Description
These Easy Cherry Hand Pies offer a delightful taste of summer with sweet, juicy cherries encased in flaky, golden pie crust. Perfect for picnics, brunch, or as a portable dessert, these homemade hand pies are simple to prepare and wonderfully nostalgic.
Ingredients
Scale
- For the Cherry Filling:
- 2 cups pitted fresh or frozen cherries
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- For the Crust:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
- To Assemble:
- 1 egg (for egg wash)
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Make the filling: In a saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat until thickened, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in vanilla and let cool completely.
- Prepare the crust: In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in cold butter until crumbly. Gradually add ice water until dough holds together. Divide, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Roll and cut: Roll one dough half to ⅛-inch thickness. Cut into 4-inch circles. Repeat with remaining dough.
- Fill and seal: Spoon 1–2 tablespoons of filling onto half the circles. Top with remaining circles, press edges with fork to seal, and cut slits on top to vent.
- Bake: Place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 20–25 minutes until golden.
- Cool and serve: Let cool on wire rack 10 minutes. Serve warm or store for later.
Notes
- Chill dough before rolling for best flakiness.
- Do not overfill—too much filling may leak during baking.
- Seal edges tightly with a fork to avoid gaps.
- Vent tops with small slits to release steam.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Pies
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 hand pie
- Calories: 280
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 140mg
- Fat: 16g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: Hand Pies, Mini pies, Small pies, Individual pies, Portable pies, Dessert pockets, Sweet hand pies, Easy hand pie recipes, Homemade hand pies, Baked hand pies, Cherry hand pies