Mini Cherry Pies
Beth LeeMini cherry pies may remind you of a certain hand pie you ate as a child but they taste so much better! The filling is good enough to eat all by itself. And whether you use homemade or store-bought pie dough or puff pastry, you'll find it hard to stop at just one of these little beauties!
Ingredients
- 4 teaspoons cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons water room temperature
- 2 cups pitted cherries (414 grams or about 15 oz)
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons citrus liqueur or kirsch optional
- 1 package of frozen puffed pastry defrosted (or use pie dough)
- 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of water or milk for egg wash
- extra coarse or regular sugar for sprinkling optional
Instructions
Make the filling
- Mix the cornstarch and water and set aside.
- In a medium pot on medium heat, bring cherries, sugar, lemon juice and salt to a low boil. As the juices release, mash the cherries.
- As the texture becomes jammy, add the vanilla and liqueur then add the cornstarch slurry and let it thicken. Let the mixture cool before forming the hand pies.
Form the mini pies with puff pastry
- Roll out each piece of puff to about 12 inches in length. Cut each piece of defrosted puff pastry into 6 rectangles.
- Fill 6 of the rectangles with 2 - 3 tablespoons of cherry mixture.
- Egg wash edges and place second piece of pastry on top. Use tines of fork to seal the edges.
- Cut 2 - 3 slits in the top, egg wash and sprinkle with sugar (optional).
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Refrigerate for ½ hour before baking. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes at 375 degrees, until puffed and golden brown.
Form the mini pies with pie dough
- Roll out the pie dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch thick. Cut out 4 - 5-inch rounds using a large cookie cutter, biscuit cutter or any round item with a fairly distinct, sharp edge. I used the top of my sugar tin.
- Place 2 - 3 tablespoons of cherry mixture on each round.
- Egg wash edges and fold each round in half. Use tines of fork to seal the edges. Cut 2 - 3 slits and egg wash.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and then bake for 25 - 30 minutes until golden brown.
Notes
- Whether you're working with pie dough or puff pastry, if the dough gets too warm while you're working with it, just pop it in the fridge for a few minutes and proceed with forming your mini pies.
- Don't overfill your hand pies but don't be too stingy - you want to taste filling in every bite. If it oozes out a little, that's ok!
- Prep these little beauties in stages if need be. Prepare the filling one day, form them the next. Leave them in the fridge uncooked for more than the half hour called for - they'll be just fine. Just be sure to cover them. And egg wash them right before you bake, in that case.
- Serve with whipped cream or ice cream or just eat them warm out of the oven just as they are!
Nutrition
Calories: 202kcalCarbohydrates: 31gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gSodium: 165mgPotassium: 132mgFiber: 2gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 30IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 12mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!