
• Cut off the tops of your strawberries and slice ⅛ inch thick.
• Cut the ends of the kiwi off and use a sharp paring knife to cut off the skin. Slice ⅛ inch thick.
• Gently lift your cooled tart out of the tart pan. Transfer to a plate or keep it on the bottom pan. (Tip: dab a bit of chocolate to the plate to keep the tart from sliding around.)
• Optional: Melt down the chocolate and brush a thin layer onto inside of the tart shell. (This will keep the crust from getting soggy.)
• Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes to set the chocolate.
• Add in the pastry cream and use a spatula to smooth it out. Fill the tart ¾ full with cream.
• Add the fruit to decorate however you like! See my pictures above for ideas.
• Mix the apricot preserves and water, microwave until melted. Glaze the cut fruit (strawberries and kiwi) with the mixture.
• Serve immediately or refrigerate overnight. Lasts 1-2 days in the refrigerator.

Video

Notes

Chocolate- melt low and slow. In a glass bowl, microwave for 30 seconds, stir, 15 seconds, stir, and continue until the chocolate is almost fully melted. Do not burn!

You CANNOT half or quarter the tart dough or pastry cream recipes because they each have 1 whole egg as a required ingredient. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 537kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 103mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 36g | Vitamin A: 881IU | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 2mg

Pâte sucrée is a sweet shortcrust pastry dough that is buttery, flaky, and only takes 15 minutes to make. It's even easier to make than pie dough and is basically a giant shortbread cookie. Fill it with silky pastry cream to make a fresh fruit tart or with frangipane to make a red wine poached pear tart. This recipe is incredibly tender and makes a delicious crunch when you cut it with a fork.

PÂTE SUCRÉE (TART DOUGH) INGREDIENTS

Pro Tip - Make sure your butter is room temperature. Room temperature butter is when it's soft enough to leave an indent with your finger but it still holds its shape and is not melted all over the plate. I make my butter room temperature by microwaving it for 10-second increments until its the right consistency.  

PÂTE SUCRÉE STEP-BY-STEP

Step 1 – Add the room temperature butter into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds until its smooth.

Step 2 – Add in the vanilla and the egg to the butter and mix until combined. 

Pro Tip - Cold eggs must be room temperature to combine with the butter properly. Place cold eggs (while still in the shell) into warm water for 5 minutes to bring them to room temperature. 

Step 3 - Add your powdered sugar to the butter mixture (I sift mine to remove lumps) and add the salt. 

Step 4 – While mixing on low, gradually add your flour and mix until everything starts to come together and a dough forms.

Step 5 – Divide the dough into 2 pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and flatten into disks. Refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour before using your dough. If you skip this step, your crust will melt in the oven. 

MAKING A TART SHELL

Step 1 – Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Take your tart dough out of the refrigerator about 30 minutes before rolling it out. It should be slightly flexible but still firm. 

Step 2 – Lightly flour your surface and rolling pin and roll the dough out to ⅛ inch thick. The type of rolling pin you use does not matter as long as it's flat. Begin by evenly rolling out your dough and moving it on the floured surface frequently to prevent sticking. Rotate frequently, add flour to keep from sticking and press any cracks together. Don't worry about too many cracks!

Pro-Tip: If your dough keeps cracking, it could be too cold. Let it rest for 10 minutes and try rolling again.

Step 3 – Roll the dough up onto your rolling pin and lay it into the pan. I prefer a 91/2" tart pan with a removable bottom. That way you can see the beautiful edges of the tart after baking. The removable bottom also makes it easy to take the crust out of the tin. 

Step 4 – Carefully lift the dough up on the sides and press it into the pan. Use your fingers to press the dough into the ridges on the side. Don't press too hard that you press through the dough. Make sure you get into the bottom corners!

Step 5 – Roll your rolling pin flush across the top of the tart shell to remove the excess dough. Or you can use a paring knife to cut off the excess evenly. Squish together the leftovers and save them to make another tart.

Step 6 – Freeze the tart shell for 20 minutes. Do NOT skip this step!

Step 7 – Press a layer of tin foil into the tart shell, all the way into the corners and fill (to the top) with pie weights, These are the pie weights I use but you can use dry beans or rice instead.  These weights will stop the dough from puffing up while baking. 

Step 8 – Place on top of a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 15 minutes. Rotate to promote even browning and bake another 15 minutes.

ProTip: When you make a fresh fruit tart that is not baked, you have to bake your tart shell on its own first and let it cool before filling it. This is called blind baking or pre-baking.

Step 8 – After 30 minutes of baking, check to see if the foil is releasing from the dough by pulling back gently. If it's sticking then the tart needs to be baked for longer. Check every 2 minutes until the foil is able to release from the side of the tart without sticking. Take the tart out of the oven and let it cool for 5 minutes.

Step 9 – Gently lift the foil to remove the pie weights. Then return the tart shell back to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden brown and the sides of the shell start to pull away from the edges of the pan.

