Heart Shaped Cherry Hand Pies

The cutest heart shaped cherry hand pies for Valentine’s Day. These little cherry pies are made with homemade all butter pie dough and sweet cherry filling, baked until crisp and flaky, then coated in cinnamon sugar.

You might also love these apple hand pies, pumpkin shaped hand pies, and cheesy ham and egg hand pies.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Everything Homemade. From the cherry filling to the buttery pie dough, these mini cherry pies are completely made from scratch.

Make in Advance. You can prep and assemble these cherry hand pies in the evening, then bake them in the morning. Or you can even prep them in advance, and freeze the unbaked pies to bake later.

Make in Any Season. Since this recipe uses frozen cherries, you don’t have to wait for summer time to have a delicious cherry pie.

High Altitude Tested. I develop all the recipes on my site for Denver’s altitude of 5,280 feet. If you’re at a lower or higher elevation, please see my FAQs for guidance on adjusting recipes for your altitude. Today’s recipe will work at any altitude, though.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for the full ingredients list and instructions.

Ingredients

Filling

• Cherries. You can use fresh cherries if they’re in season, but I like to use frozen pitted cherries. A variety of sweet and tart cherries adds lovely flavor.
• Sugar. Granulated sugar adds sweetness and draws the moisture out of the cherries.
• Lemon Juice. Enhances the flavor of the cherries.
• Corn Starch. Thickening agent. If you use flour instead of corn starch, you may need to use a bit more.
• Salt. Balances the sweetness.
• Vanilla Extract. Flavor.

Crust

• Pie Dough. I used my trusty recipe for All Butter Perfect Pie Dough, which is flaky, buttery, and just delicious. Seriously so much tastier than store bought pie dough.
• Butter. A little melted butter brushed over the pies helps the cinnamon sugar stick.
• Cinnamon Sugar.

Instructions

Filling

• In a saucepan, combine the cherries with the sugar, lemon juice, corn starch, salt and vanilla.
• Over medium heat, cook the cherries, stirring frequently, until the liquid starts to thicken. Stirring constantly, bring to a boil, then boil for 2 full minutes.
• Chill the filling in the refrigerator thoroughly, preferably overnight, so it can thicken and set up. If it doesn’t chill overnight, it will be too runny for assembling the pies.

Dough

• Make 1 Recipe Pie Dough (double crust), and chill for 20-30 minutes before rolling and cutting the dough.
• On a lightly floured surface, work with half the dough at a time, and roll the dough out to 1/8 inch thick. Use a 4 or 5-inch heart shaped cutter (or any shape you like) to cut the dough. Gather up the scraps, roll them out again, and continue cutting dough until you’ve used up all the dough. You should be able to cut at least 16 hearts for 8 mini pies, although I ended up cutting 22 4-inch hearts for 11 mini pies.
• Set half the hearts on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Spoon the chilled cherry filling into the center of the dough, using several tablespoons of filling per pie.
• Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the edges of the dough with water or milk, then place the rest of the hearts on top. Press the edges together to seal them. Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the top of each pie to vent the steam. (If you want the pies to have more color, brush them with a lightly beaten egg before baking.)Set the pan in the refrigerator to chill while you preheat the oven.

Bake

• Preheat the oven to 375 F, and position a rack in the center of the oven.
• Bake the pies for about 35-40 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and baked through, and the filling is bubbling.
• Let the pies cool on the baking sheet for several minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool for 10 minutes, or until cool enough to handle.
• Use a pastry brush to lightly brush the top and bottom of the pies with the melted butter, then coat in the cinnamon sugar. Serve the pies warm, or at room temperature.

Be sure to read all of my BAKING FAQs where I discuss ingredients, substitutions and common baking questions, so that you can be successful in your own baking!

Frequently Asked Questions

How should I store leftover pies?

Let your cherry hand pies cool completely, then store them loosely covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. You don’t want to put them away while they’re warm, or the steam can make the crust soggy.

Can I freeze the unbaked pies to bake them later?

Yes, you sure can. Assemble the pies as instructed, then freeze in an airtight container for up to 3-6 months. Let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight, before baking them cold from the fridge. You can bake them from frozen, but they will take longer to bake through.

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