Description
Delightful cherry hand pies made with flaky refrigerated pie crust and sweet cherry pie filling, shaped into festive holiday trees. Perfect for seasonal gatherings or a charming dessert treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Hand Pie Dough
- 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
Topping
- Coarse sanding sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Crust: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Thaw the refrigerated pie crust according to the package directions to make it easier to roll and shape.
- 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 an egg wash, and set aside.
- Roll Out Crust and Cut Shapes: Using a rolling pin, roll out one thawed pie crust to between 1/4 inch and 1/8 inch thickness, ensuring there are no cracks or holes. Use a 3-4 inch holiday tree cookie cutter to cut out about 7 tree shapes from the crust. Save the excess crust for later.
- Repeat and Combine Excess Dough: Repeat the rolling and cutting process with all remaining pie crusts, saving excess dough from each. Combine all the excess dough, roll it out to the same thickness as before, and cut additional tree shapes to complete the remaining hand pies.
- Assemble the Hand Pies: Place tree-shaped dough cutouts on the parchment-lined baking sheet. Spoon about 1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons of cherry pie filling into the center of each tree. Brush the dough border around the filling with the egg wash.
- Top and Seal: Gently place the top tree-shaped dough over the filling. Starting at the trunk, lightly press the edges together, taking care not to press down on the filling. Use the tines of a fork to seal the seams all around the outline of each tree.
- Vent and Finish: Using a sharp knife, cut a few slits in the top crust of each pie to allow steam to escape. Brush the tops with remaining egg wash and optionally sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar for extra sparkle and crunch.
- Bake the Pies: Bake the hand pies in the preheated oven for 25 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool slightly.
- Serve: Serve warm or at room temperature for the best flavor and texture experience.
Notes
- Let refrigerated pie crust sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before rolling to prevent tearing. Homemade pie crust can be substituted; you will need six crusts total.
- Substitute the cherry pie filling with any preferred pie filling like blueberry or homemade alternatives for variety.
- Store hand pies covered at room temperature on the first day. After that, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To freeze baked hand pies, freeze them on a baking sheet in a single layer until solid, then transfer to freezer bags for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator and serve at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 hand pie
- Calories: 210 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 11 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
