Mini Cherry Pie Recipe for Tangy Sweetness

Sweet memories dance around this mini cherry pie that bursts with homemade charm and rustic delight.

Grandma’s kitchen always smelled like pure happiness when she rolled out pastry dough.

Pure fruit filling nestles between delicate layers of buttery crust, creating a perfect single-serving treat.

Small pockets of tart cherries peek through golden-brown lattice tops, promising intense flavor in every bite.

Weekend baking becomes an intimate adventure with these charming miniature desserts.

Bakers who love precision and playful presentation will adore crafting these adorable individual pies.

You can’t resist the magic of these bite-sized cherry treasures waiting to surprise and delight.

Why Mini Cherry Pie Stands Out

• Kids and adults will love these cute, handheld treats that transform classic cherry pie into bite-sized, shareable portions for parties, picnics, or family gatherings.
• Swap cherries for other fruits like blueberries or peaches, making this versatile recipe adaptable to seasonal ingredients and personal taste preferences.
• The simple dough technique and minimal ingredients mean even novice bakers can create impressive, bakery-quality desserts without complex techniques or specialized equipment.

What You’ll Need for Mini Cherry Pie

• All-Purpose Flour: A foundational ingredient for creating a tender and flaky pie crust base.
• Salt: Enhances the overall flavor of the pie crust and balances the richness.

• Unsalted Butter: Cold butter creates layers and flakiness in the pie crust, providing rich flavor and tender texture.

• Ice Water: Helps bind the pie crust ingredients together without developing excess gluten, ensuring a delicate pastry.

• Fresh Cherries, Frozen Cherries: Sweet and juicy fruit that forms the core of the mini pie's delicious filling. Look for ripe, plump cherries without bruises.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps create a syrupy texture in the cherry filling.
• Cornstarch: Natural thickening agent that prevents the cherry filling from becoming too runny.
• Lemon Juice: Bright citrus component that balances the sweetness and prevents fruit browning.

• Egg Wash: Creates a golden, shiny surface on the pie crust when baked, adding visual appeal and slight shine.

How to Bake Mini Cherry Pie at Home

Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients

Grab a spacious mixing bowl and whisk flour and salt together until well combined.

Step 2: Create Crumbly Texture

Drop cold, diced butter into the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to break down the butter, working it into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse, uneven crumbs.

Step 3: Bind The Dough

Slowly introduce ice water, adding one tablespoon at a time. Gently mix until the dough starts to stick together and forms a cohesive mass. Carefully shape the dough into a smooth disk.

Step 4: Chill The Dough

Wrap the dough disk tightly in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator and let it rest for a minimum of 30 minutes. This chilling process helps relax the gluten and solidifies the butter, ensuring an incredibly tender and flaky pie crust.

Step 5: Prepare For Baking

After chilling, the dough is ready to be rolled out and transformed into a delectable mini cherry pie crust. The cold resting period guarantees a perfectly crisp and delightful pastry.

Tips That Help With Mini Cherry Pie

• Chill Dough Thoroughly: Refrigerate pie crust for at least 30 minutes to ensure flaky, tender texture and prevent shrinking during baking.
• Handle Butter Carefully: Use cold, diced butter and work quickly to maintain small butter chunks that create deliciously light, layered pastry.
• Customize Fruit Filling: Swap fresh cherries with frozen or canned varieties, adjusting sugar levels to suit personal taste and fruit sweetness.
• Roll Dough Gently: Use light, even pressure when rolling out pastry to prevent tough, dense crust and maintain delicate, melt-in-your-mouth quality.
• Prevent Soggy Bottom: Brush pie crust edges with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar for golden, crisp finish that protects against moisture absorption.

Saving and Reheating Mini Cherry Pie

• Store leftover mini cherry pies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. Wrap each pie individually in plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
• Place cooled pies in a freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper. Frozen pies will keep well for up to 2 months. Ensure they are completely sealed to prevent freezer burn.
• Warm in a preheated oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes to restore their crispy crust and bring back the delicious warm flavor.
• Remove from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before reheating in the oven at 350°F for 10-12 minutes until heated through.

Serving Ideas for Mini Cherry Pie

• The cold, smooth vanilla ice cream perfectly complements the warm, tangy cherry filling, creating a classic dessert combination that melts in your mouth.
• A chilled glass of champagne cuts through the richness of the pie, its bubbling acidity enhancing the sweet-tart cherry flavor and cleansing the palate between bites.
• A hot cup of coffee with a subtle almond liqueur brings out the buttery pie crust's nutty undertones, while adding depth to the overall dessert experience.
• A small glass of smooth bourbon with hints of salted caramel provides a sophisticated adult twist, complementing the pie's fruity sweetness with its rich, warming notes.

