There is something about hand pies that make me feel like a giddy little kid. I have thought about it, and I can’t figure out why! Perhaps it is because I can still remember standing on a stool in my mom’s kitchen snagging scraps of pie crust as she made a homemade cherry pie. She never turned her recipe into hand pies, but I know she would still let me eat the scraps. The filling for these delicious Cherry Hand Pies are her recipe, and the pie crust is my amazing flakey Pie Crust. If you love pie crust, this is the recipe for you. It shows off just how flakey and amazing that recipe is.
Cherry Hand Pie Ingredients
This recipe would really work with any pie filling. Apple hand pies would be amazing too.
Cherry Pie Filling (see ingredients below)Pie CrustEgg WhitesPowdered SugarMilk
As I mentioned above, you could use any store bought pie filling for this recipe, but I really think pie filling is so easy to make, it’s worth the homemade taste.
Cherry Pie Filling
My mom’s recipe is so simple, and fast to make. I could eat it straight from the sauce pan. You need:
Frozen CherriesCherry or Apple JuiceSugarCorn Starch CinnamonAlmond ExtractFood Coloring (optional)
A note on the juice: My mom always used cherry juice in her recipe, and it does give it a richer cherry flavor. That said, it can be expensive. I had one of my kid’s juice boxes sitting around and the apple juice worked just as well.
Frozen or Fresh Cherries
I always use frozen cherries when I make this recipe because of the short cherry season where I live. That being said, you could definitely use fresh. Though if you want a taste of summer in the middle of January, those frozen cherries will make great hand pies.
Pie Crust: Homemade or Store Bought
If I’m being honest, I really struggle to tell you all that you should always cook from scratch. I worry that it will send away those who don’t have time. I would rather you use store bought pie crust to make these if the alternative is skipping the recipe all together. That being said, I usually only eat the filling in pies made with store bought crust. The homemade pie dough recipe linked in the recipe card below truly is that much better. It will make a crust lover out of anyone.
How to Make Hand Pies
These are very simple to make once you gather all of your ingredients. As always, make sure to see the full printable recipe card below.
Storing
These hand pies can be stored in an air tight container (once cooled) for three to four days.
Other Great Summer Desserts
If hand pies also make you like a giddy child in summer, here are some more treats for you.
Chocolate Zucchini CakeBlueberry CobblerS’mores Magic Bars
If you make this great hand pie recipe or any of my other recipes, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
Recommended Tools:
Rimmed Baking Sheets: These are my absolute favorite. They cook perfectly every single time.Rolling Pin: A good rolling pin is a must when you are making pie, and I really really love having a wood rolling pin.4 inch Round Cutter: If you are stressed about not having the right size, you can get this.Baking Sheet, Mat, and Cooling Rack Combo: You will need all three in this recipe, so if you are missing them all, this is a great deal.