Step 10 – Place the whole tart and pan into the fridge to cool down until its totally cool.

Step 11 – Once the tart is cool, you can remove the outer ring by gently lifting up from the bottom of the tin. You can serve your tart on the base or you can gently remove it from the base by separating it with a paring knife. There is a risk of breakage when you do this though so I tend to not risk it and just serve it on the base.  

Pro Tip - Brush the surface of the tart shell with some melted chocolate (optional) to keep the fillings from making the crust soggy (you can skip this step if you don't like chocolate but then you should fill your tart no more than 4 hours before serving). 

Step 12 -  Add in your favorite fillings like pastry cream, lemon curd or frangipane and decorate with fruit like strawberries, kiwi fruit, or get fancy with some red wine poached pears.

CAN I SUBSTITUTE GRANULATED SUGAR?

Granulated sugar tends to aerate the butter and make the dough fluffy which is not what we want. The air pockets expand and cause the dough to shrivel and shrink during baking. 

CAN I DO THIS WITHOUT A STAND MIXER?

You can definitely make tart dough without a stand mixer. You can use a hand-held mixer or you can even just mix with a fork by hand.  

HOW TO STORE PÂTE SUCRÉE

Leftover dough can be kept in the fridge for a week or frozen for up to 6 months. If you have the freezer space, it's actually really great to make your tart shell ahead of time (inside the pan), wrap it in plastic wrap, and put it in the freezer until you need to bake it. A great time-saving tip for those last-minute desserts. 

CAN I MAKE MINI TARTS WITH THIS?

Yes definitely! To blind bake mini tarts using mini tart pans, poke a few holes in the bottom of the tart dough with a fork and then freeze the dough for 20 minutes. Bake the mini tarts for 10-15 minutes until the edges begin to turn golden, then let them cool fully before filling. No need to use foil or pie weights.

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Recipe

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5 from 5 votes

Pâte sucrée (tart dough recipe)

Pâte sucrée is a sweet shortcrust that is often used to make fruit tarts. It is buttery, flaky and oh-so-easy to make. This recipe makes enough dough for TWO 8" round tarts. Freeze leftover dough. 

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

chill1 hour hr

Total Time35 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: French

Servings: 2 9 ½" tarts

Calories: 443kcal

Author: Elizabeth Marek

Equipment

• Stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Tart pan with removable bottom (or a regular pie pan)
• Tin foil
• Pie weights (or dry beans/rice)
• Rolling Pin

Ingredients

Pâte sucrée ingredients

• 8 oz room temperature butter
• 4 oz powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 large egg
• 12 oz all purpose flour

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

How to make Pâte sucrée

• Add the butter into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed for about 30 seconds until smooth and creamy.
• Add in your sifted powdered sugar and salt and mix until combined and smooth.
• Add in the vanilla and the egg and mix until combined.
• Gradually add your flour while mixing on low until everything starts to come together and a dough forms.
• Divide the dough into 2 pieces, wrap in plastic wrap and flatten into disks. Refrigerate for minimum of 1 hour before using your dough. If you skip this step, your crust will melt in the oven. 
• Leftover tart dough can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for 6 months.
• To bake your tart, bring the dough out of the fridge or freezer for 30-60 minutes or until it's flexible enough to bend without cracking
• Preheat your oven to 350ºF
• Roll your tart dough out to ⅛" thick using a rolling pin and a flour dusted surface
• Roll the dough up onto your rolling pin and unroll it into your tart pan
• Carefully push the dough against the sides and corners of the tart pan
• Then use your rolling pin to roll across the top of the dough to trim off the excess
• Freeze your tart for 30 minutes
• Place some tinfoil into the tart pan and fill it with some pie weights (or you can use dried beans or rice instead). Place the tart pan on a larger cookie sheet to easily lift and move it in the oven.
• Bake your tart for 30 minutes, rotate the pan halfway through baking to promote even browning
• Remove the foil and pie weights and bake for another 10 minutes to evenly brown the tart
• Let the tart cool completely before filling it with things like pastry cream, lemon curd or ganache!

Video

Notes

• Make sure your butter is room temperature. Room temperature butter is when it's soft enough to leave an indent with your finger but it still holds its shape and is not melted all over the plate. I make my butter room temperature by microwaving it for 10-second increments until its the right consistency.  
• Cold eggs must be room temperature to combine with the butter properly. Place cold eggs (while still in the shell) into warm water for 5 minutes to bring them to room temperature. 
• If your dough keeps cracking, it could be too cold. Let it rest for 10 minutes and try rolling again.
• When you make a fresh fruit tart that is not baked, you have to bake your tart shell on its own first and let it cool before filling it. This is called blind baking or pre-baking.
• Brush the surface of the tart shell with some melted chocolate (optional) to keep the fillings from making the crust soggy (you can skip this step if you don't like chocolate but then you should fill your tart no more than 4 hours before serving). 

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 313mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 75IU | Calcium: 21mg | Iron: 4.2mg