Hand pies are the perfect blend of simplicity and indulgence—a golden, flaky crust filled with a sweet, jammy center. These easy cherry hand pies come together quickly, thanks to store-bought puff pastry and a homemade cherry filling that’s bursting with flavor. Whether you bake them in the oven or crisp them up in an air fryer, they’re a treat that’s hard to resist.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Convenient: Using puff pastry saves time without compromising on flavor or texture.
- Versatile: The cherry filling can be swapped with other fruits or even store-bought jam for endless variations.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Great for breakfast, snacks, dessert, or even as a portable treat for picnics.
After all, cherry pies are the sweet surprise that taste so good they can make a grown man cry.
Methodology
- Cherry Filling: The star of these hand pies is the cherry filling. To make it, we combine cherries, brown sugar, cornflour, and lemon juice, then cook it down until it becomes thick and jammy. This mixture provides the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness, while the cornflour helps to thicken the juices. You can use fresh OR frozen cherries for this, or replace the filling entirely with your favourite fruit jam from the store.
- Puff Pastry: Puff pastry is the ideal crust for hand pies, thanks to its buttery flavor and crisp, flaky layers. Thawed puff pastry is rolled out and cut into rectangles, which makes assembling the pies a breeze. Lightly flour your work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour to prevent sticking while rolling.
- Assembly: To keep the filling contained, we crimp the edges of the puff pastry with a fork. This step is crucial to prevent the filling from leaking out while baking. Scoring the tops with a sharp knife allows steam to escape, ensuring the pies don’t puff up unevenly.
- Baking or Air Frying: Both methods yield excellent results. Baking gives you a classic golden crust, while the air fryer delivers faster cooking and an extra-crisp finish. Whichever method you choose, brushing the pies with milk and sprinkling brown sugar on top adds a lovely golden color and sweet crunch.
Alternatives and Substitutions
One of the best things about this recipe is how adaptable it is!
Filling Alternatives:
- Other Fruits: Replace cherries with apples, peaches, blueberries, raspberries, or even a mix of fruits. Cook them down using the same method as the cherry filling.
- Jam: Use store-bought jam in your favorite flavor for a no-cook shortcut. Raspberry, strawberry, or apricot jam work particularly well.
Flavor Enhancements:
- Add a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the filling for extra warmth.
- Stir in a splash of vanilla or almond extract for added depth.
Serving Suggestions
These cherry hand pies are delightful on their own, but you can elevate them with a few simple additions:
- A scoop of vanilla ice cream for a classic pairing.
- A drizzle of chocolate or glaze for extra sweetness.
- A sprinkle of powdered sugar for a decorative touch.
With their flaky crust and sweet, fruity filling, these cherry hand pies are proof that great desserts don’t have to be complicated. Customize them to your taste, experiment with different fruits, or keep it simple with store-bought jam.
Easy Airfryer Cherry Handpies
Easy cherry hand pies made with flaky puff pastry and a jammy cherry filling, brushed with milk, sprinkled with sugar, and baked or air fried to golden perfection.
Servings: 4 handpies
Ingredients
For the Filling
- 1 ½ cups fresh or frozen cherries pitted
- 3 tbsp brown sugar adjust based on cherry sweetness
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 tsp lemon juice
Assembly:
- 1 large sheet of store-bought puff pastry thawed
- 1 tbsp flour
- 2 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
Instructions
Filling
- In a small saucepan, combine cherries, brown sugar, cornflour, and lemon juice.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and becomes jam-like (about 8–10 minutes).
- Remove from heat and let cool completely.
Hand Pies
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) or set your air fryer to 360°F (180°C).
- Lightly flour your work surface with 1 tablespoon of flour and roll out the puff pastry sheet. Cut into 4 equal-sized parts
- Spoon a 1-2 tbsp of cherry filling onto the bottom half of the rectangles, leaving a ½-inch border.
- Place the remaining rectangles on top of the filled ones. Use a fork to crimp the edges and seal. Score the tops of each pie with a knife to allow steam to escape.
- Brush the tops of the pies with milk and sprinkle with brown sugar.
- For Baking: Arrange pies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until golden and puffed.
- For Air Frying: Place pies in the air fryer basket in a single layer and cook for 10–12 minutes, or until crisp and golden.
