MINI DULCE DE LECHE & PEAR
HAND PIES
5/5
Mini Dulce de Leche Pear Hand Pies are a delicious and kid-friendly treat that are perfect for a snack or dessert. They are made with a simple puff pastry crust and are filled with a sweet and gooey dulce de leche pear filling. These pies are easy to make and can be made ahead of time, making them a convenient option for busy parents.
They are also a fun recipe to make with your kids. Let them cut out the tops and bottoms of the pie with cookie cutters of their choice and parents help assemble the pies for fun and interactive family memories
The pies bake quickly, so you won’t have to wait long to enjoy them. Try these fun and festive mini hand pies with the recipe below:
Mini Dulce de Leche & Pear Hand Pies
Kids love finger food that's fun and not too messy. For a simple Dulce de Leche recipe that fits the bill, try these mini hand pies. This is a delicious recipe with only a few ingredients that are quite portable as well, perfect for your little ones on the go! Simply mix the filling of Dulce de Leche and pears, roll out the crust, cut out, assemble and bake!
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Pastry brush
- Sheet Pan
- Parchment Paper
- Flour for dusting work surface
- Mini cookie cutters, whatever shapes you have on hand (I used a 2” diameter circle cookie cutter which is quite small, but a 3” or 4” could work well too.)
- Mini shape cookie cutter (I used a 1” star shape, or you could cut out small slits or holes with a paring knife.)
- Fork for crimping the edges
Ingredients
Ingredients for Filling:
- 1/2 or 3/4 pear ripe, peeled and diced
- 1/4 cup Dulce de Leche maybe 1-2 tablespoons more depending on the size of the pear and thickness of your dulce de leche
Ingredients for Crust:
- 1 sheet puff pastry or 2 pie crust I buy the boxed frozen kind
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
Optional Toppings:
- Sprinkles
- Additional sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (190 degrees C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, mix together the pear and dulce de leche. Set aside with a teaspoon or small spoon.
- Beat the egg and milk together in a small bowl or ramekin and set aside with the pastry brush.
- Dust a clean work surface with flour and using a rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry or pie crust to about a ¼” thickness.
- Using the cookie cutter of your choice, rubbed with a little bit of flour, cut out 20 circles. You will probably need to re-roll out the dough a couple of times to cut out a total of 20 circles.
- For the pie crust tops: In half of the pastry cut outs, either cut out small slits or use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out a whole in the middle. These will be the tops of the mini pies and help prevent the mini pies from bursting open when baking.
- For each pie: Lightly brush the bottom layer with the egg wash, spoon 1 teaspoon of filling in the middle, cover with a pie crust top and crimp the edges with a fork. Sprinkle with any optional toppings.
- Place on the baking sheet and brush the tops with a light coating of the egg wash.
- Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown on top. Let cool slightly before serving and enjoy!
Notes
Tips:
- Dulce de Leche can be purchased at any major grocery store (I buy mine on amazon) and can be substituted with caramel if dulce de leche is not readily available or as a dairy free alternative.
- These pies can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. To reheat, simply microwave it on low for 30 seconds to 1 minute, or reheat in the air fryer for the same amount of time at 350 degrees.
- For make ahead or meal prep, freeze in an airtight container before baking in the oven (lay the pies flat and separate each layer with parchment). Reheat in the air fryer for about 3 minutes on the reheat setting (350 degrees).
