You are going to love this easy chocolate raspberry hand pie recipe!
In another life, I’d be telling you, “I bought a bakery!”
Because I come from a family of diabetics, I’ve been increasingly interested in low sugar and sugar-free desserts and treats. After moving back to my hometown and seeing all of the fabulous local businesses pop up and see success, I started dreaming about opening my own bakery and selling diabetic-friendly desserts. I think there’s a place in the market for a bakery like this because my Mummu just celebrated a birthday and when I called all of the bakeries in town to see if anyone baked a diabetic option, I was laughed at – seriously laughed at. I ended up making her a diabetic-friendly cheesecake and she loved it!
Recently I found out that a small local Finnish bakery – building and all – is for sale. Half Finnish myself, I grew up on the pulla sold there. I started to daydream about renovating the building and re-opening, selling some of the old classics and some new diabetic-friendly treats (for anyone looking to cut back on sugar a bit – not just diabetics). The downtown location, with a small (read: manageable) building, seemed perfect. My family did some reconnaissance for me, finding out the asking price and if anyone else was interested, but I just couldn’t commit. What the heck do I know about running a bakery? What the heck do I know about baking, beyond the treats I make for us? What if I can’t make a go of it and we lose our shirts?
For now, I’m happy to bake at home! But stopping by that Finnish bakery so often to scope it out ignited some cravings, so I whipped up some a chocolate raspberry hand pie recipe – just in time for a Wayfair pie contest! I’m skipping the almond flour and stevia for today, because it was comforting to bake with familiar ingredients and treat myself a little to a flaky crust. SO good.
Here’s a peek at the adorable chocolate raspberry hand pie I made:
I’m drooling. These are incredibly tasty – and such a nice snacking size. A chocolate raspberry hand pie is such a great way to sneak pie into a brown bag lunch.
I make this chocolate raspberry pie as both a regular pie (double crust) and hand pie. The measurements for the filling are different, so I’ve included both – basically, the hand pies require less fruit because the dough to filling ratio skews very much in favor of the crust. This dough recipe will yield about 10 hand pies – but of course the number will vary depending on how large/small you make them. You could also pre-cook the pie filling, but I just use the berries whole.
Crust:
- 3 cups white flour
- 2 sticks + 3 tbsp chilled butter
- 1-2 tablespoons sugar (2 tbsp is tastier, 1 tbsp if you’re cutting back)
- 1 tsp salt
- 6-8 tbsp ice water (sometimes I add just a smidge more)
Filling:
- 5 cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (pie) | 1-2 cups raspberries (hand pie)
- 3 tablespoons high quality cocoa powder (pie) | 1 tablespoon (hand pie)
- 3 tablespoons sugar (pie) | 1 tablespoon (hand pie)
Other Ingredients:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Kitchen Accoutrements:
- Food processor
- Pie plate (this Sagaform one is too cute) or baking sheet (for hand pies)
- Pastry brush
- Large cookie cutters (for hand pies)
How to Make a Pie Crust in the Food Processor:
Do you make your pie crust in the food processor? Learning that trick was life changing for me. If you’ve never tried it, it’s simple: just toss the flour, salt and sugar into a food processor. Chop up the chilled butter and pulse with the flour, using an “S” blade. When the flour and butter is blended roughly and the butter has been broken down into pea-sized chunks, add the ice water. Pulse until the dough starts to stick together and then pull out onto a floured board and knead quickly and gently, forming the dough into two discs. I wrap mine in plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours (or overnight). So much easier than working the dough by hand, plus it’s handled less so the dough stays nice and flaky.
How to Make an Easy Chocolate Raspberry Filling:
To make my filling, I simply toss my cocoa powder (I try to buy good quality) with my raspberries and sugar so the raspberries are coated lightly. That’s it! I started doing this one day when I was out of my usual pie filling thickener so I was rooting around for some other kind of powdery ingredient in my cupboard. The chocolate raspberry pie turned out so tasty, I added this to my pie rotation. The juice released from the fruit creates a tasty chocolate sauce with the cocoa powder, and it’s laced with raspberry flavor and sweetened lightly.
How to Make a Hand Pie:
Hand pies started as something I made with leftover pie dough, but now I’m loving them enough to bake a whole batch because the crust to filling ratio definitely skews on the side of caaaarrrbs. Once I roll out my dough per usual, I cut out shapes using a giant cookie cutter or just cut out a basic rectangle with a knife.
I lay down the bottom piece of the pie on my floured surface, brush the edges with my egg wash, and add a small dollop of filling in the middle. Then I cover it with the top layer of my pie cut out and press the edges closed with my fork, crimping them closed. Finally, I brush the surface with an egg wash and sprinkle with some sugar. I bake these at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until golden brown. I check at the fifteen minute mark and rotate my baking sheet because my oven doesn’t heat super evenly.
