Homemade Cherry Hand Pies with Sweet Vanilla Glaze
Delicious cherry hand pies feature a flaky pie crust wrapped around juicy homemade cherry pie filling and drizzled with a sweet decorative vanilla glaze. These hand-held desserts are the perfect size for a picnic, barbecue, or bake sale....or just bake them as a special treat to showcase one of the season's most popular fruits!
Pro Tips for Making Mini Cherry Pies
- Seal the dough: In order to make your cherry hand pies recipe a success, you'll want to make sure that the juicy filing actually stays inside of the crust! Make sure that you brush egg wash over the entire surface and seal the circles of dough carefully to prevent leaking.
- Take your time: As with most pastry projects, I encourage you to give yourself enough time so that you are not rushing through the recipe. Chill the dough properly so that the assembled hand pies hold their shape while baking, and roll the dough out to its proper thickness so that the bake time results in a fully baked, crisp and flaky crust.
- Don't overfill: Too much filling means that the juicy fruit will likely burst through the sides of your pie while baking. Make a few small cuts in the top crusts to allow the steam to escape and expose just a bit of bubbly filling, providing a colorful glimpse of what is inside.
Making Cherry Pop Tarts and Other Variations
Fun ways to change up your cherry hand pie recipe!
- Change the shape: Instead of making semicircular hand pies, follow my instructions to create nostaligic Cherry Pop Tarts. Or use different cookie cutters to make square, heart, or star shaped pies.
- Change the flavor: Add orange or lemon zest--both great flavor pairings to your cherry filling. Top the pies with coarse sugar or powdered sugar instead of a glaze.
- Change the baking method: Take a cue from my delicious Fried Apple Hand Pies and prepare your cherry pies in either a deep fryer or an air fryer (delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!)
Ingredients and Special Equipment
Please see the full recipe card, below, for specific quantities.
Ingredient Notes for Your Cherry Hand Pies
- Homemade pie crust: You have several options to achieve that all-important flaky crust. Use my Hand Pie Crust or my Homemade Pop Tart Dough recipes, as well as any other tried and true homemade pie crust recipe. For gluten-free hand pies, here is a link to my Gluten Free Pie Crust recipe. Of course, you are always welcome to sub a store-bought pie dough to make the recipe even easier.
- Fresh cherries: I prefer to use slightly tart, mostly sweet cherries for my homemade cherry filling, such as Bing or black cherries. If you prefer sour cherries, look for Morello or Montmorency varietals.
- To substitute frozen cherries: Thaw them at room temperature for a few hours. Once thawed, place the cherries in a colander or sieve over a bowl to catch the excess liquid as they continue to thaw, to drain off as much excess liquid as possible.
- Almond extract: I love cherry and almond flavors together, but you can substitute vanilla extract if you are not a fan.
- Ground cinnamon: Like the almond extract, this can be omitted.
Recommended Special Equipment
- Cherry pitter: The easiest and best thing to use to pit cherries. However, if you don't own one, see next section for an alternative!
- Pastry cutter / pizza cutter: Helpful for trimming pie dough evenly.
- Circle cutter: I use a 5-inch circle cutter/biscuit cutter to shape my mini pie crusts. If you don't have one, flip over a small bowl and use it as a guide instead.
- Pastry brush: To apply the egg wash.
- Rolling pin
- Large baking sheet lined with a piece of parchment paper: Or two regular baking sheets.
- Measuring tape: I keep an extra measuring tape in the kitchen for various baking projects that ask for specific sizes, such as those using pie crusts.
How to Pit Cherries without a Cherry Pitter
I realize that not every kitchen has a cherry pitter (they are helpful, but by no means a "top used tool!") Here is another great way to pit cherries without a cherry pitter.
- Stem your fresh cherries
- Hold a cherry in place over the top of the empty small-necked bottle
- Using the pointy end of a chopstick or a skewer, push the pit through the cherry and into the bottom of the bottle. No clean up required!
- Repeat with other cherries. Easy peasy.
Step by Step Photos and Instructions
Prepare the Cherry Filling
- Pit and quarter your cherries (see Ingredient and Equipment Notes, above).
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, and cinnamon, stirring to mix with a rubber spatula.
- Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove the filling from the heat and set it aside to cool completely (to cool it faster, transfer the mixture to a heatproof large bowl and place it in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.)
Assemble Your Cherry Hand Pies
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl whisk egg and water together for the egg wash.
- On a lightly floured work surface, roll out your dough to a thickness of about 1/16 inch (2mm.) Using your round cutter, cut the dough into rounds into circle shapes and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing apart. Reroll your scraps as necessary.
- Brush the surfaces of your rounds with the egg wash.
- Place about 2 tablespoon (30 ml) of the filling in the center of each round. Fold the rounds in half, enclosing the filling.
5. Press around the edges of the pie to seal and crimp the edges of the dough with the tines of a fork. Brush the tops of the pies with remaining egg wash.
6. Place the pies, on a lined baking sheet, in the freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds positions and preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃.)
7. Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut 2 to 3 slits in the top of each pie. Bake the pies in your preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, switching positions of the baking sheet halfway through, until the pies are puffed and golden brown and the filling is bubbling with cherry juices. Let pies cool at least 10 minutes before glazing on the baking sheet or on a wire rack.
