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Chocolate Cherry Hand Pies from The Food Charlatan
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5 from 2 votes

Chocolate Cherry Hand Pies

Flaky and buttery mini pies filled with fresh summer cherries and melty chocolate! These are so tiny it's hard not to throw down like 8 at a time.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time13 minutes
Chill Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 14 hand pies
Calories: 379kcal
Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

For the pastry:

  • 2 cup flour spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup butter cut into pieces (2 sticks)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 egg egg wash
  • 1 tablespoon water egg wash
  • Any kind of coarse sugar for sprinkling

For the filling:

  • 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
  • about 30-40 cherries pitted and halved (I used bing cherries)

Instructions

  • Make the dough. In a large bowl, combine 2 cups of flour with salt and baking powder. Use your hands or a pastry cutter (or pulse in a food processor) to cut the butter into the flour. You want it to be crumbled but still have pea-size pieces of butter.
  • Add the sour cream and stir. It won't come together at first. Use your hands to knead the dough together a few times until it forms a ball. (I do this right in the bowl.)
  • Flatten out the dough and place onto a well-floured work surface. (I actually like to use a pastry cloth. So convenient.)
  • Sprinkle the top of the dough with flour. Roll the dough into an 8x10 inch rectangle.
  • Grab both of the short ends and fold it over like a business letter (see photos).
  • Rotate the dough 90 degrees. Roll the dough into another 8x10 inch rectangle. Fold it again like a business letter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes at least (or overnight).
  • Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
  • Roll out the dough into a 14x14 inch square. (let it sit out of the fridge for a few minutes if it's too hard to roll out.)
  • Use a 3-inch biscuit cutter or similar sized glass to cut as many circles as you can out of the dough. Re-roll and cut as necessary until the dough is gone.
  • Line 2 large baking sheets with silpats or parchment paper. Line up 6 or 8 circles on each sheet (however many you can fit. They need about 1 inch between them.)
  • In a medium sized, microwave safe bowl, add the chocolate chips and coconut oil. Microwave in 20-30 second intervals, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted but still has lumps. Stir until the lumps are gone.
  • Stir in the almond extract. The chocolate may seize up a bit, that's okay! You want the chocolate to be semi-solid. (See photos of sad pie attempt with liquid chocolate. Quite the mess.) At this point you can either try your hand at freezing or refrigerating the chocolate in short (1-5 minute) intervals, stirring in between, or just wait it out at room temperature. You want the chocolate to be malleable but not so liquidy that it squishes out the edge of your pie when you try to seal it.
  • Prep the cherries while you wait.*
  • When your chocolate is scoop-able, use a spoon to add about a tablespoon of chocolate to the center of the shaped dough. Top with 4-5 cherry halves.
  • Top each pie with another circle of dough. Pinch together with your fingers (pick it up if that makes it easier.) Keep the edges of the circle clear of chocolate. Set the pie on the pan and crimp the edges with a fork.
  • In a bowl, whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush the top of each pie with the egg wash.
  • Use a sharp knife to cut slits in the top of each pie. Sprinkle with sparkling sugar or raw sugar.
  • Bake at 425 for about 13 minutes, or until they are brown on top.
  • Let cool for 10-20 minutes before stuffing your face!

Notes

*Have you ever tried the straw method for pitting? Cut a slit in the bottom of the cherry, then use a straw to push the pit out from the top (where the stem was). It works pretty well! You still look like you've committed cherry murder when you're done, but I think it's easier than slicing and then digging out the pit.
 
Source: The pastry recipe is from King Arthur Flour. It's a good one!

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 379kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 497IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg