Description
These Cherry Hand Pies are delightful bite-sized pastries featuring a flaky pie crust filled with sweet cherry pie filling. Perfect for holiday celebrations or any occasion, they are baked to a golden brown perfection and sprinkled with coarse sugar for a festive touch.
Ingredients
Pie Crust
- 3 boxes refrigerated pie crust (2 crusts each box)
Filling
- 1 can cherry pie filling (21 ounces)
Egg Wash
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
Optional Topping
- Coarse sanding sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Thaw the refrigerated pie crust according to the package directions to ensure it is pliable for rolling and cutting.
- Prepare Baking Sheet and Egg Wash: Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs and water to create the egg wash, then set it aside.
- Roll Out Pie Crust: Using a rolling pin, roll out one thawed pie crust on a clean surface, making sure there are no cracks or holes. Aim for a thickness between 1/8 to 1/4 inch for optimal flakiness.
- Cut Out Shapes: Use a 3 to 4-inch holiday tree-shaped cookie cutter to cut out about 7 tree shapes from the rolled crust. Save any excess dough for later. Repeat this process with all remaining pie crusts, collecting all scraps as you go.
- Re-roll Dough Scraps: Combine all the excess crust pieces and roll them out to the same thickness as before to cut out additional holiday tree shapes, ensuring you use all the pie crust dough.
- Fill and Assemble Hand Pies: Place the tree-shaped cutouts on the prepared baking sheet. Spoon approximately 1 to 1 ½ tablespoons of cherry pie filling onto the center of each tree. Brush the edges around the filling with egg wash to help seal the pies.
- Top and Seal: Gently place another tree-shaped crust over the filling. Starting at the trunk, lightly press the edges together, being careful not to press down on the filling itself. Use the tines of a fork to firmly press and crimp the seams around the tree outline to seal the pies well.
- Vent and Decorate: Using a sharp knife, cut a few small slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape during baking. Brush the entire top crust with the remaining egg wash and optionally sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar for a sparkling finish.
- Bake: Bake the hand pies in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the crusts turn golden brown and crisp.
- Cooling and Serving: Remove the hand pies from the oven and transfer them to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor and texture enjoyment.
Notes
- You can substitute the holiday tree cutter with any cookie cutter shape you prefer.
- Ensure the crust is not too thick or too thin to avoid undercooked dough or too much flakiness.
- Coarse sanding sugar adds a nice crunchy texture and festive sparkle but is optional.
- These hand pies can be reheated in a low oven for a few minutes to regain crispness.
- Make sure to vent the top crust to prevent the filling from making the pies soggy.
