Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cubed
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) ice water (plus 1–2 tbsp as needed)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup (75 g) yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cups (about 340 g) cooked pulled pork, shredded
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) BBQ sauce, divided
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (170 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
Do This
- 1) Make dough: cut cold butter into flour, salt, and sugar; mix in ice water + vinegar just until it holds together. Chill 30 minutes.
- 2) Make filling: sauté onion in olive oil; stir in pulled pork, 1/2 cup BBQ sauce, spices, and mustard. Cool 10 minutes.
- 3) Heat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- 4) Roll dough to 1/8-inch thick; cut 16 rounds (about 4 1/2 inches each).
- 5) Fill: add pork + cheddar to 8 rounds, brush edges with egg wash, top with remaining rounds, crimp and vent.
- 6) Brush tops with egg wash; bake 22–25 minutes until deep golden and crisp.
- 7) Rest 10 minutes. Serve warm with remaining 1/4 cup BBQ sauce for dipping.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Portable comfort food: all the best BBQ flavors in a crisp, flaky hand pie you can eat with one hand.
- Gooey, savory center: melty cheddar + smoky pulled pork + tangy sauce.
- Perfect for leftovers: an ideal way to use cooked pulled pork (homemade or store-bought).
- Freezer-friendly: bake now or freeze for an easy future meal or snack.
Grocery List
- Produce: 1 yellow onion
- Dairy: unsalted butter, sharp cheddar cheese, 1 large egg
- Pantry: all-purpose flour, kosher salt, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, BBQ sauce, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, black pepper
- Meat: cooked pulled pork (shredded)
Full Ingredients
Flaky Hand Pie Dough
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) ice water, plus 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) as needed
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
BBQ Pulled Pork Filling
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup (75 g) yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 cups (about 340 g) cooked pulled pork, shredded
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) BBQ sauce, divided
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (170 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
To Finish
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp water
- Optional for serving: extra BBQ sauce (use the reserved 1/4 cup), sliced scallions, or quick pickles
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the hand pie dough
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, kosher salt, and sugar. Add the very cold cubed butter and toss to coat.
Using a pastry cutter or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until you have a mix of pea-size pieces and some flatter shards (those butter pieces help create flakiness). Work quickly so the butter stays cold.
In a small cup, stir together the ice water and apple cider vinegar. Drizzle 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the mixture over the flour mixture and stir with a fork until the dough starts to clump. If it looks dry and won’t hold together when you squeeze it, add additional ice water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time, up to 2 tablespoons.
Turn the dough onto a clean counter and gently press it together (do not knead). Divide into 2 equal disks, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Step 2: Cook and cool the BBQ pulled pork filling
In a medium skillet over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5–6 minutes.
Add the pulled pork, 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the BBQ sauce, smoked paprika, Dijon mustard, and black pepper. Stir and cook until everything is hot and the sauce coats the pork, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool for 10 minutes. (Warm filling can melt the dough and make sealing harder.)
Step 3: Preheat the oven and prep your pans
Arrange oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat to 400°F (204°C).
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 4: Roll out the dough and cut circles
Lightly flour your counter. Take one dough disk from the fridge (keep the other cold). Roll to about 1/8-inch (3 mm) thickness, lifting and turning the dough as needed so it doesn’t stick.
Cut 8 circles using a 4 1/2-inch (11.5 cm) round cutter. Reroll scraps once if needed to get the full number. Transfer circles to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat with the second disk to make 16 circles total.
If the dough feels soft or sticky at any point, refrigerate the circles for 10 minutes before filling.
Step 5: Fill, seal, crimp, and vent
In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash.
Place 8 dough circles on your counter (these are the bottoms). Add about 1/4 cup (loosely packed) of the pork filling to the center of each, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons (about 21 g) shredded cheddar over the pork on each pie.
Brush the border lightly with egg wash. Top each with a second dough circle, press gently to seal, then crimp the edge with the tines of a fork. Transfer to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart.
Cut 2 small slits in the top of each hand pie to vent steam.
Step 6: Egg wash and bake until crisp
Brush the tops (and edges) of each pie with a thin, even layer of egg wash.
Bake at 400°F (204°C) for 22–25 minutes, rotating the pans and swapping positions halfway through, until the pies are deep golden brown and crisp.
Step 7: Rest and serve with extra BBQ sauce
Let the hand pies rest on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. The filling will be very hot and a short rest helps the cheese set slightly so the first bite doesn’t spill out.
Serve warm with the remaining 1/4 cup (60 ml) BBQ sauce for dipping. If you like, add sliced scallions or a few chopped quick pickles on the side for extra tang and crunch.
Pro Tips
- Keep everything cold for maximum flake: if your kitchen is warm, chill the cut circles for 10 minutes before filling.
- Don’t overfill: about 1/4 cup filling plus cheddar per pie is the sweet spot. Overfilling leads to leaks.
- Cool the filling: even 10 minutes helps prevent melted dough and makes cleaner sealing.
- Seal like you mean it: egg wash on the rim + a firm fork crimp prevents blowouts.
- Want extra crisp bottoms? Bake on the lower rack for the first 10 minutes, then move pans to finish evenly.
Variations
- Sweet-heat BBQ: add 1–2 tsp hot sauce to the filling and use pepper jack instead of cheddar.
- Carolina-inspired: swap in a vinegar-forward BBQ sauce and add 1/2 cup (40 g) finely shredded green cabbage to the pork after cooking (let it soften for 1 minute).
- Brisket hand pies: use chopped smoked brisket instead of pulled pork; add 1 extra tablespoon BBQ sauce if it’s dry.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Refrigerate: Store baked hand pies in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat: For best crispness, reheat on a baking sheet at 350°F (177°C) for 12–15 minutes (or until hot in the center). A microwave will work in 60–90 seconds, but the crust will soften.
Freeze baked: Cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 350°F (177°C) for 20–25 minutes.
Freeze unbaked (best for fresh results): Assemble, place on a baking sheet, freeze until firm (about 1 hour), then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen at 400°F (204°C) for 26–30 minutes, until deep golden and cooked through.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate per 1 hand pie: 520 calories, protein 26 g, carbohydrates 39 g, fat 28 g, saturated fat 14 g, fiber 2 g, sugars 9 g, sodium 950 mg.