Glaze the Hand Pies
- In a medium bowl, whisk confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoon (45 mL) of the milk and vanilla. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon (5 mL) at a time, until you have a thick but pourable glaze.
- Using the tines of a fork or a spoon, drizzle the glaze decoratively over top of the pies. Allow the glaze to set for 10 mintues. If the pies are still warm, the glaze won't hold its shape as well, but it will be equally delicious! Serve the pies warm or room temperature.
Make Ahead And Storage Tips
Extra tips for making these sweet cherry hand pies in advance:
Make Ahead
Fully assembled pies can be frozen for up to one month before baking. Freeze the pies for at least 30 minutes in a single layer on cookie sheets or trays and then transfer them to an airtight container or a zip-top bag and seal. Bake as directed from frozen. plastic wrap
Storage
Although these pies are best enjoyed the same day they are baked, pies can be stored at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap or foil, for up to two days.
Here are some more sweet treats that show off the freshest summer fruit:
- Peach Cobbler Pound Cake
- Rustic Blueberry Galette
- Cast Iron Skillet Peach Cobbler
- White Chocolate Raspberry Scones
- Fresh Blueberry Crumb Cake with Streusel Topping
Tried this recipe and loved it? Take a photo and tag me on Instagram or give it a review!
Cherry Hand Pies with Sweet Vanilla Glaze
Equipment
- 1 cherry pitter (optional, but helpful!)
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 5-inch round cutter (see Notes for alternative shapes)
- 1 pastry brush
Ingredients
- 4 cups fresh cherries, pitted and quartered (see Notes for frozen cherries)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup water
Assembly and Vanilla Glaze
- 1 recipe Hand Pie Dough (see Ingredients section in post for alternatives)
- 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water (egg wash)
- 1½ cups confectioners sugar
- 3-5 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Prepare the Cherry Filling
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, and cinnamon, stirring to mix.
- Add the water and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until thickened, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Remove the filling from the heat and set it aside to cool completely (to cool it faster, transfer the mixture to a heatproof bowl and place it in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally.)
Assemble the Hand Pies
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out your dough to a thickness of about 1/16 inch (2mm.) Using your round cutter, cut the dough into rounds and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing apart. Reroll your scraps as necessary.
- Brush the surfaces of your rounds with the egg wash.
- Place about 2 tablespoon (30 ml) of the filling in the center of each round. Fold the rounds in half, enclosing the filling.
- Press around the edges of the pie to seal and crimp the edges with the tines of a fork. Brush the tops of the pies with remaining egg wash.
- Place the pie, on baking sheets, in the freezer for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, position the oven racks in the upper and lower thirds positions and preheat the oven to 375℉ (190℃.)
- Use the tip of a sharp knife to cut 2 to 3 slits in the top of each pie. Bake the pies in your preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, switching positions of the baking sheet halfway through, until the pies are puffed and golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Let pies cool at least 10 minutes before glazing.
Glaze the Pies
- In a medium bowl, whisk confectioners sugar, 3 tablespoon (45 mL) of the milk and vanilla. Add more milk, 1 teaspoon (5 mL) at a time, until you have a thick but pourable glaze.
- Using the tines of a fork or a spoon, drizzle the glaze decoratively over the pies. Allow the glaze to set for 10 mintues. If the pies are still warm, the glaze won't hold its shape as well, but it will be equally delicious! Serve the pies warm or room temperature.
What an easy way to pit a cherry! I love it!
Also, this pie looks absolutely delicious!
Thank you! Hope you are enjoying your weekend 🙂
Hi Maya! Apologies for the delayed response. I somehow overlooked this comment. Anyhow, regarding the frozen cherries, I listed instructions just above the recipe, in my extra tips. Just make sure they are thawed and drained before using. Thanks!
I wonder if I can make this one with frozen cherries. I have a whole bag in the freezer (pitted of course 🙂 )
Also, I'm thinking I'll bake something like this with the cherries:http://www.mayaskitchen.info/2011/10/11/apple-pockets/
Any thoughts?
Thank you so much! Have a great weekend!
what a good idea to use a beer bottle to catch the splatter! i've also done it in a bowl of water to catch the juices.
those bars look delicious!!!
Thank you, Jennifer! Knowing me, I will lose control and buy a cherry pitter anyhow. I need an intervention.
Thanks so much, Karen! I am so envious that your neighbor has a cherry tree. I dont think that cherries would do very well here in Las Vegas. Hope you are having a fantastic weekend!
Thank you, Emily! Hope Chicago is treating you well 🙂
I love my Cherry Pitter!! And I would love your Sour Cherry Pie Bar! Yum!!!
I have the very same problem right down to my strawberry huller. Just today I was contemplating which egg slicer to buy and common sense took over and I made a hasty exit out of the store. I love your cherry pitter idea as I have one or two empty beer bottles sitting around that I was wondering what to do with. I can't wait until July when my neighbor's sour cherries will be ready for me to pick (she doesn't like them, can you imagine?) then I can make my own lattice pie bars using your delicious recipe. Thanks Julie!
Gorgeous! I love cherry pie.
I asked for a cherry pitter for my birthday last year, but have yet to use it. 🙁