Easy Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies

These Strawberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies are made with fresh strawberries and are so delicious! Using pre made pie crust these treats are perfect for any occasion!

My kids have been making these with me since they were little enough to barely reach the counter. There’s something about hand pies specifically — the fact that they’re individual, portable, and require no utensils — that makes kids feel like the whole thing was made for them. Which, honestly, it kind of was.

These strawberry cream cheese hand pies come together in 40 minutes, start to finish. You’re making a quick strawberry jam on the stove, spreading a little cream cheese on store-bought pie crust, sealing them up, and baking until they’re golden and flaky. The cream cheese keeps the filling from being one-note sweet — it adds just enough richness and tang to make these taste like something you’d pay $6 for at a farmers market.

What You’re Making

Individual hand pies made from store-bought refrigerated pie crust, filled with a quick stovetop strawberry jam and a small amount of cream cheese. Each pie is sealed with a fork, brushed with egg wash, topped with coarse sugar, and baked until golden. Makes 8–10 pies depending on how cleanly you cut your circles.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Fresh strawberries (2 cups, hulled and roughly chopped): Fresh is best here — they break down quickly in the skillet and give you a bright, real-fruit flavor. If using frozen, thaw completely and drain off all the liquid before cooking or your jam will never reduce properly.

Granulated sugar (¼ cup): The original recipe lists 1 cup — that’s a 1:1 ratio by volume with the strawberries, which produces an extremely sweet, very thick jam. I recommend ¼ cup for a balanced filling that still tastes like fruit. If your strawberries are on the tart side, go up to ⅓ cup.

Lemon (zest + juice): The zest goes into the filling while cooking; the juice (about 2 tbsp) gets mixed with the cornstarch to form the slurry. The lemon brightens the strawberry flavor significantly — don’t skip it.

Cornstarch (1 tbsp): Thickens the jam so it holds inside the pie instead of running out when you cut in. Must be mixed with liquid (the lemon juice or water) before adding to the hot filling — never add dry cornstarch directly to a hot liquid.

Store-bought refrigerated pie crust (2 rolls): Pillsbury or any standard refrigerated crust works. Each 9-inch round gives you about 4–5 circles at 5 inches, which means 2 crusts yield roughly 8–10 circles total. Since each pie needs a top and bottom, plan on 8–10 pies total if you re-roll the scraps. If you don’t re-roll, expect closer to 6–7.

Cream cheese (3–4 oz, softened): The title ingredient that was missing from the original recipe card. Use block cream cheese, softened so it spreads easily. About 1 tsp per pie. Full-fat gives you the best flavor but reduced-fat works fine.

Egg + water (for egg wash): 1 large egg beaten with 1 tsp water. Brushed over the top of each pie before baking for a golden, shiny crust.

Sugar in the Raw (2–3 tbsp): Coarse turbinado sugar sprinkled on top before baking. Adds a crunch and a little sparkle. Regular granulated sugar works but dissolves faster and won’t give you the same texture.

Step 1: Make the strawberry jam. Add 2 cups of hulled, chopped strawberries and ¼ cup sugar to a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat. Stir to combine. After 4–5 minutes, when the berries have softened and started releasing juice, use a wooden spoon or potato masher to smash them down. You want a chunky, loose jam — not smooth.

Step 2: Add the slurry and thicken. In a small bowl, stir together 1 tbsp cornstarch and the juice of one lemon (about 2 tbsp) until fully dissolved. Add the lemon zest to the pan, then pour in the slurry. Stir constantly over medium heat until the jam thickens noticeably, about 1–2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 3: Cool the jam completely. This step is not optional. Spread the jam onto a plate or into a bowl and let it cool to room temperature — about 15–20 minutes. Warm jam will make the dough soggy and melt the cream cheese before the pie even hits the oven. If you’re in a hurry, stick it in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Step 4: Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out your pie crusts on a lightly floured surface.

Step 5: Cut the circles. Use a 5-inch round cutter or the rim of a small bowl to cut circles from the dough. You should get 4–5 per crust. Gather the scraps, re-roll once, and cut more circles. You need an even number — two circles per pie.

