Topped with a charming lattice crust, these mini cherry pies are a standout at any gathering. You can use fresh or frozen cherries for the filling; just thaw frozen cherries before using. The pies are baked in a muffin pan for a convenient handheld dessert—an easy, elegant twist on a classic hand pie. This recipe uses a fresh cherry filling rather than jam, so it’s slightly different from simpler cherry hand pies made with jam.
If you haven’t made pie before, don’t worry—this post includes clear tips for beginners and the recipe card below walks through each step. If you’d prefer a less fussy start to pie baking, try a full-size cherry pie first to build confidence.
I recommend an all-butter vanilla or flaky all-butter pie crust for the best texture, but you can use your favorite homemade crust or a store-bought crust if you prefer.
Ingredients for Mini Cherry Pies
This mini cherry pie recipe uses a short list of ingredients for a fresh, flavorful dessert. You’ll need:
- Cherries — fresh or frozen, pitted and quartered. Thaw frozen cherries before using.
- Sugar — sweetens the filling and helps draw out cherry juices for a jammy texture.
- Cornstarch — thickens the cherry filling so it sets nicely after baking.
- Salt — a pinch to enhance flavor.
- Lemon juice — balances the sweetness with a touch of acidity.
- Vanilla and almond extracts — add depth and classic cherry flavor notes.
- Pie crusts — two crusts (store-bought or homemade). Use one crust if you’d rather skip lattice tops—see notes below.
- Egg — for an egg wash to give the tops a golden sheen.
- Coarse sugar — optional sprinkle for extra crunch and sparkle.
Tip: dark-colored muffin pans brown crusts faster than light-colored pans. If using a light pan, add about five minutes to the bake time to achieve the same golden color.
Quick Tips for Making Cherry Pie Filling
Making the cherry filling is straightforward and doesn’t require pre-baking. Combine pitted, quartered cherries with sugar, cornstarch, and salt, then stir in lemon juice and the extracts.
Let the mixture rest for at least 10 minutes at room temperature. This maceration step lets the sugar pull out the cherries’ juices, creating a natural liquid that mixes with the cornstarch to form a jammy filling without adding extra liquid.
Quick Tips for Rolling Mini Pie Crusts
Roll dough from the center outward in one direction on a lightly floured surface to prevent sticking. Aim for about 11–12″ (28–30 cm) in diameter—thin enough to be flaky but thick enough to handle. Use a 4″ (10 cm) round cutter to cut circles; this size fits muffin-pan wells well and leaves enough edge to finish neatly.
Gently press each dough circle into a muffin pan well using your fingertips to ease it down the sides. If the dough stretches unevenly, patch or trim the edges for a neat fit.
Filling the Mini Cherry Pies
Spoon roughly one rounded tablespoon of cherries into each crust. Then add about a tablespoon of the reserved cherry liquid divided among the pies—this gives the filling that jammy, glossy texture. Chill the filled pan in the fridge while you make lattices or prepare to bake.
How to Weave Small Lattices for Mini Pies
Making mini lattices is the trickiest part, but you can skip it if you prefer—pies bake beautifully without a lattice. If you’d like to make lattices:
Weaving Mini Pie Lattices
Cut leftover dough into strips about 1/4″ (6 mm) wide. Arrange half the strips vertically on a lightly floured surface, fold every other vertical strip back, lay a horizontal strip across the fold, then fold the vertical strips back over to form the first woven row. Repeat, alternating folds and adding horizontal strips until you’ve built a lattice roughly 10″ by 8″ (25 by 20 cm) or used the dough.
Use a 2 1/2″ (6 cm) round cutter to cut lattice circles, then transfer each circle gently onto a filled mini pie, pressing lightly so it sits on the filling without sealing the edges tightly. The pies expand slightly during baking and will finish together without crimping.
