Cherry Hand Pies

Feb 10, 2023

Perfect little pies for teatime, or packing in lunch boxes!

Makes: 16 hand pies

INGREDIENTS

• 10 oz fresh pitted cherries
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla extract if you prefer)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 lb frozen puff pastry, 2 sheets
• 1 egg, beaten
• Confectioner’s sugar for dusting.

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, almond extract, and lemon juice in a saucepan. Cook over low heat for 5-10 minutes, crushing the cherries with a spoon and stirring occasionally.
2. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. Preheat oven to 425˚F.
4. Roll out the puff pastry. Using a large heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut hearts out of each sheet of pastry – about 8 per sheet of pastry. Using a very small heart cookie cutter, cut a heart in the center of eight of the heart-shaped pastry cutouts.
5. Fill eight cutouts with a spoonful of cherry filling. Do not overfill! Lay the pastry with the small cutout over the filled half and pinch closed with your fingers. Then use a fork to crimp along the seams for a tight seal.
6. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush with egg wash.
7. Bake 10-12 minutes until golden brown and puffy.
8. Remove from oven and dust with confectioner’s sugar, if desired. Cool slightly before serving.