Cherry Hand Pies

Total Time

Prep: 45 min. Bake: 25 min. + cooling

Makes

8 servings

Updated: Jan. 24, 2023
There's nothing better than a sweet, from-scratch delight like traditional cherry pie. These precious little hand pies always go fast when I sell them at my pie bakery! —Allison Cebulla, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cherry Hand Pies Recipe photo by Taste of Home
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Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons water, divided
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cherry brandy
  • 4-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon quick-cooking tapioca
  • 1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
  • Dash salt
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed and halved
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen pitted dark sweet cherries, thawed and halved
  • 1 Dough for double-crust pie
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ICING:
  • 2-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons hot water
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Dash salt
  • Freeze-dried strawberries, crushed, optional

Directions

  1. In a large saucepan, whisk 4 tablespoons water, sugar, brandy, cornstarch, lemon juice, tapioca, lemon zest and salt until combined. Add cherries. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until thickened, 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
  2. Preheat oven to 400°. On a lightly floured surface, roll half the dough to a 14x9-in. rectangle. Cut out eight 3-1/2x4-1/2-in. rectangles. Repeat with remaining dough.
  3. Transfer 8 rectangles to parchment-lined baking sheets; spoon about 3 tablespoons cherry mixture in center of each. Whisk egg and remaining 2 tablespoons water. Brush edges of crust with egg wash. Top with remaining 8 rectangles; press edges with a fork to seal. Brush tops with egg wash; cut slits in tops.
  4. Bake until crust is golden brown and slightly puffed, 25-30 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool. Combine confectioners' sugar, hot water, melted butter, extracts and salt; drizzle over pies. Garnish with freeze-dried strawberries if desired. Let stand until set.
Dough for double-crust pie
Combine 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 tsp. salt; cut in 1 cup cold butter until crumbly. Gradually add 1/3 to 2/3 cup ice water, tossing with a fork until dough holds together when pressed. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a disk; wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.

Nutrition Facts

1 pie: 589 calories, 27g fat (16g saturated fat), 91mg cholesterol, 380mg sodium, 83g carbohydrate (49g sugars, 2g fiber), 6g protein.

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