Mini Cherry Pies are perfectly sized for one, plus another pie to share with your neighbor. Or keep it all to yourself. I won't tell.
Best Cherry Pie Recipe (Mini)
I like mini stuff. I think it's cute. The smallness just makes it seem more special. That's how I feel about these adorable mini cherry pies.
However, I wanted a real pie for my cowboy. Not a little muffin tin-sized pie. These individual cherry pies are exactly what my cowboy likes. Certainly not because they are "cute".
But because they are large enough to have a respectable amount of filling and plenty of his favorite part--the crispy, tender, buttery crust.
Dare I say, these pies are big enough to share if that's what your heart desires. He didn't share.
Homemade Pies Are Love
Now, I'm not the store-bought crust and canned pie filling kinda pie maker. I think pies are special treats and I don't take the easy road here. If it's worth me making a pie, it's worth being extra.
Just so you know, pie making is a bit of an art. But I'll do my best to walk you through the process. The crust is a feeling, not so much of a measurement, but I believe in you!
Just know, that practice makes a good pie maker.
The best thing you can do is make more pie and eat more pie. I like this idea, don't you?
Ingredients
Cherry Pie Filling:
- Jarred or Canned Sour Cherries in Syrup--NOT "Pie Filling". Using fresh cherries or frozen cherries works, too
- Cornstarch
- Almond Extract
- Sugar
Crust:
- All Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Shortening
- Water
Crumble Topping for Pies:
- Old Fashioned Oats
- All Purpose Flour
- Brown Sugar
- Cold Butter, cut into cubes
- Pecans
How to Make a Cherry Pie
The process for a mini pie is the same as for a full-sized whole pie. So, if you prefer to make a large cherry pie instead of 2 mini cherry pies, adjust as you go. I love the crumble topping, but you can choose to skip it and make a lattice top instead. Double to dough recipe to have enough for a full top crust. Brush the top crust with an egg wash and give it a sprinkle of course sugar.
Make Cherry Pie Filling:
- Dump a can of cherries in syrup into a small saucepan. Add sugar and cornstarch.
- Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-5 minutes. You'll know the filling is done when it is thick, the cherries have released their juices, and the "goo" goes from being an opaque pinkish color to a clear, deep red color.
- Stir in almond extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
Make Pie Crust:
This 3 Ingredient Pie Crust is a good starting point for making a flaky pie crust.
Oatmeal Pecan Crumble Topping:
- In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, old-fashioned oats, flour, and cinnamon.
- Stir cubed butter into dry mixture. Use your fingers or pastry blender to break the butter down into small pea sized butter balls that are coated in the butter/flour/oats mixture.
- Stir in pecans.
Assemble Mini Cherry Pies:
Using the method described in Sally's post, after refrigerating dough, unwrap from plastic wrap and roll out half of the pie dough into a circle that is big enough for your mini pie pan. Transfer to a pie pan. Trim and flute the edges of your pie crust.
Pour cherry filling into crust, allowing ½ inch room for the crumble topping.
Sprinkle crumble topping on top of cherry filling.
Repeat the process for the second mini pie. Place pies on top of a baking sheet to catch any over flow.
Bake in a 425 F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until cherries are bubbly and crust is golden brown.
Remove from oven and allow to cool on a cooling rack before slicing.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Which Mini Pie Pan?
I like this size of these little pie pans! Just enough for one or two servings. The pies bake evenly and the pans are sturdy to be used again and again.
Coming soon... individual chicken pot pies. And a 6-Dip Selection board for the big game. And... and... and...
Substitutions and Variations
Choose a Fruit Mini Pies--This is the basic premise of making a fruit pie. Substitute peach pie filling, blueberries, blackberries, etc.
Full-Sized Pies--use the crust in one pie crust instead of 2 mini pies
Cherry Hand Pies--roll the dough out in a 8 to 9 inch circle, place the filling on half, fold the crust over to make a half circle, and pinch the edges closed. Crimp with a fork. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Easy Mini Pies--Use pre-made pie crust and canned pie filling to make a fast and easy version.
Storage
Store leftover pie in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days.
Something Else to Try
If you like it fruity, try our Peach Cobbler in a Crockpot with Cake Mix recipe. And for a cherry breakfast treat, try Black Forest Overnight Oats!
For an easy, but impressive treat for your sweetie try Easy Heart Shaped Cake.
If you want some other great cakes to consider check out on of my favorites, Chocolate Cake with Cream Cheese Filling
If chocolate isn't what you're hankering for right now, maybe a sweet and tangy Lemon Jello Cake is what you're after.
Oreo Mug Cake, Chocolate Chip Mug Cake, Hot Chocolate Mug Cake can satisfy your sweet tooth in mere minutes.
