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Crispy Amaretto Cherry Hand Pies

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These hand pies feature a flaky, buttery crust filled with a sweet-tart amaretto cherry filling, perfect for a portable and indulgent treat.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ½ cups (312g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ½ cup (120ml) ice-cold water, plus extra if needed
  • 2 cups (300g) fresh or frozen pitted cherries (thawed and drained if frozen)
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp amaretto liqueur
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
  • Coarse sugar for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and sugar. Add cold cubed butter and cut into flour using a pastry blender or food processor until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits.
  2. Slowly drizzle ice-cold water into the mixture, stirring gently until dough begins to come together without being sticky.
  3. Gather dough into a ball, flatten into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  4. In a medium bowl, combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, amaretto, vanilla extract, lemon zest, and salt. Stir gently and let macerate while dough chills.
  5. Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into 4-inch diameter circles.
  6. Spoon about 2 tablespoons of cherry filling onto the center of each dough circle, leaving ½ inch around edges free.
  7. Fold dough over to form half-moon shapes. Press edges firmly and crimp with a fork to seal.
  8. Place hand pies on parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg and sprinkle coarse sugar if desired.
  9. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Bake pies for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Tent with foil if edges brown too quickly.
  10. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack. Cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Keep butter cold and handle dough minimally for flaky crust. Chill dough before rolling and after shaping pies for best results. Use cornstarch to thicken filling and avoid soggy bottoms. Tent pies with foil if edges brown too fast. For gluten-free, substitute flour with 1-to-1 gluten-free blend. For dairy-free, use coconut oil or vegan butter. Replace amaretto with almond extract for non-alcoholic version.

Nutrition

Keywords: hand pies, amaretto cherry, flaky crust, portable dessert, homemade pies, cherry hand pies, easy dessert

Find it online: https://bitefuljoy.com/crispy-amaretto-cherry-hand-pies-recipe-easy-homemade-flaky-crust-guide/