Sweet Cream Cheese Hand Pies

You won’t stop at one with these cream cheese hand pies. Doused in a rosewater simple syrup and topped with sesame seeds, they strike a delightful balance of tanginess from the cream cheese and sweetness from the syrup. Serve them at your next dinner party, picnic, or Ramadan get together.

I can’t quite remember when or where the first time I tried these little cream cheese hand pies was, but I do remember instantly falling in love with every mouthful. The little pies are moreish, it’s truly hard to stop at just one. Each bite showcases flaky puff pastry, cream cheese, toasty sesame seeds, and a healthy dose of rosewater simple syrup, or sweetened condensed milk.

These cream cheese hand pies are a delightful treat, perfect for any occasion. During Ramadan, however, they become especially popular. They resemble similar Levantine desserts like Warbat (or Shaabiyat), but those can be quite time-consuming to make while fasting. These hand pies offer a delicious and effortless alternative. Pair them with a hot cup of black tea, and they become the perfect way to unwind after a long day of fasting.

Cream Cheese Hand Pie Ingredients

These cream cheese hand pies are made with 6 simple ingredients. Rose petals are an optional garnish.

1. Puff pastry – Try not to skimp on a good quality store bought pastry. Opting for store bought pastry saves time without compromising on taste. In Australia these doughs come as 24cm x 24cm (9.5 in x 9.5 in) pre-rolled sheets.
2. Cream cheese – My go to cream cheese for these pies is Kiri cream cheese squares. Kiri can be successfully substituted with Philadelphia cream cheese, or any fridge-based product of your liking. Do not substitute with shelf stable cream cheese in a jar.
3. Sugar – This recipe uses regular white (granulated) sugar to make a simple syrup.
4. Water – Use equal amounts of water and sugar for the simple syrup.
5. Rosewater or orange blossom water – This iconic middle eastern flavouring adds a floral note to the simple syrup. You can substitute it with vanilla, if preferred.
6. Sesame seeds – They not only decorate the pies, but also contribute a wonderful toasty-nutty note that rounds out the overall favour profile.

How to make cream cheese hand pies

Creating these delectable hand pies is simpler than you might think, requiring only a few simple steps!

• Make the simple syrup: Begin by combining water and sugar in a small saucepan and bringing it to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and let simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved, the syrup is clear, and has slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.
• Prepare the puff pastry: Using a sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry into nine equal squares (approximately 8cm x 8cm or 3″ x 3″).

• Prepare the filling: If you are using Kiri squares, cut each square in half. Alternatively, cut a block of cream cheese into small bite sized pieces.
•  Assemble and freeze the hand pies: Place cream cheese pieces on the puff pastry and fold over the puff pastry to encase the filling. Seal tightly with a fork and top with sesame seeds. Arrange on a lined baking tray and freeze the hand pies while the oven preheats to help prevent any filling from leaking out.

• Bake and serve: Bake in a 180ºC fan forced oven (355ºF) for 10 minutes, then increase the temperature to 200ºC (390ºF) and bake for a further 5 minutes, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool to room temperature and serve drizzled with simple syrup. Garnish with rose petals, if desired.

FAQ

Can I make the cream cheese hand pies ahead of time?

Yes! You can assemble the hand pies and freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet for about 45 minutes until firm. Once frozen, transfer them to a ziplock bag for space-saving storage for up to a month. When you’re ready to enjoy them, bake the hand pies from frozen, adding just 1-2 minutes to the usual baking time. Keep in mind that for the best texture and flavour, it’s recommended to enjoy the hand pies on the day they’re baked.

What are some flavour variations?

While the classic cream cheese filling is delicious, if you’re wanting to change things up, try one of the following flavours instead:

• Cinnamon Roll – Whisk a teaspoon of cinnamon into the cream cheese before filling.
• Tres Leches – Add a teaspoon of vanilla to the cream cheese. Drizzle the baked hand pies with sweetened condensed milk after baking for that signature tres leches flavour.
• Custard Slice – Swap cream cheese for pastry cream for a sweeter pie that resembles the flavour of custard slice.
• Baklava – Add a small handful of finely chopped nuts (like walnuts or pistachios) into the cream cheese. Skip the sesame seeds and instead garnish with pistachios after baking for a delightful baklava-inspired treat!
• Berry Cheesecake – Fold some lightly mashed fresh berries into the cream cheese for a hand pie bursting with berry cheesecake flavour.

You can also try these wonderful Pumpkin Cream Cheese Hand Pies from I am Baker or these irresistible Sopapilla Cheesecake Hand Pies from Food Fanatic.

How can I stop the filling from leaking?

If the filling has leaked while baking, it usually means the pies are overfilled. My troubleshooting tips include:

• Reduce the amount of filling: An overfilled pie will not seal well or hold together properly.
• Seal the pies firmly: Press down on the edges of the pies firmly with a fork to seal well.
• Briefly freeze: Freezing the pies before baking them will help solidify the filling and prevent it from leaking out while baking.
• Start with a lower baking temperature: This allows the fats in the puff pastry to melt gently, sealing the dough before the internal steam builds up and creates those signature flaky layers.

Sweet Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Cream cheese hand pies are the iconic Ramadan dessert which are hard to resist! Doused in a rosewater simple syrup and topped with sesame seeds, they strike a delightful balance of tanginess from the cream cheese and sweetness from the syrup.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Servings 12 pies

Ingredients

  

Simple Syrup

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water

Cream Cheese Hand Pies

• 6 cubes (108 g) cream cheese
• 1 ½ sheets puff pastry
• 2 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions

 

• Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil.

  Reduce the heat to medium low and let simmer until the sugar has completely dissolved, the syrup is clear, and has slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.
• Using a sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry into nine equal squares (approximately 8cm x 8cm or 3" x 3"). Cut three more squares from the second sheet of puff pastry. Return unused portion to the freezer.
• Cut Kiri cream cheese squares in half diagonally to form a triangle. Alternatively, cut 108g of cream cheese from a block into 12 bite sized pieces.
• Place cream cheese pieces on the puff pastry and fold over the puff pastry to encase the filling. Seal tightly with a fork and top with sesame seeds.

  Arrange on a lined baking tray and freeze the hand pies while the oven preheats to help prevent any filling from leaking out.
• Preheat the oven to 180ºC fan forced oven (355ºF) for 10 minutes, then increase the temperature to 200ºC (390ºF) and bake for a further 5 minutes, or until golden brown.

  Set aside to cool to room temperature. Garnish with rose petals, if desired. Drizzle with simple syrup and serve immediately.

Notes

Top tip: to avoid your pies becoming soggy drizzle simple syrup only on pies that will be eaten immediately. Pies are best eaten the day they are baked, but can be reheated in an air fryer or oven at 180ºC fan forced for about 6 minutes.

Keyword Ramadan Desserts, Sweet Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Tried it? Let me know if you liked it!

Did you make these sweet cream cheese hand pies? I want to know all about it! Leave a comment with how you went, rate the recipe so others can find it, and share your creations on Instagram with @tilgoldenbrown #tilgoldenbrown so I can feature them. Happy baking! ❤️