February – it’s a month of hearts, love, and all-things cherry! Those are all things I can get on board with, so I am more than happy to jump on the band wagon with my Mini Cherry Hand Pies. I love to whip up these little bites of cherry and cream cheese goodness for those that I love. My kiddos gobbled these up, and because they were just the right size there were enough for seconds, and to stick an extra one in their lunch boxes.
Are your kids begging for desserts and treats after school, like mine are? All. The. Time! My deal is that they have to make them with me now. Sometimes I will surprise them with a treat after school, but for the most part I like to get them in the kitchen with me. Plus, they are all very into Master Chef Jr these days, so baking and cooking are so intriguing to them. Time to get them off the couch and in the kitchen. These hand pies are a great way to do just that.
With my Mini Cherry Hand Pies you can get an assembly line going, or just divide up the tasks between the kids. Either way, there is something for everyone, and it’s pretty easy to do. However, the key ingredient that really makes the flavors pop is the Smucker’s Orchard’s Finest Michigan Red Tart Cherry Preserves. Mmm, Mmm, Mmm! Combine that with a cream cheese and sugar mixture and you’ve got music to your tastebuds.
Now whether you’re serving up treats for the family, or taking goodies to the kids’ class Valentine’s Day party, Mini Cherry Hand Pies are the way to go. The ingredients are few, simple, and easy to access. Another thing I love about recipes like this is that it is so easy to double or even triple the recipe if you want to feed a crowd. In fact, you will find yourself with leftover preserves and cream cheese filling, which you might find yourself scooping up with some graham crackers.
Mini Cherry Hand Pies
Ingredients
- 1 refrigerated pie crust
- 8 oz cream cheese
- 2 Tbs powdered sugar
- 12 Tbs Smucker's Orchard's Finest Michigan Red Tart Cherry Preserves
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbs water
- sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°, and line a baking sheet with Parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, mix softened cream cheese and powdered sugar until well combined. Set aside.
- Roll out pie dough on lightly floured surface, and cut out 2.5" hearts with a cookie cutter. If using entire package, you should yield 24+ hearts.
- Spread 1 teaspoon of the cream cheese mixture over half of the hearts (12 in total), leaving a little room around the edges. Top with 1 tablespoon preserves, and repeat with remaining hearts.
- For the remaining pie pieces, cut a small heart out of the center, using the tip of a sharp knife. Then place the heart over the filled bottom heart. Seal with the tines of a fork, around the edges.
- Whisk the egg with the 1 tablespoon of water and brush the tops of each sealed heart with mixture. Sprinkle each heart with a little sugar and bake for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly golden.
Danielle Royalegacy says
That is THE BEST tart cherry jam – Plus No High Fructose Corn Syrup
Laurel says
Looks like a perfect treat for loved ones.