Mini Peach Pie Pockets

As the weather gets cooler, I find that there are few things better than spending a warm and cozy night in with the family.

Curled up on the couch in comfy pajamas with a good movie and a tasty treat close at hand and, it's pretty much the perfect way to spend a chilly Fall evening.

I'm super excited to have partnered with Netflix to create a series of movie-inspired treats for you and your family to make and enjoy together.

Each month, Netflix will be sharing a themed playlist of family-friendly movies and TV shows that you can stream right in the comfort of your own home through your computer or television.

And, because we all know that movie snacks are just as important as the movie itself, I'll be sharing a monthly recipe inspired by one of the films on the list!

For the month of November, the theme is movies based on children's books, both old and new.

It's a pretty fantastic list that includes some of my own childhood favorites like The Baby-Sitters Club and A Wrinkle in Time. For the younger kids, there are selections like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Me, Eloise.

This month's movie snack was inspired by one of my other favorites on the list--the Roald Dahl classic James and the Giant Peach!

These individual Mini Peach Pie Pockets are super simple to make, and are perfect for enjoying while watching James get carried away on one adventure after another.

Starting with a flaky, buttery pie crust (I include a recipe below, but you can also start with a store-bought crust), the mini hand pies are stuffed with a totally no-fuss filling made with sweet diced canned peaches (in season all year long!) and just a touch of cinnamon for that perfect Fall touch.

Cut into mini rounds, they're perfect for little hands. And with no messy cutting, forks or plates required, the whole family will be able to eat and enjoy without missing a single scene.

Enjoy the show!

Note: This post is sponsored by Netflix. Thank you for supporting cool companies like Netflix who make it possible for me to keep creating fun new content for you to enjoy. All photos, opinions, and recipes are (of course!) my own.
 
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Mini Peach Pie Pockets Recipe
The flaky all-butter crust is quick and simple to make, but if you're extra tight on time, you can easily replace with 2 store-bought 12-inch pie crusts or sheets of puff pastry. This series is all about enjoying precious moments with your family so I encourage you to do what works best for you!

Yields: 12 individual mini pies
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into cubes
6 tablespoons ice cold water

For the filling:
1 1/4 cup drained diced canned peaches (*drain before measuring and see note below)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 egg yolk
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions
First make the crust (if using a purchased crust, skip to the next step):
In a food processor or large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt, and pulse or whisk together until combined. Add the cold butter and pulse 6 times or until the flour resembles course crumbs (this can be done by hand with a pastry cutter). Add the water and pulse or stir just until the dough starts to stick together when pinched. Dump onto a clean surface and gently knead into two disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour, or overnight.

Make the pies:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the diced peaches, sugar, salt, cinnamon, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Set aside.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let come to room temperature on the counter for about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle some flour on the counter and on your rolling pin, then working with one disc of dough at a time, roll out the dough about 1/3" thick. Use a round 3 1/2" cookie cutter  (or an upturned glass dipped in a bit of flour) to cut out circles from the dough and arrange them about 1 inch apart from each other on the baking sheet. Knead and re-roll out any scraps of dough until you have 12 circles.

Repeat this step with the second disc of dough (these will be the tops of your pies), and then poke each one with a fork a few times to create vents.

Drop about one heaping teaspoon of filling into the center of each circle. Top with one of the perforated circles of dough, and use a fork to tightly crimp the edges.

Whisk together the egg yolk and cream, and use a pastry brush (or your fingertips) to brush onto the top of the mini pies.

Bake 17-20 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the pie filling is bubbling through the vents. Let cool at least 15 minutes before serving (test one first to make sure the filling isn't too hot for the kids!).

Note: I use Dole diced peach fruit cups in 100% fruit juice; if you can only find the kind in light syrup, rinse it first to remove excess sugar. Diced frozen or fresh peaches will also work when in season.