Step 6: Fill the pies. Place half the circles on your prepared baking sheets — these are your bottoms. Spread about 1 tsp of softened cream cheese onto the center of each, leaving a ½-inch border around the edge. Add 1 heaping tsp of cooled strawberry jam on top of the cream cheese. Don’t overfill — the filling will expand as it bakes and you need room to seal.

Step 7: Seal and top. Beat 1 egg with 1 tsp water to make your egg wash. Brush the border of each filled circle with egg wash. Place a second dough circle on top and press the edges together firmly. Use the tines of a fork to crimp and seal all the way around. Brush the entire top of each pie with egg wash, then sprinkle generously with Sugar in the Raw.

Step 8: Vent and bake. Use a sharp knife or scissors to cut 2–3 small slits in the top of each pie — this lets steam escape and keeps the crust from puffing up and bursting. Bake at 375°F for 18–20 minutes, until the tops are deep golden brown. Let cool on the pan for at least 5 minutes before eating — the filling inside will be very hot.

FAQs

Tips

These are best the day they’re made. The crust is at peak crunch right out of the oven. If storing, keep them in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days, or refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for 5–7 minutes to crisp the crust back up — the microwave will make them soft.

Cool the jam before filling. Hot filling = soggy bottom crust and melted cream cheese before it ever reaches the oven. Give it at least 15 minutes at room temp.

Don’t overfill. 1 tsp cream cheese + 1 heaping tsp jam is the right ratio. More than that and the pies will burst at the seams no matter how well you crimp them.

Crimp firmly. A light fork press won’t hold. Press down on each tine mark firmly and go around twice if you need to. The egg wash on the border acts as glue — use it.

Re-roll the scraps once. You’ll get extra circles from the dough scraps if you gather them, press them together, and re-roll. The second-roll dough is slightly less flaky but still works fine for hand pies.

Use a shortcut when you need one. Store-bought strawberry preserves skip the jam-making step entirely. Bonne Maman strawberry preserves or any good-quality jam works well. Just reduce the amount — store-bought jam is sweeter than homemade.

Softened cream cheese is essential. Cold cream cheese won’t spread — you’ll end up with chunks instead of an even layer. Set it out for 30 minutes before you start, or microwave the amount you need for 10 seconds.

Variations

Blueberry Cream Cheese Hand Pies: Swap the strawberries for 2 cups of fresh or frozen blueberries. Add ½ tsp cinnamon to the filling while it cooks. Same method, same timing.

Peach Cream Cheese Hand Pies: Use 2 cups of peeled, diced fresh peaches with ¼ cup sugar and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Peaches take a minute or two longer to break down in the skillet.

Nutella Strawberry Hand Pies: Swap the cream cheese for 1 tsp Nutella per pie. The chocolate-hazelnut flavor with the strawberry jam is a hit with kids. No changes to method.

Savory Version — Spinach and Feta: Use the same dough and method, but fill with 1 tbsp of a spinach, feta, and garlic mixture. Skip the Sugar in the Raw and brush with plain egg wash. Bake at the same temperature. These work great as an appetizer or lunchbox item.

Air Fryer Version: Place assembled pies in a single layer in the air fryer basket (no overcrowding). Air fry at 370°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point, until golden. Works beautifully and is faster than the oven.

Cream Cheese Glaze Instead of Sugar: Skip the Sugar in the Raw and make a simple glaze after baking: mix 2 tbsp softened cream cheese with ¼ cup powdered sugar and 1 tbsp milk. Drizzle over warm pies. Adds another layer of cream cheese flavor.

These are one of those recipes I come back to every spring when strawberries are actually good — not the pale, flavorless ones from January, but the real ones from the farmer’s market or the grocery store in May. My kids can make these almost entirely on their own at this point, which means I mostly show up for quality control. If you like the strawberry-cream cheese combination, the Easy Strawberry Crunch Cheesecake goes much further in that direction. And if you want more handheld desserts, the Copycat Crumbl Strawberry Shortcake Cookies are always a crowd favorite.

Here are some more fun delicious pie recipes to try: