Cherry Hand Pies

These sweet Cherry Hand Pies are the perfect sweet treat to enjoy all summer long! Making your own cherry filling is so easy and only requires five simple ingredients. Whip up a batch to take to your next cookout or backyard pool party!

Hand pies are such a fun dessert! They are so easy to make and don’t require any special equipment. You can use store-bought crusts or make your own homemade pie crust. I’m a sucker for cherry pie in any form, and I love how simple these are to put together!

Best Cherries for Cherry Hand Pie

Since we’re making our cherry pie filling from scratch, it’s helpful to know which cherry variety is the best for pies. My favorites are sweet cherries: Ranier cherries and Bing cherries. You could use a combination of both!

Of course, you can always use your favorite variety. Many bakers prefer more tart or sour cherries for that rich tang they provide.

You can use frozen cherries as well, but you may need to add a few minutes to the cooking time for the filling.

Ingredients for Cherry Hand Pies

To keep things easy, I’m using two refrigerated pie crusts, thawed and brought to room temperature. In addition, you’ll need the following ingredients:

Homemade Cherry Pie Filling

• Fresh cherries, pitted and sliced in half
• Granulated sugar
• Cornstarch
• Water
• Lemon juice

Egg Wash Ingredients

• Egg
• Water
• Turbinado sugar (raw coarse sugar)

The exact amounts you’ll need are listed in the recipe card below.

How to make Cherry Hand Pies with Pie Crust

This recipe takes a bit of time from start to finish, but it’s simple enough that you can make it even if it’s your first time attempting hand pies!

Prepare

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them each with a piece of parchment paper. 
2. Remove the pie dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for at least 15-20 minutes. If thawed, it must defrost at room temperature for about 90 minutes.

Make the Filling

1. Combine the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. 
2. In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water. Add it to the saucepan and bring the cherry mixture to a boil, stirring often. 
3. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally. This could take about 30 minutes.

Pie Crust

1. Unroll one pie crust onto a lightly floured surface or piece of parchment. Using a 3 1/2″ biscuit or cookie cutter, cut 7 rounds from the pie crust. Gather the dough scraps together and re-roll, then cut out 4 more circles of dough. Repeat with the second pie crust. You should have 22 discs in total to make 11 hand pies.
2. Place 5 of the dough circles evenly spaced on one lined baking sheet and 6 on the other.
3. Lightly beat the egg and water in a small bowl. Using your finger or small pastry brush, dip it into the egg wash and wet the outer ½-inch of each circle on the baking sheets.

Add the Filling and Bake!

1. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of the cherry pie filling onto each circle. Dip a finger into the egg wash again and wet the outer edge of the remaining circles before placing one each on top of the cherry filling. Using the tines of a fork, press the edges of the dough together to seal.
2. Using a pastry brush, lightly brush the top of each pie with the egg wash. Evenly distribute the raw sugar among the pies and then gently slice an “x” in the top of each hand pie with a sharp knife.
3. Bake for 23-25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly on a wire rack, then serve and enjoy!

Recipe Tips

• Cherry Hand Pies can be topped with a glaze made from powdered sugar, milk, and corn syrup instead of egg wash and sugar.
• Don’t add too much cherry filling to each pie or it will be difficult to seal and may leak when baking. Try to make sure the filling doesn’t leak over the edges before topping with the second crust as you may have difficulty sealing the edges.
• You can also bake these in an air fryer at 350 for about 10 minutes!
• Add cinnamon, lemon zest, and/or almond extract to bump up the flavor of the filling.
• You can make these in different shapes if you want using themed cookie cutters!

How to Store Leftover Hand Pies

Store any leftover cherry pies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days.

You can freeze hand pies. First, flash-freeze them on a baking sheet until firm, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then store them in the freezer for up to three months.

Reheat hand pies in the oven at 375 until warm throughout, or pop them in the microwave.

More Cherry Recipes

These delicious Mixed Berry Pie Bars combine my favorite fresh berries with a buttery crust and crumble. It’s all the flavor of a pie without the hassle of making a pie crust! 

I used to love smoothies when I was younger but rarely did I make them myself. Luckily cherries are in season so I can make these delicious Cherry Almond Smoothies for breakfast!

My recipe for Frozen Cherry Margaritas combines tart cherries and lime concentrate with sweet liqueur and tequila. It’s the perfect drink for a hot summer day!

Homemade Pie Recipes

If you like sweet OR savory pies, then try one of these recipes next time:

• Apple Pie
• Tomato Pie
• Sweet Potato and Turkey Shepherd’s Pie
• Chicken Pot Pie

Happy baking!

This post was originally published June 9, 2016. It has been undated in format and with pictures on July 18, 2024.