Yes! Pie crust can be used for savory fillings like these Pepperoni Pizza Pockets! The crispy, browned crust paired with creamy mozzarella and tangy pizza sauce is a winner. It’s like a portable pizza, or a mini-calzone, or even those store-bought Hot Pockets—except flakier! These are easy to make and great as a dinner served with a salad, or you can serve them for a hearty game day appetizer. Any way you serve them, they will be a hit.
Homemade Pie Crust vs. Store-Bought
I’m not a stickler on homemade vs. store-bought pie crust for recipes like this one. If I’m making an authentic full pie, I’m making homemade crust almost every time, following a recipe like this Perfect Pie Crust. But store-bought crust is generally easier to work with and is readily available. Either is absolutely fine for this recipe, so use your preference! To make life easier, I used Pillsbury pie crusts for this version. Make sure they thaw well before you try to work with them, and feel free to re-roll them once to use as much crust as possible.
Filling the Pizza Pockets
I kept the fillings simple for this version, but you could turn any version of pizza into a hand pie like this! Just remember to keep the filling amounts under control. If you overfill the hand pies, they will explode in the oven, and you’ll have a big hand pie mess on your, well, hands. Assuming you want to try my pepperoni pizza option, be sure to follow the amounts I give for each ingredient so you don’t overfill them. If you fall in love with this concept, try combining Buffalo chicken and smoked Gouda or broccoli and cheddar.
Sealing the Hand Pies
You want to make sure to get a good seal on these hand pies so they don’t bust open. I recommend using egg wash for this, as it creates a really sturdy seal. Just lightly brush the crust around the edges with your fingers, and then crimp the dough together.
Secret to Golden Brown Crust
Many traditional pies, sweet or otherwise, bake for 45 to 60 minutes and get a super golden brown crust in that amount of time. These hand pies need much less time in the oven, which means they won’t brown as much without some help. To help get that golden brown crust, I like to brush them with some egg wash. You should also use the egg wash to make sure the hand pies are sealed all the way. The egg wash doesn’t change the flavor of the hand pies in any way, but just gives them a little extra crunch and a beautiful, glossy, golden brown exterior.
Freezing Your Pizza Pockets
If you want to freeze these hand pies, I recommend baking them first, letting them cool completely, then wrapping and freezing them in airtight containers. They will freeze great for a few months. To keep the crust flaky, reheat them in a 325°F oven for 20 minutes until thawed and the cheese is melty.
More Ways to Get Your Pizza Fix!
Meat Lovers’ Sheet Pan Pizza Hawaiian Pizza with Cauliflower Crust Spinach and Artichoke Sheet Pan Pizza Mozzarella and Tomato Skillet Pizzas Sheet Pan Pizza with Roasted Cauliflower and Greens
Use a 6-inch round to cut circles out of the pie crust. (I use a 6-inch tortilla as a guide for mine; a pot lid of same size would work, too.) You should get 3 hand pies out of each pie crust, but you will probably have to re-roll the crust to get the last few. Place the pie crust rounds on the baking sheet. Let the pies cool briefly before serving. Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 3 to 4 days and reheated in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes. Also, these pizza pockets can be assembled in advance and stored in the fridge until you need to bake them. They freeze best once they are baked and have cooled. Reheat from frozen in a 325°F oven for about 20 minutes, or until warmed through.
