Strawberry Heart Pies (No Added Sugar)
These little pies aren’t just adorable, they are a delicious little treat you can easily make for someone sweet. They are filled with a fresh strawberry filling, and a bit of optional cream cheese. I know my valentine would love these!If you don’t need to avoid sugar than please read below the recipe for sweet inclusions! If you want to use store bought pie dough, I won’t tell anyone!
Ingredients
Flaky Pie Crust
- 1 Cup all-purpose flour
- 3 Tbsp butter cold
- 2 Tbsp crisco
- 1 Pinch salt
- ½ egg (save the rest for egg wash)
- 3 Tbsp cold water
- 1/2 Tsp white vinegar
Fruit Filling
- 1½ Cup strawberry (can be any berry you like!)
- 1 Pinch salt
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- ½ Tsp lemon zest (optional)
Cream cheese
- ¼ Cup cream cheese softened
- ½ Tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
Crust
- Add flour and salt into a bowl.1 Cup all-purpose flour, 1 Pinch salt
- Cut butter into cubes, and add to bowl along with crisco.3 Tbsp butter, 2 Tbsp crisco
- Cut butter and crisco into the flour using a pie cutter or fork.
- Once the fats are incorporated into the flour and it looks mealy and is small pellets, use a fork to stir in the 1/2 egg, water, and vinegar.½ egg, 3 Tbsp cold water, 1/2 Tsp white vinegar
- knead the dough by hand in the bowl just until it comes together and forms a ball.
- Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed, at least 1 hour.
Strawberry filling
- Place all the ingredients except the lemon zest into a pot and bring to a low simmer.1½ Cup strawberry, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, 1 Pinch salt
- Keep an eye on the pot and stir as needed. Use a whisk to mush the berries up. The berries will release their liquid and begin to simmer. You want to continue to simmer the berries until almost all of the liquid has evaporated and you’re left with a jam like consistency.
- Stir in lemon zest, and cool to room temp.½ Tsp lemon zest
Cream cheese filling
- Stir together the cream cheese and extract until it is smooth and spreadable.¼ Cup cream cheese, ½ Tsp vanilla extract
Assembly
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Time to assemble these adorable little pies!
- Start by rolling your pie crust into a sheet, making sure to flour your table, and rolling pin to avoid the crust sticking to either. You want the crust to be just thick enough to hold its shape, but if its to thick your bites will be to “crusty”.
- Once you’re satisfied with the crust thickness, use your cookie cutter to cut your shapes. Be sure to cut them as close together as you can to optimize your yield.
- Use a small spatula to help you transfer half the shapes onto a pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner.
- You can stick your scraps together and repeat the above steps to get additional pies!
- Once your shapes are on the pin, use the small spatula to spread cream cheese onto the center of the shapes. Be sure to leave the edges clear.
- Use a teaspoon and spoon the fruit on top of the cream cheese. You want to put as much fruit as you can so your pies have a yummy center, but you still need to be able to close them. About 2 - 3 teaspoons.
- Make an egg wash with the remaining 1/2 egg by adding 2 tbsp water or milk and whisking. Use this along the edges of the shapes to help seal the tops on.
- Once all the tops are on, use a fork to crimp the edges.
- You need to puncture the top to allow steam to escape. Use a knife to cut a slit or prick with a fork.
- Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and place into the oven.
- Bake approximelty 20 minuets, depending on the size of your pies this may vary. Once cooled slightly, transfer to a rack.
- Store your pies in the fridge.
Notes
If you don’t need to avoid sugar, than you can make the following sweet adjustments:
To the berries - add 3 tbsp sugar to the pot before simmering.
To the cream cheese - add 3 tbsp honey when you add the extract.
To the baked pies- dust with powdered sugar, or pour a glaze over them (simple glaze: mix together 1/2 cup powder sugar, 2-4 tbsp milk depending how thin you like your glaze.)