Nutella Heart Hand Pies With Cream Cheese Pastry Crust

Cream Cheese Pastry Crust:

Pulse all ingredients together in food processor until dough comes together.

Divide dough into two portions, and shape into flat disks. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes – 1 hour, until firm or overnight.

Allow to warm up briefly at room temperature (about 20 minutes) before rolling out.

To make hand pies:

On lightly floured surface, roll out dough.

Using 3 ½ inch heart shaped cookie cutter, cut out hearts with cookie cutter. Reroll dough scraps and repeat and until you have 20 hearts.

Place 10 hearts on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add hazelnut filling in the center of the heart, leaving ½ inch border. Brush edges of pastry with egg wash (egg beaten with a tablespoon of water) and top with a pastry heart.

Use a fork to crimp and seal the edges of each hand pie.

Brush tops with additional egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar or regular sugar.

Bake pies at 400 degrees 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Transfer pies to wire rack and allow to cool 10 - 15 minutes and serve.