Cranberry Hand Pies

Pie Crust

1. Note: check out my post all about how to make perfect pie crust for more tips and tricks!
2. Cut butter into small cubes and place in the fridge to firm up while you get the rest of your ingredients together.
3. Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium sized bowl. Add the shortening and combine with your hands (or a pastry cutter) until coarse crumbs form. After the shortening is fully incorporated, add the cold chunks of butter and work them into the dough until you get pea sized crumbs.
4. Add in the cold water and combine until dough forms a nice ball but is still slightly sticky.
5. Take the formed ball of dough and separate into 2 equal sections and shape into slightly flattened disks (you can keep it all together but I find it's easiest to work with only half the dough at a time). Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour. This is important to keep the butter from melting so that the crust will be nice and flaky. The chilled dough is also much easier to roll out.

Cranberry Filling

1. While the dough is chilling, make the cranberry filling.
2. Add all of the filling ingredients to a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until the cranberries begin to split open. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
3. Remove the cinnamon stick, then transfer to a bowl and chill until ready to use. 
4. Make sure the filling is completely chilled before assembling the hand pies.

Hand Pie Assembly

1. Note: I like to work with half the dough at a time. So make half of the hand pies then let those chill in the fridge while you make the other half. Then the second batch can chill in the fridge while the first batch is baking.
2. Once both the dough and cranberry filling are chilled, preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper (you may need a second baking sheet).
3. Lightly flour your work surface and roll out dough to about ¼ inch thick. Use a 3 ½ inch biscuit cutter to cut out circles of dough (re-roll the scraps 1 time). You should end up with 20-24 circles (10-12 if you're working with half the dough). 
4. Lightly brush egg wash around the outside edge of each circle. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of cranberry filling into the center of half the circles then top with the remaining circles, egg was side down. Press the edges together and then seal by crimping the edges with a fork. Using a sharp knife, cut a small X in the top of each hand pie.
5. Place the hand pies in the fridge to chill 15 minutes before baking.
6. Remove from the fridge and light brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes or until the hand pies are golden brown.