Cherry Hand Pie Recipe: Make These With Your Fresh Cherry Haul!

6 hand pies
22 min
I am so excited to share this cherry hand pie recipe with you today! It truly is a work of art.

Biting into a cherry hand pie is like biting into heaven. Too far? Maybe. Just the right amount of flaky, rich with cherries, and perfectly sweet this does rival almost any other dessert. I mean, look at that crust. I have a tip for how to make crust extra flaky below!

Even though they look delectable, hand pies are very easy to make. The crust is just a few ingredients, and fresh cherries make this filling irresistible. You could use frozen cherries or canned filling and they would still be yummy. But fresh cherries, like the ones I used from The Northwest Cherry Growers take them to the next level.


Cherry hand pie, or calzone?


My brother and I had this debate. He said these weren’t hand pies but rather calzones. I said pshaw, no way! He finally found an article that said sweet fillings could also be considered a calzone, but I beg to differ. This is a hand held pie, and it’s amazing.

my tip on How to get that amazing flaky crust


Ready for this? You cut up a frozen bar of butter. That’s right, put it in the freezer overnight, then the next day when you’re about to make the crust, take the butter and place on a cutting board. Carefully make thin slices into the butter and it should break into pieces each time you cut. Cut the larger chunks again to make them no bigger than a dime, and throw into your crust. There will be tons of butter showing through the dough when finished, and that means it’s going to be perfect!

Ready to make these babies? I bet you already have everything in your house to whip these together!


Simple and delish pie dough


After you’ve had the pie dough chilling for a few hours, it’s time to make the filling! If you’ve already canned this cherry pie filling, feel free to use it! If you have fresh cherries though, use the following recipe.


Cherry pie filling
Cherry filling for hand pies


This recipe is great for hand pies, or can also be using as a traditional pie filling


Prep Time 12 minsCook Time 45 mins


Servings 12 hand pies


Ingredients
  • 6 cups fresh pitted cherries
  • 3 Tbs lemon juice
  • 2 1/2 cups sugar
  • 8 Tbs corn starch
  • 1 tsp almond extract (if desired)


Instructions
  • Place pitted cherries in large saucepan on low heat. Let them reduce down, stirring frequently. Add lemon juice and sugar. Turn onto med-high heat, stirring frequently. At this point, take a masher and mash the cherries. It's easier to make these smaller hand pies when the cherries are in smaller pieces.After mashing cherries, remove 1/2 cup of cherry juice into a large coffee cup. Add the corn starch into the cup of juice. Stir until all clumps are removed, then slowly add back into saucepan of cherries. Stiring to incorporate. Let thicken, then remove from heat and add almond extrace. Time to make hand pies, or refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze. There will be filling left over if making hand pies. Use to top ice cream, eat straight of of the container, or freeze to use later. See pie dough instructions for how to assemble the pies.


You can’t make this without the streusel topping. It’s a must to get these pies to level epic.


Strudel topping
Streusel topping


Perfect for topping pies and cobblers


Servings 9 hand pies


Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup butter, room temp


Instructions
  • In medium bowl, mix together brown sugar, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and salt. Cut in butter, using a pastry blender or fork. Blend until mixuture is coarse. You don't want it to become dough. Spread over tops of hand pies before placing in oven.


These might take a bit of time with the cooking down of the cherries and refrigerating the dough, but I promise they are worth it. Store in the fridge for up to 5 days and pop in the microwave or oven to warm just a tad before serving.

Thank you to the Northwest Cherry Growers for providing me with ten pounds of cherries so I could share two amazing recipes with you. Didn’t see the first? Check it out here: Traditional Cherry Pie Filling using water bath canning.


You may also enjoy:


Traditional cherry pie filling


Strawberry jam water-bath caning tutorial

Cherry Hand Pie Recipe: Make These With Your Fresh Cherry Haul!
Recipe details
  • 6  hand pies
  • Prep time: 10 Minutes Cook time: 12 Minutes Total time: 22 min
Show Nutrition Info
Hide Nutrition Info
Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup frozen butter
  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup ice water
Instructions

Mix butter, flour, and salt together with a fork or pastry blender. Or, if you're like me and lazy, use a Kitchen-aid! Don't overmix. Stir until just blended. Roll into ball and refrigerate for 4 hours.Roll gently onto a floured surface and taking a 6" plate, cut around it, making the circle for the hand pie filling. There should be enough dough for 6 circles. Once filling is inside, seal with a floured fork, paint with egg white, apply topping, and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes.
Eryn | Eryn Whalen Online
Want more details about this and other recipes? Check out more here!
Go
Comments
  • OMG how did you know I purchased a boatload of cherries yesterday? Hand pies are one of my favorites. And streusel topping, no less. Hotter than hot here and typically I don't turn the oven on (or use the stove) during the warmer months, yet, for this I will stay up and bake in the middle of the night. Can't wait! My bubble buddies and co-workers will gobble these up in no time! Thanks for sharing.

  • Delilah Delilah on Jul 31, 2021

    Which kind of cherries are these? Less sugar is needed for the dark sweet cherries than for the tart ones.

    • Ngr12195027 Ngr12195027 on Aug 07, 2021

      sweet cherries aren't usually used in pies (but can ) Tart cherries can be montmorency or balaton.

Next