🍒 Cherry Puff Pastry Hand Pies

⏱️ Time & Yield

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Bake Time: 20–25 minutes
• Servings: 6–8 pies

🧾 Ingredients

🥐 Pastry

• 1 sheet puff pastry (thawed if frozen)
• 1 egg (for egg wash)

🍒 Cherry Filling

• 200g cherries (pitted, fresh or frozen)
• 60g sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 2 tbsp water

✨ Finish

• Powdered sugar (for dusting)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Make Cherry Filling

• In a pan, cook cherries + sugar + lemon juice over medium heat
• Stir until cherries soften and release juice
• Mix cornstarch + water → add to pan
• Cook until thick and glossy

👉 Texture = jam-like, not runny

Let cool completely.

2. Prepare Pastry

• Roll out puff pastry slightly
• Cut into equal squares (about 8–10 cm)

3. Fill & Seal

• Add 1–2 tbsp filling to center
• Fold or cover with another square
• Press edges with fork to seal

👉 Make sure edges are tight (no leaking)

4. Egg Wash

• Brush tops with beaten egg

👉 Helps get golden color

5. Bake

• Bake at 200°C (400°F) for 20–25 minutes
• Until golden brown and puffed

6. Finish

• Let cool slightly
• Dust with powdered sugar

🍽️ Texture & Flavor

• Flaky, buttery pastry
• Sweet-tart cherry filling
• Slight crisp outside

👉 Perfect balance: crispy + juicy

💡 Pro Tips

❄️ Keep pastry cold

• Helps get better layers

🧠 Don’t overfill

• Too much filling = leaks

🔪 Vent the top

• Small cut prevents bursting

🍒 Flavor upgrade

• Add vanilla or almond extract

❌ Common Mistakes

• Soggy bottom → filling too wet
• Filling leaks → edges not sealed
• Pale color → no egg wash

🔥 Variations

• Strawberry 🍓
• Blueberry 🫐
• Apple cinnamon 🍏
• Add cream cheese layer 🧀

🍴 Serving

• Best served warm
• Can store 1–2 days
• Reheat in oven for crisp texture