Description
Delicate Cherry Hand Pies bring the sweetness of summer right to your plate with flaky, golden pastry hugging juicy cherries inside. Baked until perfectly golden and ready to enjoy with coffee or as a quick dessert, these little treats make sharing easy and delicious.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour (300 g)
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cherries, pitted
- 1 cup cold unsalted butter (225 g)
Supporting Ingredients:
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar (100 g)
- 6–8 tablespoons ice water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
Finishing Ingredients:
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 tablespoon coarse sugar
Instructions
- Gather 2 ½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. Combine the dry ingredients thoroughly.
- Cut 1 cup (225 g) cold unsalted butter into small cubes. Work butter into flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fingertips until the texture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Drizzle 6-8 tablespoons of ice water into the mixture. Gently knead until the dough just comes together. Avoid overworking the dough.
- Divide the dough into two equal portions. Shape each into a flat disc. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
- Pit 2 cups of fresh or frozen cherries. Combine cherries with ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a saucepan.
- Cook cherry mixture over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy. Remove from heat.
- Stir 1 teaspoon vanilla extract into the cooled cherry filling. Let the mixture rest and come to room temperature.
- Dust your work surface with flour. Roll out each dough disc to 1/8-inch thickness. Use a 4-inch round cutter to create circular pastry bases.
- Place 1 ½ tablespoons of cherry filling in the center of each pastry circle. Leave a small border around the edges.
- Fold the dough over to create half-moon shapes. Press edges firmly with a fork to seal completely.
- Whisk 1 egg and brush the surface of each hand pie. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coarse sugar if desired.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange hand pies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 1 inch apart. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Chill your dough thoroughly to ensure a flaky, tender crust that separates into delicate layers when baked.
- Use fresh, ripe cherries for the most vibrant flavor, but frozen cherries work well when fresh aren’t available.
- Prevent soggy bottoms by placing the hand pies on a preheated baking sheet and ensuring the filling isn’t too watery.
- For dietary adaptations, swap wheat flour with gluten-free blend, and use plant-based butter for a vegan version of these delightful hand pies.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
- Category: Pies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 297 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 39 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 28 mg