Boo Berry Ghost Hand Pies (Blueberry)

These Boo Berry Ghost Hand Pies are flaky little Halloween pastries filled with a thick, homemade blueberry filling and baked until crisp and golden around the edges. The ghost faces make them spooky enough for Halloween, without requiring any complicated decorating.

What Makes Great Boo Berry Ghost Hand Pies?

The filling can be made ahead, the pastry is easy to shape with a cookie cutter or homemade template, and the finished pies are perfectly portable. Basically, all the fun of blueberry pie, just in a much cuter handheld package.

The Shortcrust Pastry

A buttery shortcrust gives the hand pies a crisp, flaky exterior that balances the soft, jammy blueberry center.

Homemade all-butter pastry is lovely if there is time to make it, but a good-quality refrigerated pie dough works too.

The important bit? Keep it cold. Warm pastry gets soft very quickly and those adorable ghosts can turn into mysterious blobs.

What You’ll Need for the Pastry

• 1 batch all-butter shortcrust pastry, chilled well before rolling for a flaky texture.
• 1 large egg, beaten with a splash of water to seal the pies and give the tops a glossy finish.
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar, optional, adds a little sweetness and crunch over the tops.

The Blueberry Filling

Fresh blueberries cook down into a juicy filling with little bursts of whole fruit still running through it.

Lemon keeps the berries bright, while maple syrup adds sweetness without completely covering their natural flavor.

A little cornstarch slurry thickens those blueberry juices into a filling that actually stays inside the hand pies.

What You’ll Need for the Blueberry Filling

• 2 1/4 cups fresh blueberries, the base of the filling and naturally sweet and juicy.
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, adds brightness and balances the sweetness.
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup, gives the filling a gentle caramel-like sweetness.
• 1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch, thickens the berry juices so the filling stays put.
• 2 tbsp cold water, mixes with the cornstarch to create a smooth slurry.
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, rounds out the blueberry flavor with a little warmth.
• 1 pinch fine salt, makes the fruit taste sweeter and more vibrant.

Want to Switch Things Up?

These ghost hand pies are surprisingly flexible. Keep the spooky pastry shape and play around with the filling depending on what fruit is available or lurking in the freezer.

• Frozen blueberries, use them straight from frozen and allow a little extra cooking time.
• Mixed berries, combine blueberries with raspberries or blackberries.
• Strawberry filling, swap the blueberries for finely chopped strawberries.
• Cherry filling, gives the ghosts a wonderfully dramatic red center.
• Orange zest, add a little to the blueberries instead of, or alongside, the lemon.
• Store-bought preserves, a handy shortcut when there isn’t time to make the filling from scratch.

Whatever filling you choose, keep it fairly thick. Runny fillings and hand pies are not exactly best friends.

How to Make Boo Berry Ghost Hand Pies

Cook the Blueberry Filling

Add the blueberries, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the berries begin bursting and releasing plenty of deep purple juice.

Gently crush some of the berries with the back of a spoon, but leave a few whole for texture.

Thicken the Filling

Stir the cornstarch and cold water together until completely smooth, then pour it into the bubbling blueberries.

Keep stirring for another 1 to 2 minutes as the mixture turns thick, glossy, and jammy.

Once a spoon dragged through the pan leaves a brief trail, remove it from the heat.

Transfer the filling to a bowl and cool completely. Don’t rush this part, warm filling will soften the pastry before it ever reaches the oven.

Get the Pastry Ready

Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll the chilled pastry between two sheets of parchment paper until it’s roughly 1/8 inch thick.

If the dough starts feeling soft or sticky, slide it back into the refrigerator for 10 minutes before continuing.

Cold dough is much easier to cut cleanly.

Cut Out the Ghosts

Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter to cut an even number of pastry shapes.

No ghost cutter? Trace a simple ghost shape onto parchment or cardstock, place it over the dough, and carefully cut around it with a small sharp knife.

Transfer half of the ghosts onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each one.

Fill the Hand Pies

Spoon a small mound of cooled blueberry filling into the center of each pastry ghost, leaving a clear border around the outside.

Around 1 to 1 1/2 tbsp works for medium-sized hand pies, although the exact amount will depend on the size of the cutter.

Resist the temptation to pile it high. Overfilling looks generous right up until blueberry filling starts escaping from every edge.

Make the Ghost Faces

Take the remaining pastry ghosts and create eyes and mouths before placing them over the filling.

A small round piping tip works brilliantly for the eyes, while a slightly larger round cutter can make an open ghost mouth.

Make each face a little different if you like. Shocked ghost, happy ghost, slightly concerned ghost. There’s room for creativity here.

Seal the Pies

Brush the exposed pastry border around each filled ghost lightly with beaten egg.

Place a ghost face over the filling and gently press the edges together.

