Good news, though! I’m an adult now and I can make my own cherry pies—ones that have a better balance of sweet and tart flavors.
Use Puff Pastry for Easy Hand Pies
While you could use a homemade pie crust, I like to take a shortcut and use frozen puff pastry for my hand pies. It’s easy to roll and shape, sturdy enough to hold the filling (so it doesn’t explode everywhere during baking!), and turns a beautiful golden brown during baking. Puff pastry needs to be thawed in advance, so plan accordingly when making this recipe!
Fresh or Frozen Cherries?
When it comes to the cherries, you can use either frozen or fresh cherries. If you are using fresh cherries, make sure to remove the cherry pits, but leave the cherries whole. Don’t cut them in half—this will make the cherries leak more juices and break down more while baking. Frozen sweet cherries are more consistently available any time of year for when cravings strike. Just make sure thaw them completely before mixing up the filling.
Rectangular or Round Hand Pies?
I prefer rectangular hand pies because you can really stuff them full! This said, you can certainly make round or half-moon-shaped hand pies, if you like. Brush the pies with some egg wash, give them a quick chill in the freezer (very important—this step prevents the fruit from exploding in the oven) and then bake them for a beautiful and easy homemade treat. Enjoy!
More Desserts With Cherries!
Cherry Clafoutis Cherry Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips Sweet Cherry Pie Cherry Apricot Galette Baked Cherry French Toast Casserole
Taste after 15 minutes and add additional sugar if needed. Cut the second sheet of puff pastry into matching pieces. Cut 2 or 3 slashes on the top of each hand pie with a serrated knife. Whisk together the egg and tablespoon of water and brush over each hand pie. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using. Pies can also be completely frozen, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and stored for up to 3 months before baking. If you are baking completely frozen hand pies, you can move them straight into the oven from the freezer. Add 5 to 6 minutes onto baking time.
