We're likely all collectively day dreaming of the same exotic beach vacation this summer. Sadly, I think we are also all painfully aware that it just ain't happening. For now, you can find me splayed out on a blanket in my backyard, sunnies on, keeping company with my garden hose mister and a couple of Pineapple Lime Coconut Hand Pies in hand. Join me, it's nice here. Just close your eyes, tap into your imagination and bite into one of these tropical hand pies. You may just forget about the bleak reality that is 2020 for a fleeting moment. Now that's the kind of vacation we can all take right now.
I know it's a tall order to stay optimistic these days. 2020 has been, in a word, surreal. It seems like every single day we wake up to more devastating news. It's been dark, friends. Real dark. Don't you think its high time we brighten 2020 up a bit?
These Pineapple Lime Coconut Hand Pies are the sun your summer has been missing. The tropical ingredients are full of mood boosting flavors and chill energy to put a touch of fun in this bummer summer.
Some Key Players that make these Pineapple Lime Coconut Hand Pies so special
- Bob's Red Mill Organic All Purpose Flour - this is a workhorse that works every time. I know I will get consistent results and the highest quality flour when I use Bob's.
- European Style Butter - the high fat content in Euro style butter gives the dough superior taste and texture.
- Bob's Red Mill Finely Shredded Coconut - the coconut adds a slightly sweet, nutty flavor and chewy texture to the hand pie dough. Plus it makes for a summery festive finish when you top the Pineapple Lime Coconut Hand Pies with a soft sprinkle.
- Bob's Red Mill Tapioca Flour - this naturally sweet ingredient thickens fillings and blends in seamlessly without being chalky or having a weird chemical aftertaste. Plus it helps prevent leakage and soggy bottoms!
- Fresh Pineapple - I mean, you could go canned but waiting for fresh pineapple to arrive is so worth it. And since this recipe doesn't manipulate the fruit much, it tastes just as fresh baked inside the hand pies as it does sliced straight from the source.
Now I know it might seem a little counterintuitive to fuss with hand pies on a hot summer day. And maybe it is. Working with pie dough can be finicky, especially when things start to heat up. But, summer hand pies are kind of the best thing ever and they are the perfect pandemic pick me up! These individually sized, portable treats make it easy to share the love and a taste of the tropics all summer long.
My goal in developing this recipe for Pineapple Lime Coconut Hand Pies was to transport you. To offer up a little slice of paradise in a strange and stagnant time. The Coconut Pie Dough creates a tender and flaky pocket with a slightly chewy texture and a natural, nutty coconut sweetness. That tasty little pocket is stuffed with a zesty, lime scented pineapple filling that brings the vacation straight to you. Then these sunny little half moons get layered with a sweet pineapple glaze, made from the pineapple juice squeezed from the fruit and reserved from the filling. To finish it off right, the glaze is showered with a soft sprinkle of shredded coconut, adding even more tropical texture.
And a few reasons why Hand Pies are the BEST!
- Hand Pies are fun to make.
- Hand Pies are personal and portable.
- Hand Pies are adaptable. You can fill them with whatever sweet or savory filling you like!
- Hand Pies are ADORABLE.
- Hand Pies come in all shapes and sizes.
- Hand Pies are rustic. That's what makes them so charming.
Even if you don't have a special occasion to celebrate, I highly encourage you to bake up a batch of these Pineapple Lime Coconut Hand Pies and start spreading some summer sunshine.
This post was made is in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill. Follow Bob’s Red Mill on Instagram and Facebook or check out bobsredmill.com to shop their impressive lineup of flours, whole grains, seeds, and so much more.
Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love! ?
Coconut Pie Dough
Pineapple Lime Hand Pie Filling
How To Shape Hand Pies
Recipe
Pineapple Lime Coconut Hand Pies
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 12 hand pies
Description
Pineapple Lime Coconut Hand Pies have a zesty, lime & pineapple filling inside a chewy and tender coconut crust, glazed & topped with textural coconut.
