Author: These precious heart-shaped cherry hand pies are perfect for Valentine’s Day dessert, lunch box treats, or just because. The sweet and tart cherry filling pairs perfectly with the buttery, flakey crust for a delicious treat everyone will love.
I have to admit I love hand pies of all sorts. Whether it’s a pile of pumpkin pasties or an apple hand pie with vanilla ice cream, I love them all! But my favorite filling for fruit pies in general is cherry! I always keep a few jars (or a dozen) of home-canned cherry pie filling on the shelf for special occasions.
This Valentine’s Day, my son asked for heart-shaped cherry hand pies, and I jumped at the opportunity to make them!
Best Tips for Making Cherry Hand Pies
While it might seem like an overly simple recipe, making these hand pies from scratch is actually something of an art. You want the dough and filling to be just the right texture for that perfect blend of sweet filling and flakey crust. So here are my best tips for making the perfect cherry hand pie!
- Dough Temperature – Whether you are making the crust from scratch or not, make sure that the dough is chilled, but warm enough to shape and work with. If it becomes too warm, a quick stint in the fridge will restore its workability.
- Filling Consistency – If you are using store-bought canned pie filling, this step is already done for you. But if you are making it from scratch, it’s important to get the juices nice and thick so they don’t run all over the place during the baking process. Also, be sure to allow the mixture to cool before spooning it onto the dough to prevent the pie crust from melting and getting soggy before baking.
- Keep it Chill – Once the pies are fully assembled and on the parchment-lined baking tray, pop them in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes. Remove them only once the oven is ready, not before. This will allow the butter in the dough to firm up fully, which will then create an amazingly flaky finished product after baking.
- Brush The Tops – Lastly, for that perfectly browned color, brush the top of the pies with an egg wash. This is created with a whole egg and a little water whisked together. Use a pastry brush to give a light coat to each pie right before baking.
Ingredients
Whipping up these delightfully sweet heart-shaped cherry hand pies calls for a blend of simple, yet classic ingredients. Here is an overview of all the ingredients, as well as any possible substitutions that you can use instead!
- Pie Crust – Begin with your favorite homemade pie crust recipe or simplify the process with a pack of store-bought refrigerated pie crusts (the rolled kind). You can also use puff pastry for an even more delicate pastry!
- Cherry Filling – You can opt for fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved, if you’re making the filling fresh. Or, if you’d like you can use home-canned cherries in syrup. That’s my favorite method! However, store-bought cherry pie filling makes these a breeze, so do what you have time for!
- Sugar – To sweeten your pie filling (unless you’re using pre-made pie filling). For those who prefer a natural alternative, the same amount of pure maple syrup or honey can be used.
- Flour – This is your thickening agent, crucial for getting that pie filling to the perfect, jammy consistency. We use all-purpose einkorn flour, but any all-purpose flour will work. Cornstarch will also work, I’m allergic though, and use flour instead.
- Vanilla Extract – Add a hint of vanilla flavor to help compliment the cherries beautifully. You can also use almond extract if desired. This is optional, but it adds a lovely depth to the dish.
- Egg – One egg beaten with a splash of water makes for an ideal egg wash to brush over your hand pies pre-baking, ensuring they turn out with a gorgeous, golden color!
- Powdered Sugar – To finish off your pastries, you’ll make a simple powdered sugar drizzle! You can also use maple syrup powdered sugar if you are avoiding cane sugar.
Directions
Let’s roll up our sleeves and turn those cherries into a delightful Valentine’s Day dessert. I’ll walk you through my method for crafting heart-shaped cherry hand pies that are ideal for sharing with all your favorite people!
- Gather – Bring together your pie crust or puff pastry dough, and your pie filling. If you are making pie filling, I will cover that next!
- Make Filling (Optional) – If you are making your filling, add your cherries, sugar, and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and heat until cherries are soft and warm all the way through. Remove cherries and leave juices in the bowl. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Simmer until juices thicken and then remove from the heat. Add vanilla and stir well, then add the cherries back to the juices and stir to coat. Let the mix cool for at least 15 minutes before filling the pie crusts.