Baking Tips
Brush lattices with an egg wash for glossy, golden tops and sprinkle coarse sugar for texture. Bake on the center rack; dark-colored pans will give a golden edge faster, while light pans may need a few extra minutes. After baking, cool the pies in the pan for about 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling and avoid soggy bottoms.
FAQ’s about Mini Cherry Pies
No, the lattice is optional. The pies bake well without it; if you skip the lattice, reroll scraps to make more crust circles and omit the egg wash step if you like.
Yes—store-bought crust works fine if you’re short on time. If you’d like to try making your own, follow a reliable all-butter pie crust recipe for the flakiest results.
Canned cherries can be used; drain them well and quarter if needed. They are softer than fresh or frozen cherries, so texture will differ slightly.
Store-bought pie filling could work in a pinch. Don’t add extra ingredients and monitor bake time, since prepared filling may be sweeter or more liquid than a fresh filling.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
If you have lots of cherries, try other cherry-forward recipes such as mini caramel apple pies, classic cherry pie with almond extract, cherry almond cupcakes, or cherry pie ice cream. These recipes are great for using leftover dough and cherries.
Dish Cleanup: Gonna Take a While
This recipe has moderate cleanup. Expect a few bowls, your muffin pan, tools for cutting and rolling, and some utensils to wash. I’d rate cleanup at about a 4 on a 1–5 scale, but the results are worth it.
Mini Cherry Pies Recipe
Thanks for stopping by! If you make these mini cherry pies and enjoy them, please leave a review to let others know how they turned out.
Mini Cherry Pies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups (380 g) cherries, pitted and quartered (about 60 cherries)
- ⅓ cup (70 g) sugar
- 2 Tablespoons (20 g) cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 pie crusts, store-bought or homemade
- 1 large egg
- 1 Tablespoon coarse sugar (optional)
Instructions
Making the Cherry Pie Filling
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Use a dark-colored muffin pan for the best browning; light pans may need a few extra minutes.
- Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract in a bowl. Stir and let rest at least 10 minutes to macerate—the sugar will draw out juice and form the filling liquid.
Preparing the Mini Pie Crusts
- While the cherries rest, roll out one chilled pie crust on a lightly floured surface; leave the second crust chilled. Rotate and roll from the center outward to prevent sticking.
- Roll to about 11–12″ (28–30 cm) in diameter and cut 4″ (10 cm) circles to fill the muffin pan. Press gently into each well and repair any tears with extra dough.
- Roll the second crust and cut remaining circles. Reserve scraps to make lattice strips if desired.
Filling the Mini Cherry Pies
- Place about 1 tablespoon of cherries (no juice) into each crust.
- Divide the remaining liquid among the pies—about slightly less than 1 tablespoon per pie.
Making the Mini Lattice Tops*
- Chill the filled pan while you make lattices.
- Cut dough scraps into ¼” (6 mm) strips. Arrange half vertically and weave horizontal strips across by folding alternating vertical strips to create a lattice.
- Make one large lattice or several smaller ones. Use a 2 ½” (6 cm) cutter to cut lattice circles and transfer gently onto pies.
- Beat the egg and brush tops with egg wash. Sprinkle coarse sugar if desired.
Baking the Pies
- Bake on the center rack for 22–25 minutes. Dark pans typically finish near 22 minutes; light pans may need closer to 25 minutes for a golden edge.
- Cool in the pan 5 minutes, then remove with a fork and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Serve warm or room temperature.
Notes
Store in a loosely covered container at room temperature up to 3 days or refrigerated up to 5 days.
These freeze well up to 3 months. Thaw overnight at room temperature or reheat from frozen on a sheet pan in a 375°F (190°C) oven for about 10 minutes.
Recommended Supplies
- Round cutters (4″ and 2½”)
- Bench scraper or pizza cutter for cutting strips
- Muffin pan (dark-colored preferred)
Nutrition
I’d love to see your results—take a photo and tag the creator on Instagram or use a relevant hashtag to share your mini cherry pies.