Cherry Hand Pies

I would take a hand pie over a regular slice any day. Why, you might ask? Because the ratio of crust to filling is absolute perfection, not to mention they are easy to serve, and don’t even require utensils! These hand pies are at their best fresh from the oven, but you can also store them in an air tight container for a few days.

If you are familiar with any of my other recipes, you know I am a huge fan of adding liquor to my desserts! If this resonates with you, I recommend substituting the 3/4 cup of water for a 1/4 cup of brandy and 1/2 cup of water. The subtle flavor of brandy really takes this dessert to the next level.

To begin, make the filling. Put the water, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and extract in a small saucepan over medium heat. Allow the mixture to simmer for 2-3 minutes, until it thickens. Add the cherries, stir the mixture and then set it aside to cool.

Next, make the pastry crust. Put the flour in the bowl of a food processor. Add the chilled butter, sugar, salt and shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal, with pea sized clumps.

Then, drizzle the ice water down the feed tube, a little at a time until the dough begins to form large clumps.

Transfer the dough to a floured work surface, form it into a ball. Divide the dough in half, press each half into a disc and chill in the refrigerator for at least two hours.

Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Then, place one of the discs of dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to about 1/8″ thickness. Use a 3″-4″ cutter to create the bottom of your pies and transfer them to the baking sheet.

Next, arrange the cherry mixture in an even layer on the bottom of the pie, maintaining a 1/2″ border around the perimeter. Do not overfill the pies or the filling will seep out as they bake. Set aside.

Then, remove the second disc of dough from the refrigerator, place it between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll out to a thickness of about 1/8″.

Using a pastry wheel, pizza wheel, or a sharp knife, cut the dough into strips and form the lattice crust.

Trim the lattice to size, brush the crust with egg wash (egg yolk, plus 1 Tbspn milk), and sprinkle coarse sugar over the top.

Bake at 375°F for 20-25 minutes, or until the crust has turned golden.

Remove the pies from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving.