Makes 10 hand pies

INGREDIENTS

Filling

• • 5 ripe apricots, pitted and cut into bitesize pieces
• • ¼ cup coconut sugar, plus more to taste
• • 1 tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot starch
• • pinch sea salt
Crust

• • 2 cups all-purpose flour
• • ¼ tsp sea salt
• • 2/3 cup cold vegan butter, plus more for topping
• • 5 to 7 tbsp ice cold water
• • 1 tbsp organic cane sugar, for topping

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Prepare apricot filling by placing sliced apricots in large mixing bowl and adding coconut sugar, cornstarch or arrowroot starch and salt. Stir to combine, then set aside.
3. To prepare crust, mix flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut in butter with fork or pastry cutter until well combined. Mixture should resemble wet sand.
4. Add cold water 1 tbsp at a time and mix with a wooden spoon until it forms a loose dough. It should be moist enough to form into a ball, but not too sticky to knead. Add more flour if it gets too wet.
5. Turn onto well-floured surface, shape into a disc and use rolling pin to roll into a large circle, adding more flour as needed.
6. Place a small dish that is about 4 inches across (or a large round cookie cutter) over the dough and use knife or pizza cutter to cut out circles — this makes about 9 to 10.
7. Reform dough scraps and roll back out until all dough is used (with the exception of a few scraps).
8. Place 4 to 5 circles of dough on parchment-lined baking sheet (leaving room to work). Use a slotted spoon to scoop modest amounts of filling on one half of each pie circle, leaving excess liquid behind. Then run a wet finger around edges to help them seal. Use hands to gently fold the dough over.
9. Use fork to seal edges. Repeat until all filling is used and all pies are on the sheet.
10. Use a toothpick or small knife to poke a few holes in the top of each. Brush the tops of pies with melted butter or coconut oil and sprinkle tops with organic cane sugar. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown.
11. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Let leftovers cool completely. Store in airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Best when fresh.

Want your pies more sweet than tart?
By nature, apricots are tart, so the pies are more on the tart than sweet side. To add more sweetness, substitute strawberries for up to half the apricots, or add 1 to 2 tbsp more coconut sugar.

Portland, Ore.-based Dana Shultz is co-creator (with her husband, John) of the popular food blog Minimalist Baker, which features recipes that require either 10 ingredients or less, one bowl or one pot, or less than 30 minutes to prepare. The blog is also a sought-out destination for plant-based cuisine. Dana shares all-new dishes (each one beautifully photographed) in her first cookbook, Minimalist Baker’s Everyday Cooking. — Chris Daniels