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–+ servings
A single cherry hand pie split in two on a white plate with fresh cherries

Cherry Hand Pies

Flaky cherry hand pies from four ingredients: refrigerated pie crust, canned cherry filling, an egg wash and coarse sugar, folded into half-moons, fork-crimped and baked golden in 20 minutes. The pictured batch was cut with a 5-inch cutter for eight larger pies; see the notes.
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 12 hand pies
Author Nayla
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Ingredients
 

Pastry and Filling

  • 2 sheets refrigerated pie crust at room temperature for 10 minutes
  • 21 ounces cherry pie filling one can
  • 1 tbsp all-purpose flour for dusting the board

Egg Wash and Topping

  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp coarse sugar turbinado or demerara

Equipment

  • Baking sheet
  • Parchment paper
  • 4-inch Round Cutter
  • Small bowl
  • Fork
  • Wire rack

Instructions
 

Cut the Rounds

  1. Heat the oven. Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment.
  2. Cut the rounds. Unroll the crusts on a lightly floured board and cut out rounds with a 4-inch cutter (or 5-inch for larger pies, as pictured). Stack and reroll the scraps once to get about 12. Chill the rounds on a tray for 10 minutes.
    A round of pastry cut on a floured board beside the ball of dough

Fill and Seal

  1. Egg wash. Whisk the egg with the water in a small bowl.
  2. Brush and fill. Brush a half-inch border of egg wash around each round, then spoon a level tablespoon of cherry filling into the center. Do not overfill.
    Dark cherry filling spooned onto the center of a pastry round
  3. Fold and crimp. Fold each round in half over the filling, press the edges together to push out the air, then crimp firmly with a fork.
    The round folded over the filling into a half-moon

Finish the Tops

  1. Vent. Cut 2 small slits in the top of each pie so steam can escape.
    Crimped half-moons with slit tops lined up on a baking sheet
  2. Brush and sugar. Brush the tops with the remaining egg wash and sprinkle generously with coarse sugar.
    The tops brushed with egg and sprinkled with coarse sugar before baking

Bake

  1. Bake. Arrange the pies on the sheets an inch apart and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until deep golden and bubbling at the slits.
  2. Cool. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Pictured version: the pies in the photos were made from a ball of homemade all-butter dough rolled to an eighth of an inch and cut with a 5-inch cutter, which gives 8 larger pies. Fill each with a heaping tablespoon and a half and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Refrigerated crust with a 4-inch cutter makes 12 and is written above.
Make ahead: assemble through the slits, skip the egg wash and sugar, and refrigerate on the tray for up to a day. Or freeze on the tray until solid, bag, and bake from frozen at 400°F for 23 to 25 minutes, brushing and sugaring first.
Storage: cool completely, then keep airtight at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Re-crisp in a 325°F oven for a few minutes. Baked pies freeze for up to 3 months.
Substitutions: apple, blueberry or peach pie filling can for can; two teaspoons of lemon curd or Nutella per pie; a powdered sugar glaze in place of the coarse sugar.
Doneness: deep golden across the whole top, filling bubbling at the slits, and a firm, lightly browned bottom.
Nutrition values are an estimate.

Nutrition

Calories: 210kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 130mg | Potassium: 31mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 35IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
Nayla
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