DID YOU TRY THIS RECIPE? ❤️
Lastly, if you tried Mini Cherry Pies following this recipe, please let me know how you liked it by leaving a comment and/or 5 star review!
I love hearing from you! I'll do my best to respond to each comment.
And, of course, if you make this recipe, tag me on Instagram! Seeing your photos is my favorite thing!
FOOD SAFETY
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- See more guidelines at USDA.gov.
Mini Cherry Pies
Ingredients
Cherry Pie Filling
- 14 ounces Jarred or Canned Sour Cherries in Syrup NOT "Pie Filling". Using fresh or frozen cherries works
- 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
- ¼ cup Sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon Almond Extract
Pie Crust
- 1 ¼ cups All Purpose Flour plus more for shaping and rolling
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Vegetable Shortening chilled
- ¼ cup Ice Cold Water as needed
Oatmeal Pecan Pie Crumble
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon divided
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup old-fashioned oats
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cold butter cubed
Instructions
To Make Cherry Pie Filling:
- Dump a can of cherries in syrup into a small saucepan. Add sugar and cornstarch.
- Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-5 minutes. You'll know the filling is done when it is thick, the cherries have released their juices, and the filling goes from being an opaque light red color to a clear, deep red color.
- Stir in almond extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
Pie Crust
- Whisk the flour and salt together in a large bowl.
- Add shortening. Using a pastry cutter, cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles a coarse meal (pea-sized bits with a few larger bits of fat are OK). In this step, you’re only breaking up the cold fat into tiny little flour-coated pieces; you’re not completely incorporating it. Do not overwork the ingredients.
- Measure ¼ cup of water in a cup. Add ice. Stir it around. From that, measure ¼ cup of water, since the ice has melted a bit. Drizzle the cold water in, 1 Tablespoon at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon after every Tablespoon has been added. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps. I always use about ¼ cup of water, and need a little more in dry winter months. Do not add any more water than you need.
- Transfer the pie dough to a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. The dough should come together easily and should not feel overly sticky. Avoid overworking the dough. If it feels a bit too dry or crumbly, dip your fingers in the ice water and then continue bringing dough together with your hands. If it feels too sticky, sprinkle on more flour and then continue bringing dough together with your hands. Form it into a ball. Use a sharp knife to cut it in fourths. Flatten and freeze half of the dough for other pies. Gently flatten each half into 1-inch-thick discs using your hands.
- Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days.
- After the dough has chilled for at least 2 hours, you can roll it out. Work with one crust at a time, keeping the other in the refrigerator until you’re ready to roll it out. Lightly flour the work surface, rolling pin, and your hands, and sprinkle a little flour on top of the dough. Use gentle-medium force with your rolling pin on the dough—don’t press down too hard on the dough; you’re not mad at it! When rolling dough out, start from the center and work your way out in all directions, turning the dough with your hands as you go. Between passes of the rolling pin, rotate the pie crust and even flip it, to make sure it’s not sticking to your work surface. Sprinkle on a little more flour if it’s sticking; don’t be afraid to use a little more flour. If you notice the dough becoming a lopsided circle as you’re rolling it out, put down the rolling pin and use your hands to help mold the dough back into an even circle. Roll the dough into a very thin circle, large enough to fit your mini pie dish. Your pie dough will be about ⅛ inch thick, which is quite thin. Visible specks of butter and fat in the dough are perfectly normal and expected.
- Because your dough is so thin, use your rolling pin to help transfer the pie crust to the pie dish. Carefully roll one end of the circle of dough gently onto the rolling pin, rolling it back towards you, slowly peeling it off the work surface as you go. Pick it up, and carefully roll it back out over the top of the pie dish.
To Make Crumble Topping:
- In a medium bowl, stir together brown sugar, old-fashioned oats, flour, and cinnamon.
- Stir cubed butter into dry mixture. Use your fingers or pastry blender to break the butter down into small pea sized butter balls that are coated in the butter/flour/oats mixture.
- Stir in pecans.
Assemble Mini Cherry Pies:
- Using the method described in Sally's post, roll out a fourth of the dough into a circle that is big enough for your mini pie pan. Transfer to pie pan. Trim and flute the edges of your pie crust.
- Pour cherry filling into crust, allowing ½ inch room for the crumble topping.
- Sprinkle crumble topping on top of cherry pie filling.
- Repeat the process for the second mini pie. Place pies on top of a cookie sheet to catch any over flow.
- Bake in a 425 F oven for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until cherries are bubbly and crust is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool before slicing.
- Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.
Chuckie
I created this recipe just for the Cowboy. He's the most generous person I've ever known, except when it comes to sharing his cherry pies. Now he doesn't have to share. I hope you enjoy these cute little pies as much as he does.