- Prep – Line a baking tray with parchment.
- Roll – Roll out half your dough to 1/4″ thickness. Even store-bought dough will need to be rolled out a bit.
- Cut – Using a 4″ heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 8 hearts and place them on the baking tray. These are the bottoms of your pies.
- Fill – Add about 2 tablespoons of cherry filling to each crust, keeping it away from the edges if possible.
- Top – Roll out the other half of your dough and cut the next 8 hearts. Before you pick them up after cutting, use a butter knife to cut an X in the middle of each heart. Lift them carefully and place them on top of each filled bottom.
- Crimp – Take a fork and gently crimp the edges of each heart and seal them for baking.
- Brush – Mix a whole egg in a bowl until well beaten and add 1/2 teaspoon of water. Brush each heart lightly with the egg wash.
- Chill – Place your tray of ready-to-bake pies in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This allows the butter in the dough to firm up and will result in a much more flaky and delicate pastry.
- Heat – While your pies are chilling, pre-heat your oven to 400°F
- Bake – Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
- Glaze – Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and a bit of water and whisk until smooth and not too runny. Allow pies to cool for about 15 minutes, and then top them with your glaze.
Common Questions
To prevent leaks, make sure not to overfill the hand pies. Leave a sufficient border around the edges when placing the filling, and seal the edges securely by pressing or crimping with a fork.
Absolutely! If you’re short on time, store-bought pie crust works well. Roll it out and use heart-shaped cookie cutters for the perfect shape. Homemade or store-bought, both options yield delicious results.
Certainly! After assembling the hand pies, place them on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a sealed container or zip-top bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time, if needed.
These hand pies are best enjoyed fresh on the day of baking. However, if storing leftovers, keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. To refresh, warm them in the oven for a few minutes.
Even More Delicious Pies to Try
Ready to craft your next amazing pie experience? Here are some of our favorite hand-pies for you to try next!
Heart Shaped Cherry Hand Pies
Ingredients
Cherry Hand Pies
- 2 pie crusts (1 box from the store, or a single batch of homemade pie crust)
- 10 oz cherry pie filling
- 1 egg
Homemade Cherry Pie Filling (optional)
- 1.5 cups cherries fresh or frozen. Remove the pits if fresh!
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tbsp water
- 2 tbsp flour we use einkorn flour
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- water Add this slowly while whisking until you get the desired thickness.
Instructions
Cherry Pie Filling (optional)
- If you are making your filling, add your cherries, sugar, and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer and heat until cherries are soft and warm all the way through. Remove cherries and leave juices in the pan.
- Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Simmer until juices thicken and then remove from the heat. Add vanilla and stir well, then add the cherries back to the juices and stir to coat. Let the mix cool at least 15 minutes before filling the pie crust.
Cherry Hand Pies
- Bring together your pie crust or puff pastry dough, and your pie filling. If you are making pie filling, I will cover that next!
- Line a baking tray with parchment.
- Roll out half your dough to 1/4" thickness. Even store-bought dough will need to be rolled out a bit.
- Using a 4" heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out 8 hearts and place them on the baking tray. These are the bottoms of your pies.
- Add about 2 tablespoons of cherry filling to each crust, keeping it away from the edges if possible.
- Roll out the other half of your dough and cut the next 8 hearts. Before you pick them up after cutting, use a butter knife to cut an X in the middle of each heart. Lift them carefully and place them on top of each filled bottom.
- Take a fork and gently crimp the edges of each heart and seal them for baking.
- Mix a whole egg in a bowl until well beaten and add 1/2 teaspoon of water. Brush each heart lightly with the egg wash.
- Place your tray of ready-to-bake pies in the freezer for 10-15 minutes. This allows the butter in the dough to firm up and will result in a much more flaky and delicate pastry.
- While your pies are chilling, pre-heat your oven to 400°F
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown.
- Mix powdered sugar, vanilla, and a bit of water and whisk until smooth. Add more water or more powdered sugar until it reached the desired texture. Allow pies to cool for about 15 minutes, and then top them with your glaze.
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