Crimp around the outside with the tines of a fork to create a secure seal. If any filling sneaks out, just wipe away the excess before baking.

Brush and Bake

Brush the tops lightly with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if using.

Bake at 375°F for 17 to 21 minutes, or until the pastry looks crisp, lightly golden, and dry to the touch.

Let the hand pies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

Storing, Reheating, and Making Ahead

The blueberry filling can be prepared up to 3 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Keep it chilled until you’re ready to assemble the hand pies.

Baked ghost hand pies will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for around 3 days.

For the best texture, warm them in a 325°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes rather than microwaving them. The oven brings that lovely crisp pastry back to life, while the microwave tends to make it soft.

You can also assemble the unbaked pies several hours ahead and refrigerate them on the baking sheet until needed. Brush with egg wash just before baking, then straight into the oven they go.

Print Recipe

Boo Berry Ghost Hand Pies

Author: Little Kitchen Plate

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 30 mins Cook Time 20 mins Rest Time 30 mins Total Time 1 hr 20 mins

Cooking Temp: 375  F Servings: 10 Calories: 285

Description

Flaky, buttery ghost-shaped hand pies filled with a thick homemade blueberry filling. These easy Halloween treats have simple cut-out ghost faces and can be served warm or at room temperature.

Ingredients

Servings

Blueberry Filling

• 2 ¹⁄₄ cups fresh blueberries
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
• ¹⁄₂ tsp vanilla extract
• ¹⁄₈ tsp fine salt
• 1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp cold water

Hand Pies

• 1 batch all-butter shortcrust pastry, chilled
• 1 large egg
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar

Instructions

Prepare the Blueberry Filling

1. Add the blueberries, lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt to a medium saucepan. Place over medium heat and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the blueberries begin to burst and release their juices. Gently crush some of the berries with the back of a wooden spoon while leaving some whole for texture.

Thicken the Filling

1. In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch and cold water together until completely smooth. Pour the mixture into the simmering blueberries and stir continuously for 1 to 2 minutes. The filling will quickly become thick and glossy and should leave a brief trail when a spoon is dragged across the bottom of the saucepan.

Chill the Filling

1. Transfer the blueberry filling to a clean bowl and allow it to cool for about 10 minutes. Cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes, or until completely cold and thick. Do not fill the pastry while the blueberries are warm, as this can soften the dough and make the hand pies difficult to seal.

Prepare the Oven and Baking Sheet

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Roll the Pastry

1. Place the cold shortcrust pastry between 2 sheets of parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll the pastry to approximately 1/8 inch thick. If the pastry becomes soft or sticky while rolling, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before continuing.

Cut the Ghost Shapes

1. Use a ghost-shaped cookie cutter or a paper ghost template and a small sharp knife to cut an even number of shapes from the pastry. Transfer 10 ghost shapes to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch between each one. Gather and gently reroll the pastry scraps as needed to make the remaining shapes.

Fill the Hand Pies

1. Spoon approximately 1 tbsp of the chilled blueberry filling into the center of each pastry ghost. Leave a clear border around the edges so the pies can be properly sealed. Avoid overfilling, even if there is blueberry filling left over, as too much filling can leak during baking.

Make the Ghost Faces

1. Use a small round piping tip to cut 2 eyes into each of the remaining pastry ghosts. Use a slightly larger round piping tip or small cutter to create the mouth. Work while the pastry is still cold so the shapes remain neat.

Seal the Hand Pies

1. Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl until smooth. Lightly brush the exposed edges of each filled pastry with the egg wash. Place a ghost face on top, gently press the edges together, then crimp around the edges with a fork to create a secure seal.

Chill the Hand Pies

1. Place the assembled hand pies in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This short chill helps firm the pastry again before baking, particularly if it has softened during shaping and filling.

Brush and Bake

1. Lightly brush the tops of the chilled hand pies with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake at 375°F for 17 to 20 minutes, until the pastry is dry, flaky, and lightly golden around the edges. A small amount of bubbling blueberry filling around the openings is normal.

Cool and Serve

1. Leave the hand pies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack. Allow them to cool slightly before serving, as the blueberry filling will be very hot when they first come out of the oven. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Note

Keep the shortcrust pastry cold while rolling and shaping. If it becomes soft, refrigerate it for 10 minutes before continuing.

The blueberry filling must be completely chilled before assembling the hand pies. Warm filling can soften the pastry and make sealing difficult.

The exact number of hand pies will depend on the size of the ghost cutter. This recipe makes approximately 10 medium hand pies.

Any leftover blueberry filling can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days and served with yogurt, pancakes, toast, or oatmeal.

Store baked hand pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat them in a 325°F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until warm and crisp.

For make-ahead preparation, the blueberry filling can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored covered in the refrigerator.