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Flaky Sour Cherry Hand Pies Recipe with Easy Brown Sugar Glaze

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These flaky sour cherry hand pies feature a tender, buttery crust and a bright, tart cherry filling, finished with a rich brown sugar glaze. Perfect for quick desserts or casual brunches, they are easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (320 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 cup (227 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt
  • 6–8 tablespoons (90–120 ml) ice water, cold
  • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract (optional)
  • 2 cups (300 g) pitted sour cherries, fresh or frozen (thawed)
  • ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar (light or dark)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon (1 g) ground cinnamon (optional)
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup (50 g) brown sugar, packed (for glaze)
  • 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter, melted (for glaze)
  • 1 tablespoon (15 ml) heavy cream (for glaze)
  • ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) vanilla extract (optional, for glaze)
  • 1 large egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, and salt.
  2. Add cold, cubed unsalted butter to the flour mixture.
  3. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter or two forks until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces.
  4. Slowly drizzle ice water and vanilla extract into the bowl, gently mixing with a fork until dough just starts to come together. Add more water if needed, but avoid overworking.
  5. Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a 1-inch thick disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 24 hours).
  6. In a bowl, combine sour cherries, brown sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Toss to coat evenly and set aside for 10 minutes to macerate.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to about ⅛-inch thickness.
  8. Using a 4-5 inch round cutter or knife, cut out circles to make 8-10 hand pies.
  9. Place about 2 tablespoons of cherry filling in the center of each dough round.
  10. Brush edges with water, fold dough over to form a half-moon, and press edges firmly with a fork to seal.
  11. Transfer pies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  12. Brush tops with beaten egg for a golden finish. Chill for 10 minutes if dough feels soft.
  13. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake pies for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbling.
  14. While pies bake, mix brown sugar, melted butter, heavy cream, and vanilla extract in a small bowl to make the glaze.
  15. Right when pies come out of the oven, brush glaze generously over tops.
  16. Let pies cool on a rack for 15 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use cold unsalted butter and ice water to achieve a flaky crust. Chill dough before rolling out. Avoid overfilling pies to prevent bursting. Apply brown sugar glaze immediately after baking for best shine and flavor. Frozen sour cherries should be thawed and drained well. Dough can be made up to 24 hours ahead and kept refrigerated.

Nutrition

Keywords: sour cherry hand pies, flaky crust, brown sugar glaze, quick dessert, easy hand pies, cherry dessert, homemade pies

Find it online: https://chrisfeasts.com/flaky-sour-cherry-hand-pies-recipe-with-easy-brown-sugar-glaze/