Cherry Pies

Two ingredients and a sandwich maker. That’s all it takes to turn a store-bought pie crust and some cherry pie filling into warm, crispy, handheld mini pies with golden, flaky edges and hot cherry filling inside. These are basically homemade Pop-Tarts with real fruit filling and actual pastry.

Roll or press the pie crust into a 10×10-inch square, then cut it in half. One half goes into the sandwich maker as the base, two tablespoons of cherry filling go into each triangular pocket, and the other half goes on top. Close the lid, latch it, and bake for 5 to 7 minutes. The sandwich maker seals the edges and crisps both sides simultaneously, so you get an evenly browned, sealed pocket every time.

Don’t overfill. Two tablespoons per pocket is the sweet spot. More than that and the filling oozes out the sides during pressing, burns on the plates, and makes a mess that’s no fun to clean. The filling is already thick from the can, so it holds its shape well inside the pastry.

Drizzle with icing while they’re still warm so it melts into a thin, sweet glaze.

Kitchen Tips

• Let the pie crust come to room temperature before unfolding so it doesn’t crack
• Don’t overfill the pockets; the lid needs to seal the edges completely
• Check at 5 minutes; sandwich makers vary in heat and these burn quickly
• A simple powdered sugar and milk icing is all you need for the drizzle

Variations

• Peach or apple: Swap cherry for any canned pie filling: peach, apple, blueberry, or strawberry
• Chocolate cherry: Add a few chocolate chips to each pocket with the cherry filling
• Cinnamon sugar: Skip the icing and brush with melted butter, then dust with cinnamon sugar