King Arthur Baking Contest

King Arthur 2025 Baking Contest

All entries must be dropped off at the Colonial Barn between 8:00 am and 11:00 am on Friday, August 1, 2025 and by 9 am, Saturday August 2, 2025. No Late entries will be accepted.

OPEN TO: Youth (Ages 5 to 17); Adults (Ages 18 and up)

RULES:

Exhibitor must bring the opened bag of King Arthur Flour or submit a UPC label from the flour bag when he/she submits the entry.
An entry form must accompany the baked product.
Must provide a legible recipe attached to the entry.
Contestant must follow the designated recipe

For the Youth entry the recipe for STRAWBERRY HAND PIES must be used exactly as it appears in this packet.
For the Adult entry the recipe for BLUEBERRY HAND PIES must be used exactly as it appears in this packet.

All entries must be submitted on a disposable plate for judging, and must contain 6 HAND PIES covered with plastic wrap.
Criteria for baked good:

TASTE: 50 points
OVERALL APPEARANCE + CREATIVITY: 25 points
TEXTURE: 25 points

TOTAL: 100 Points

Failure to follow the rules may result in disqualification.
King Arthur is not responsible for replacing lost or misplaced prizes or ribbons (including gift cards).

King Arthur Entry Form

Strawberry Hand Pies

Easy-to-assemble hand-held pies make a satisfying treat any time of the day.
PREP 40 mins BAKE 25 to 35 mins TOTAL 2 hrs. 35 mins YIELD 9 servings
Ingredients
Crust 2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
  1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  1 teaspoon table salt 16 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, cold, cut into pats
  1 large egg
  2 tablespoons (28g) milk, cold

Filling   1 2/3 cups (227g) trimmed, quartered fresh or frozen strawberries
  2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  1 1/2 teaspoons Instant ClearJel or cornstarch
  1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 large egg, beaten; for sealing dough

Topping (optional) coarse sparkling sugar

Instructions
1. To make the pastry: Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt.
  2. Work in the butter until pecan-sized lumps form.
  3. Add the combined egg and milk, mixing to make a cohesive dough.
  4. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a 3" x 5" rectangle, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  5. To make the filling: Combine all the ingredients except the egg in a saucepan set over medium heat.
6. Cook until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. and cool to room temperature.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment.
8. To assemble the pies: Place one piece of dough on a lightly floured work surface, and roll it into a 9" x 12" rectangle. Trim the edges to make them straight. Cut out nine 3" x 4" rectangles. Repeat with the remaining dough.
9. Divide the filling among nine of the rectangles, using a heaping tablespoon for each. Brush some beaten egg along the edges. 10. Cut a vent into the remaining rectangles, using a decorative cutter.
11. Top the filled rectangles with the vented rectangles. Press along the edges with the tines of a fork or a crimper to seal.
12. Brush the tops of the pies with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Transfer to the baking sheet.
13. Bake the pies for 28 to 33 minutes, until they're a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and cool on the pan.

Tips from our Bakers
➢Learn how to make pie crust like a pro with this quick video, Four Tips For Fail-Proof Pie.
➢ Flour, cornstarch, tapioca, ClearJel… how much thickener should you use? For a practical look at all the options, see our
Fruit Pie Thickeners Guide.
  ➢
  ➢ Baker's Hotline
  ➢ Your bread fell flat. Your cookies crumbled. Who do you turn to? The King Arthur Baker's Hotline. Our professional bakers are ready to guide you through any baking challenge. Call (855) 371-2253, or chat online, https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/bakers-hotlin - we can help.

Print This Recipe

Blueberry Hand Pies

These sweet and fruit-full pastries can be served anytime and anywhere, thanks to their convenient portability.
Prep   30 mins     Bake   18 to 20 mins     Total   1 hr 18 mins     Yield   8 hand pies

Ingredients

Pastry     2 cups (240g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
16 tablespoons (227g) unsalted butter, cold
1/2 cup (113g) sour cream, cold

Filling      2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoon (14g) cornstarch or 1 tablespoon (11g) Instant ClearJel*
1/3 cup (67g) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1 tablespoon (14g) lemon juice
   For frozen berries, use 2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch or 1 1/2 tablespoons ClearJel.

Topping     1 large egg, beaten , 2 tablespoons (25g) coarse sparkling sugar, for garnish

Instructions

To make the pastry: Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Add the butter, working it in to make a coarse/crumbly mixture. Leave most of the butter in large, pea-sized pieces.
Add the sour cream, and stir until the mixture starts to come together in chunks. Turn it out onto a floured work surface, and bring it together with a few quick kneads.
Pat the dough into a rough log, and roll it into an 8" x 10" rectangle. Dust both sides of the dough with flour, and starting with a shorter end, fold it in three like a business letter.
Flip the dough over, give it a 90° turn on your work surface, and roll it again into an 8" x 10" rectangle. Fold it in three again.
Wrap the dough, and chill for at least 30 minutes before using.
To make the filling: If you're using fresh berries, rinse and drain well. Place fresh or frozen berries in a saucepan. Whisk the cornstarch or ClearJel with the sugar, and pour over the berries. Add the salt and lemon juice, stirring to combine.
Place the saucepan on a burner set to medium-high heat and cook, stirring, until the small amount of liquid in the bottom of the pan comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked berries to a bowl and let cool to room temperature. It's fine to make the filling ahead of time, and refrigerate until you're ready to use it.
Preheat the oven to 425°F; place a rack on the middle shelf. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
To assemble the pies: Roll the dough into a 14" x 14" square. With a straight edge and pastry wheel, or a 3 1/2" square cutter, cut out sixteen 3 1/2" squares.
Divide the filling among eight of the squares, using about a heaping tablespoon for each; a slightly heaped tablespoon cookie scoop works well here. Brush some of the beaten egg along the edges of each filled square.
Use a knife to cut a vent into each of the remaining eight squares; or use a decorative cutter of your choice.
Top each filled square with a vented square, and press along the edges with the tines of a fork to seal.
Brush the top of each pie with the remaining beaten egg, and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Transfer the pies to the prepared baking sheet. Note: If at any time during this process the pies become sticky and hard to work with, simply refrigerate them for about 20 minutes, until firm.
Bake the pies for 18 to 20 minutes, until they're a light golden brown. Remove them from the oven, and let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Store pies, lightly wrapped, at room temperature for a couple of days; freeze for longer storage.

Tips from our Bakers
Ø Why no listed weight for the blueberries? Berries can vary quite a bit in weight, and we found that measuring by volume is best in this case.
Ø Flour, cornstarch, tapioca, ClearJel… how much thickener should you use? For a practical look at all the options, see our Fruit Pie Thickeners Guide.

Baker's Hotline
Your bread fell flat. Your cookies crumbled. Who do you turn to? The King Arthur Baker's Hotline. Our professional bakers are ready to guide you through any baking challenge. Call (855) 371-2253, or chat online —https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/bakers-hotline ------- we can help.

Print This Recipe