Ingredients
- 2 disks Coconut Pie Dough (https://bakingthegoods.com/2020/08/04/coconut-pie-dough/)
PINEAPPLE LIME FILLING
- 1 medium - large pineapple (- you will need about 3 cups of chopped pineapple)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 medium lime (zested & juiced)
- 1 tablespoon tapioca flour
PINEAPPLE COCONUT GLAZE
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ cups powdered sugar (- sifted)
- ¼ cup finely shredded coconut
- 2-3 tablespoons pineapple juice (- reserved from filling)
Instructions
- If Coconut Pie Dough is frozen, defrost overnight in the refrigerator or allow to thaw on the counter at room temperature for 1-2 hours.
If your dough is chilled in the refrigerator, allow it to sit at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes before rolling it out.
PINEAPPLE LIME FILLING
- Break down the pineapple by cutting off the top, then removing the skin all the way around. Slice the pineapple in half lengthwise. Lay each pineapple half down on the flat cut side, and cut it in half lengthwise again, into quarters. Then remove the core from each quarter. Chop into small ¼" - ½" chunks. Place in a bowl.
Place in a clean cheesecloth or thin kitchen towel and wring out over a bowl, reserving the juice for later. Transfer the juiced pineapple to a separate bowl. - Add the sugar and zest and juice of the lime to the chopped pineapple. Toss to combine and let the fruit hang out for about 15 minutes while the juices release. Once the juices have released, strain them into the bowl with the rest of the reserved pineapple juice.
- Add the tapioca flour to the chopped pineapple and toss to combine. Set aside.
HAND PIE ASSEMBLY
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the first Coconut Pie Dough disk to ⅛"-¼" thickness. Using a 5"-6" round cookie cutter or other round template and a sharp knife, stamp out or cut circles from the dough.
Gather the dough scraps together, form a disk to re-roll, then cut more dough rounds from the scraps.
*If the dough scraps start to get too warm and sticky, shape into a disk, wrap and place back in the fridge to chill for a few minutes before rolling out again.
*You may want to transfer the dough rounds to a lined baking sheet and chill them in the refrigerator while you roll out and cut the rest of the dough so they don't get too warm. It depends on how quickly you can move and how warm it is in your kitchen. - Spoon about 2 tablespoons of pineapple filling onto one half of each round of dough. If the fruit filling is super juicy, strain again. You just want to be sure you aren't transferring a bunch of juice onto the dough to prevent leaks and soggy bottoms.
Lightly brush a small amount of cold water around the edges of the dough rounds, then lift and fold the unfilled half over the top, creating a half-moon shape.
Gently seal the edges by pressing together. Then create a decorative crimp by pressing the edges of the dough together with the back of a fork. - Set the hand pies on a lined baking sheet, and place in the freezer to chill for at least 30 - 60 minutes until firm.
Repeat the process with remaining dough rounds. Then repeat the entire process with the second dough disk.
*freezing the hand pies first helps them keep their structure as they bake - Preheat oven to 375° F.
- Make an egg wash by whisking 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water together in a small bowl.
- Remove the chilled hand pies from the freezer. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the hand pies with the egg wash. Cut three small slits in the top of each hand pie for vents.
- Bake until the hand pies are golden brown, about 22 - 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through.
- Remove the pies from the oven. Allow to cool a few minutes on the pans, then transfer to a cooling rack.
PINEAPPLE COCONUT GLAZE
- Sift the powdered sugar into a medium bowl. Whisk in the reserved pineapple juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture is smooth and runs off the whisk like molasses.
Spoon about 1 tablespoon of glaze onto each hand pie, smoothing the glaze to the crimped edges with the back of the spoon or a small spatula. Sprinkle with coconut.
Allow the glaze to set before serving.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: hand pies
Kristine says
They came out perfectly! Tart and sweet and flaky. I didn’t have any vodka on hand so used bourbon instead and it worked great.
beckysue says
Hi Kristine! I am so happy to hear this. I've totally used bourbon in place of vodka in my dough before too. Glad it worked out for you. Thanks for sharing. Happy baking!!
Kristi says
Can the vodka be substituted?
beckysue says
Absolutely! You can sub in apple cider vinegar or just ice cold water. Happy baking!