Cherry Hand Pies with Flaky Butter Pastry Crust
These individual cherry hand pies feature a buttery, flaky pastry crust wrapped around sweet-tart cherry filling. Fresh cherries are combined with sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch to create a jammy filling that won't leak during baking. The cold butter pastry technique creates tender, crispy layers that shatter beautifully with each bite. Perfect for picnics, potlucks, or when you want the comfort of cherry pie in portable form. Each pie delivers the classic flavors of summer cherries balanced with bright lemon in a golden pastry shell.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup ice water
- 2 cups cherries, pitted and halved
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 375°F
- 2
Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl
- 3
Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs
- 4
Gradually add ice water while tossing with fork until dough holds together
- 5
Divide dough in half and shape into disks
- 6
Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 1 hour or overnight
- 7
Roll out one portion of dough on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness
- 8
Cut with floured 3-inch round cookie cutter
- 9
Repeat with remaining dough and reroll scraps
- 10
Combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch in small bowl
- 11
Spoon 1 tablespoon filling onto center of half the circles
- 12
Top with remaining circles and press edges with fork to seal
- 13
Place on parchment-lined baking sheet
- 14
Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown
- 15
Cool on wire rack
Tips
Keep butter cold throughout the process for flakiest pastry - refrigerate between steps if kitchen is warm
Don't overfill pies or filling will leak out during baking - one tablespoon is the perfect amount
Seal edges well with fork to prevent pies from opening during baking
Good to Know
Store covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days
Assemble pies up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate, then bake fresh
Serve warm or at room temperature - can reheat briefly in low oven
Common Mistakes
Don't skip chilling the dough to avoid tough, shrinking pastry
Avoid overmixing dough to prevent tough crust
Don't underbake or bottoms will be soggy
Substitutions
thaw and drain excess liquid first
thaw according to package directions
FAQ
Can I use frozen cherries instead of fresh?
Yes, thaw frozen cherries completely and drain excess liquid before mixing with other filling ingredients to prevent soggy pastry.
How long do these hand pies keep?
Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes, the pastry dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months.