If you love cranberries or need an easy way to use leftover cranberry sauce, these gluten free cranberry hand pies make a wonderful dessert! Topped with thick icing and orange zest, these hand pies will be popular! Make a batch in under 45 minutes!
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My family loves cranberry sauce. Every Thanksgiving, I make our sauce using 2 big bags of cranberries. I know everyone will snack on the leftovers for a few days after Thanksgiving.
This year, I am using the leftover cranberry sauce to make these hand-held gluten free cranberry hand pies. An incredible flaky pie crust wrap surrounds the sweet citrus and cranberry flavor. It makes a delicious dessert any time!
I used my quick and easy gluten free pie crust recipe for these flaky hand pies. My homemade cranberry sauce recipe is perfect in these hand pies if you want to use a tasty cranberry sauce.
Why we love making these gluten free cranberry hand pies:
- They are full of flavor! The cranberries and orange zest combined with a flaky crust.
- The crust is so flaky and light that nobody will know it is gluten free!
- You can use leftover cranberry sauce or use my recipe to make these!
- My homemade gluten free pie crust gets rave reviews and is easy to make hand pies with!
If you love hand pies, you can make these in the air fryer! Check out my gluten free air fryer hand pies recipe!
Allergen Information:
These homemade cranberry hand pies are gluten-free, nut-free, oat-free, and soy-free. Make them dairy-free by using plant-based butter.
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend: I tested this recipe using Cup4Cup and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work; I just have not tested other flours, and I can not guarantee the recipe will work if you use other mixes.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blendย doesnโt contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Use size large eggs.
- Cranberries – Make fresh filling or use leftover cranberry sauce. If cranberries are not in season, you can use jam, Nutella, or other fruits.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: If you are not using leftover cranberry sauce, boil fresh cranberries with orange zest, sugar, and a little orange juice (see the recipe card below for exact measurements.)
Step 2: Prep the gluten free hand pie crust by cutting cold butter into the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, add the wet ingredients and pour them into the dry ingredients.
Step 3: Dust wax paper or a silicone mat with gluten free flour and roll the dough into a rectangle.
HINT: Try to be quick while working the dough. The colder the butter bits stay in the dough, the flakier your hand pies will turn out.
๐ข Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 4: Roll the dough with a rolling pin to 1/4 inch thickness. You can roll it thinner but note it will be harder to work the dough, and it will be more prone to the cranberry sauce running out.
Step 5: Cut the dough into rectangles with a pizza wheel or sharp knife. You can also use large cookie cutters. Add some cranberry sauce in the middle of each rectangle of dough.
Step 6: Add the top layer of the hand pie and press the edges together with a fork.
Step 7: Using a pastry brush, brush the top of each hand pie with egg wash. Bake at 350ยบย F for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of your hand pies.
Step 8: Mix the vanilla glaze and drizzle it over cooled hand pies. Top with fresh orange zest. (Trust me, don’t skip the orange zest. It brings incredible flavor to these homemade gluten free cranberry hand pies!!)
Store these hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. You can also freeze them in a freezer-safe zip-style bag. They will keep fresh in the freezer for up to 4 months. If you love cranberries, you will love this easy Gluten Free Cranberry Coffee Cake recipe!
Frequently Asked Questions:
The secret to a flaky crust is to use very cold butter and to be careful not to overwork the dough.
You can fill these hand pies with any sweet or savory pie filling. They make delicious chicken pies too!
If you can’t use an egg wash, I recommend using melted butter mixed with a little milk brushed over the tops of each hand pie.
More Gluten Free Pie Recipes:
- Gluten Free Mixed Berry Pie
- Homemade Gluten Free Pecan Pie
- Easy Gluten Free Banana Cream Pie
- Gluten Free Apple Pie with a lattice crust
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free Cranberry Handpies
Ingredients
- 1 ยฝ cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons butter, cold * see note
- 1 egg, large
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ยผ cup water * you may need 1-3 TBSP additional water depending on the gf flour blend.
- 1 egg * for egg wash!
Cranberry Sauce Filling
- 8 ounces fresh cranberries * about 1 package
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
- โ cup orange juice
- ยฝ cup sugar
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons water *note you can use more or less depending on how thick you want your icing.
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Instructions
The Cranberry Sauce:
- In a small pot add the cranberry ingredients. Cook on medium-low, stirring frequently. You will hear popping as the cranberries cook and that is normal. Turn the heat down to simmer. Remove from the stove and allow to cool
- * You can use leftover cranberry sauce if you prefer.
- Preheat the oven to 350ยบ F.
The Crust:
- In a large bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- Use a pastry blender to cut in the cold butter chunks.
- Add the wet ingredients and mix into a pie crust dough.
- Dust gluten free flour on the counter or wax paper. Roll the dough to a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. You can make the crust thinner but it may be harder to work with.
- Use a pizza wheel or sharp knife to cut the dough into rectangles.
- Place some cranberry sauce in the middle of a rectangle. Cover with another piece of dough.
- Use a fork to press the edges down so the filling doesn't spill out. Cut an air hole or two on the top of the hand pie.
- Scramble an egg and use a pastry brush to brush it over each hand pie.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes (depending on the size of your hand pies).
- Allow to cool while you mix up the icing.
- Add the icing ingredients (except the orange zest) to a small bowl and mix. Drizzle over each hand pie then top with orange zest.
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Cup4Cup. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blendย doesnโt contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- To make this recipe dairy-free, substitute the butter for vegan butter.
- These hand pies will keep for up to 3 days in an air-tight container or up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Also, the dough came together nicely. I had butter in the freezer and used it grated. This was the best “pie crust” ever! I used Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free baking flour. Yummy!
I am so glad you loved the recipe. I used my pie crust recipe for those hand pies, and I am so glad you found my recipe!
I used peach jelly instead and they were delicious!
The peach jelly sounds delicious. I tried peach jelly for the first time when one of the farmers at our market was selling it.
I tried this out on 4 friends, 2 who need to be gluten free, and 2 who are just picky. We all agreed it’s really some of the best pie with or without gluten. I did have a bit of trouble with butter leaking out, even though I kept it in the fridge until the last min. But the butter seemed to draw back in, and it had a wonderful flavor, and crisp texture. Great!
I am so glad you enjoyed them…and even more excited your non-glutenfree friends loved them too. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know, Jan!