Mini Cherry Pie Tweaks

• Gluten-Free Cherry Delight: Swap wheat flour with almond or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for a celiac-friendly pastry that maintains a tender, flaky texture.
• Vegan Cherry Mini Pies: Replace butter with cold coconut oil or vegan butter alternative, ensuring a plant-based version that delivers rich, buttery flavor without dairy.
• Low-Sugar Cherry Option: Use stevia or monk fruit sweetener instead of traditional sugar in the filling, reducing overall calorie content while preserving the classic cherry taste.
• Grain-Free Cherry Treat: Create a crust using coconut flour and ground nuts, offering a paleo-friendly version that eliminates traditional wheat-based ingredients for those following strict dietary guidelines.

Mini Cherry Pie FAQs

• How do I prevent the pie crust from becoming tough?

Handle the dough minimally and keep ingredients cold. Overworking the dough develops gluten, which makes the crust tough. Mix just until the ingredients come together and chill the dough before rolling.

• Can I make the pie crust ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the pie dough up to 3 days in advance. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the dough for up to 2 months, just thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using.

• What's the best way to roll out pie dough?

Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface using gentle, even strokes. Rotate the dough frequently to prevent sticking and ensure an even thickness. Use a bench scraper or spatula to help lift the dough if it sticks.

• How do I know when the pie crust is properly mixed?

The dough should look like coarse crumbs and hold together when pinched. When you squeeze a small amount, it should form a clump without being too wet or dry. Avoid overmixing to keep the crust tender and flaky.

Mini Cherry Pie Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.9 from 31 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Cherry lovers rejoice! Mini Cherry Pie elevates classic dessert with bite-sized charm. Flaky pastry cradles sweet-tart filling, promising pure delight in each delectable morsel that captures summer’s essence perfectly.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Main Ingredients:

• 2 cups (300g) pitted cherries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 ¼ cups (155g) all-purpose flour
• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, cold and diced

Sweeteners and Flavor Enhancers:

• ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional, for extra flavor)
• Coarse sugar (optional, for sprinkling)

Binding and Finishing Ingredients:

• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 34 tablespoons ice water
• 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Sift the flour and salt together in a spacious mixing vessel, ensuring even distribution of dry ingredients.
2. Introduce chilled, cubed butter into the flour mixture, utilizing a pastry blender or nimble fingertips to create a textural landscape resembling rough, pebbly crumbs.
3. Incorporate glacial water incrementally, gently folding and pressing until the dough coheres into a unified mass without overworking the delicate mixture.
4. Compress the nascent pastry into a compact disk, envelop completely in transparent film, and nestle within the refrigerator’s cool embrace for a minimum of half an hour to relax the gluten and solidify the butter.
5. After resting, transfer the chilled dough to a lightly floured surface, rolling with measured strokes to create a thin, even sheet that will form the foundation of your miniature cherry confection.
6. Delicately drape the rolled pastry into petite pie vessels, trimming excess edges with precision and creating decorative crimped borders to contain the forthcoming fruity filling.
7. Layer the prepared cherry mixture into the pastry shells, distributing the vibrant fruit with careful consideration to achieve balanced coverage.
8. Craft a complementary top crust, either as a full cover with artful venting or as a lattice design that allows glimpses of the ruby-hued filling beneath.
9. Brush the exposed pastry with a whisked egg wash to encourage a golden, luminous finish during baking.
10. Position the assembled mini pies in a preheated oven, allowing the heat to transform the raw ingredients into a bubbling, aromatic delicacy with a perfectly crisp, flaky exterior.

Notes

• Chill butter thoroughly before cutting to ensure a flaky, tender crust that separates beautifully when baked.
• Work quickly and handle the dough minimally to prevent warming, which can make the crust tough and less delicate.
• For a gluten-free version, swap traditional flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend that includes xanthan gum for better binding.
• Consider freezing prepared mini pies for up to a month, allowing you to have homemade desserts ready at a moment’s notice.

• Prep Time: 40 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 239
• Sugar: 10 g
• Sodium: 65 mg
• Fat: 13 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 27 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 3 g
• Cholesterol: 37 mg