This chocolate raspberry hand pie recipe is so, so good! Not too sweet and not too rich, with a really satisfying chocolatey fruity filling. Plus there’s more flakey crust in ever bite than a normal pie, so it’s really satisfying. Plus they handpies are easy…as pie to make (couldn’t resist).
So how is this a pie contest, exactly?
Well, it’s pretty relaxed – and no taste test, sadly: the blogger with the most comments and social engagement on their pie post wins!
So I’d love it if you would leave me a note and tell me what your favorite pie filling is – or try to guess what I was planning to name my bakery. It’s SUCH a good name, it’s a real shame not to use it.
This chocolate raspberry hand pie recipe post is sponsored by Wayfair, but all thoughts and opinions are my own.
Gorgeous photos!
Thank you! I've been really practicing with my new camera – but this cloudy, grey weather has been the worst for taking photos 🙁
DIABETCHA! Probably not your name lol.My fave? Rhubarb, pure and simple – strawberries begone.
Haha, I LOVE that name. It's better than mine. Ooo, straight rhubarb. That's bold, I like it. My rhubarb grew a random second crop this year (didn't last year) so I was adding it to everything.
Now I'm hungry!
I wish I could mail one out to everyone! I was drooling editing the photos – it doesn't help my whole house smelled like pie, lol.
I'd like to tell you my favorite pie filling but I've just realized that I don't have one! That must mean I need more pies in life. Key lime, maybe? So interesting about the bakery, it must have been hard to pass up the opportunity. But I think you're right not get to commit to that kind of risk unless you are brimming with confidence. In the meantime, we'll enjoy your baking virtually!
You know, even though I posed the question, I'm not sure I have a favorite either… I do love this one. But maybe I like peach more? Caramel apple is a really decadent choice I make occasionally.Yes, I think trusting my gut is a good way to go – I don't have that burning in my belly tjay I do with all of my GOOD decisions. My gut is much smarter than my brain, sadly. Happy you enjoy the virtual baking – I'm hoping to share that sugar-free cheesecake soon.
Yum!
🙂
Ohhh, these look so good! I have to try your recipe! I did the same thing with a bakery – waffled so much I talked myself out of it! We were going to do a small bites bakery – named after our dog SugarBear who we call SugarBee. We can never finish a whole cake or pie so we love making things that are small bites like your hand pies, bars, cupcakes etc. and then sharing so every one gets a treat!We thougth other people would enjoy being able to by a single serving that was meant to be just a little treat too. Good luck with the contest!Heidi in NC
Hi Heidi! Really, you almost bought a bakery too? I love your name idea – that's so sweet. I think that idea is genius. And you're right, I think it's common to want just a little bite of something from time to time instead of a whole buy or a dozen cookies. That's so clever – I hope someday you get to open it.
Gorgeous pictures! I wish I could reach right thru the screen and grab one for breakfast.Concerning the bakery……I worked in business lending for ten years and could write a book. I will share the advice I used to give every person that sat across a desk from me – go work at that bakery for at least six months before you buy it. I owe you info on hardy board siding, I commented on an instragram a while back.
Hi Heather,So happy you like!Yes, I think your advice about working in a bakery first is very sound. A lot of businesses here sprang up because the folks worked in the same industry (a coffee shop, a lighting store) and then moved on to open that same kind of business, feeling fully prepared. When we renovate our kitchen for real, I'm going to get it certified and start baking from home. There's a great local market here that would be a great place to test the waters.I'm definitely still interested in your thoughts on hardy board side. I did some Googling, but I always love to hear from people who have used it.
Oh wow! Those look super tasty. I guess I have to get baking now.
Haha, yup 😉
I think this is a fabulous idea. I hate buying baked goods because they are too sweet. Even when I bake at home I always cut the sugar in half. And I have lots of diabetic family too. Seriously this is genius. Just saying. I like peach pie.
It's funny, when I buy anything from a bakery or grocery store, it tastes SUPER sweet to me now. I'm happy you think it's a good idea. I think when we renovate the kitchen I'll get it certified and start a home-based baking business. It will be a safer, less scary way to test the waters. Thanks for the encouragement, I appreciate it 🙂
those are adorable! once I had a major handpie fail when we confused wax paper for parchment paper and our cute little pies with freshly picked wild strawberries all melted to the wax paper. Ooops! you had better luck for sure.
Oh no! I didn't even realize wax paper would do that. You must have been so disappointed. Kitchen mishaps happen to everyone. I once melted a colander onto a stove element, lol.
I love that the little pies are berry shaped with smaller berries sprinkled on top….so cute!I think my favourite has to be chocolate and raspberries 🙂
Thanks so much! 🙂
Oh I just made crockpot applesauce and I'm wondering if this would work with a dollop of that and caramels. Be still my foolish heart. Ps. I'm @rufus_thegoofus_toller. Not just any rando. 😂👍
Hi Mary! Oooo, that sounds really tasty. I love apple + caramel. Do it!! (And send me one, lol)