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Learn how to make raspberry turnovers, also known as hand pies. The buttery and flaky crust is filled with a tart fresh raspberry filling. The sweetness of the filling contrasts perfectly with the saltiness of the crust. 
Golden turnovers in a half moon shape filled with raspberry jam on a tray

Raspberry Turnover Overview

These raspberry turnovers, also known as hand pies, are made with a flaky buttery pie crust. They are filled with a tart fresh raspberry filling that contrasts beautifully with the salty crust.

Turnovers are so easy to make and can be filled with virtually any filling. If you don’t have access to fresh raspberries, a raspberry preserves works very well as a filling too.

How to Make Raspberry Turnovers (Hand Pies)

The turnovers are made from two components: the pie crust and the raspberry filling. You can use a pre-made pie crust if you like, but it truly is not that difficult to make your own!

Step 1: Prep the Crust

Start by whisking together all of the dry ingredients for the crust in a large mixing bowl. You will need flour, salt, and sugar.

Next you want to cut very cold butter into small pieces and add that to the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients. It is essential that your butter is extremely cold because this will help make your crust very flaky.

Cut the cold butter through the dry ingredients using a pastry cutter or a fork until it is the texture of coarse meal. This will coat the flour in fat, keeping the crust very tender. The tiny pieces of butter will also melt in the oven create all the flakiness in the crust.

Now we are going to add in the ice cold water a little bit at a time. The amount of water will vary depending on the day so add about 1 TBSP at a time.

I like to use a fork to nudge the four and fat into the water. Be careful not to aggressively stir or mash down on the mixture. When you can gather a clump of dough in your hand and it all holds together, then you are ready to chill the dough.

Step 2: Chill the Dough

Press the dough together and then into a dish. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for about 1 hour.

This will allow the flour to completely hydrate and will allow the gluten time to relax. This will also give the dough time to firm up.

Step 3: Prep Filling

Washing raspberries in colander in sink

Wash your fresh berries and let them drain completely. This filling does not work well with frozen berries as they release a little too much liquid. If you do not have access to fresh berries, I recommend using a good raspberry preserves as the filling.

Tossing raspberries with sugar in bowl

About 5 minutes before rolling out the dough, mix the berries together with the other filling ingredients. Be very gentle so you do not break the berries. You also do not want to do this too early as the berries will start releasing their juices. 

Step 4: Roll out Pie Dough

Dough is cut into 12 equal pieces using a bench scraper

Divide the dough into 12 fairly equal pieces. You can do this with a kitchen scale, but I just eyeball it. 

Roll the pie dough out, one piece at a time, into roughly a circle shape about 1/16th of an inch thick. The circles do not need to perfect. Turnovers are rustic by design! 

Step 5: Fill Dough

Place about 2 TBSP of filling in the center of each piece of dough and then fold it over and seal the edges. I like to use a fork the crimp the turnover all the way around. 

Use a knife the score the tops of the turnovers several times so they do not burst in the oven. Brush egg wash on top of each hand pie and then sprinkle with a little more granulated sugar. 

Step 6: Bake

Golden turnovers fresh out of the oven on tray

Bake the turnovers until nicely golden brown. Allow to cool for several minutes before enjoying. 

For a fun twist, try my puff pastry pop tarts with jam filling! 

 

Golden turnovers in a half moon shape filled with raspberry jam on a tray
Yield: 12 Hand Pies

Raspberry Turnovers (Hand Pies)

These raspberry hand pies (also known as turn overs) start with a buttery and flaky crust and are filled with a tart fresh raspberry filling. The sweetness of the filling contrasts perfectly with the saltiness of the crust. 

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • 2 cups (240 gr) all purpose flour
  • 2 TBSP (25 gr) granulated sugar
  • 3/4 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup, 170 gr) cold, unsalted butter
  • 8-12 TBSP (120-180 ml) ice cold water

For the Fresh Raspberry Filling

  • 12 oz (340 gr) fresh raspberries
  • 1/3 cup (66 gr) granulated sugar
  • 1 TBSP (8 gr) cornstarch
  • large pinch kosher salt

For the Egg Wash

  • 1 egg
  • 2 TBSP (30 ml) water
  • granulated sugar, for topping

Instructions

To Prepare the Crust

  1. WHISK DRY INGREDIENTS: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the crust (flour, granulated sugar, and salt) until well combined.
  2. CUT IN FAT: Cut the cold butter into small pieces. It is essential that the butter is cold for the flakiest crust. Add the cut up butter into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a pastry cutter or a fork to cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it is the texture of coarse meal.
  3. MIX IN WATER: Add ice water to the bowl 1 tablespoon at a time and use a fork to gently nudge the flour into the water. The amount of water needed for your dough will vary depending on the day. Do not aggressively stir or mash the flour and butter down. Be as light and gentle as possible. Once large clumps of dough start forming, gather the dough up and press it together. If it crumbles then you need to add a little more water. If it holds together then you are ready to chill.
  4. CHILL: Press the dough together into a ball. Wrap the dough in a piece of plastic wrap, pressing it down into a disk, and refrigerate for one hour. This step is key to relaxing the gluten and allowing the dough to hydrate properly. If you want to prep the crust ahead of time and want to let it chill for longer than one hour, let it set out at room temperature until it is cool but almost room temperature before proceeding.

To Prepare the Filling

  1. PREP RASPBERRIES: Wash the fresh raspberries and allow to drain completely. Frozen raspberries do not work very well in this filling because they release too much liquid.
  2. MIX FILLING: About 5 minutes before rolling out your crust, combine the raspberries with the sugar, cornstarch, and salt for the filling. Gently stir together, taking extra care not to break the raspberries. You don't want to mix this together too early or the raspberries will start releasing too many juices.

To Assemble

  1. ROLL OUT CRUST: On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 12 fairly equal pieces. You can use a kitchen scale if you want to be very exact, but I typically just eyeball it. Working with one piece of dough at a time, gently roll the dough out into a circle about 1/16th of an inch thick. This does not need to be perfect. Turnovers are rustic by design.
  2. FILL PIES: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and place 6 pieces of rolled out dough on each pan. Place about 2 TBSP of filling in the center of each piece of dough. Fold the dough in half, leaving about 1/2" of extra dough on the bottom. Fold the bottom piece of dough over the top and press the seal. Use a fork to press into the dough and crimp all around the edge.
  3. EGG WASH: Whisk together an egg with 2 TBSP of water until well combined for the egg wash. Score each hand pie with 3 small slashes and then lightly brush the egg wash on each. Sprinkle each hand pie with sugar. Before the hand pies go into the oven, I like to place them in the freezer for about 10 minutes while the oven preheats. This will really help firm up the dough and make for the flakiest crust, but this is optional.
  4. PREHEAT: Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C).
  5. BAKE: Bake the hand pies at 375 F (190 C) for 25-35 minutes, until golden brown. I prefer to bake one sheet at a time, but if you are baking two sheet pans at once, rotate them from top to bottom on the racks about half way through.
  6. STORE: Store hand pies that are completely cooled loosely covered at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for 4 days. Alternatively, you can freeze them for up to 3 months.

Notes

  • This filling does not work well with frozen berries as they release too much liquid. If you do not have access to fresh berries, a good raspberry preserves also works very well as a filling.

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© Bettie