Cherry Fried Pies
Cherry fried pies are golden hand pies with a crisp, flaky crust and warm cherry filling inside. Every bite gives you shattery edges and jammy fruit, and you do not need a fork. They travel beautifully to potlucks, cookouts, and church suppers, and the dough comes together in one bowl.
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Why This Cherry Fried Pies Recipe Works
This is the best cherry fried pies recipe you will make at home. Most versions online lean on canned biscuits or refrigerated pie crust. Mine uses a scratch dough with baking powder, so the shell puffs slightly and stays tender.
The cold butter is the step people rush, and it matters more than anything else. Those butter pieces steam in the hot oil and build flaky layers instead of a dense shell. I chill my dough overnight, and the pies hold their shape far better in the pot.
Cherry desserts stay on repeat in my kitchen all year long. If you like these, try my cherry cupcakes, cherry cola cake, and cherry cinnamon cookies next. They all lean on the same budget friendly cherry pie filling.
Ingredients For Homemade Cherry Hand Pies
- All-purpose flour: Builds the structure of the dough. Bread flour makes the shell too chewy.
- Granulated sugar: Lightly sweetens the dough and helps the crust brown in the oil.
- Salt: Keeps the pastry from tasting flat next to the sweet cherry filling.
- Baking powder: Gives the shell a soft lift as it fries. Do not skip it.
- Cold unsalted butter: Creates the flaky layers. Cold shortening works for an even crisper shell.
- Egg: Binds the dough and adds richness. It also helps the crimped seams hold.
- Milk: Brings the dough together. Buttermilk works too and adds a nice tang.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out the dough flavor. Almond extract is a great swap with cherries.
- Cherry pie filling: The fast route to thick, jammy centers. Homemade cherry filling works if you have it.
- Vegetable oil: A neutral oil for frying. Canola or peanut oil both hold temperature well.
How To Make Cherry Fried Pies
- Whisk the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder together in a large bowl.
- Cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- Whisk the egg, milk, and vanilla together in a separate bowl.
- Stir the wet mixture into the flour until a soft dough forms.
- Shape the dough into a square, wrap it, and chill two hours.
- Roll the dough one eighth inch thick and cut 5 to 6 inch circles.
- Add filling, fold into half moons, and crimp the edges shut.
- Fry at 350 degrees for 1 to 2 minutes per side, then drain.
Wendy’s Tips For Making Cherry Hand Pies
- Keep everything cold: Cold butter and chilled dough fry up flaky instead of heavy and greasy.
- Watch the oil temperature: Hold the oil at 350 degrees so the shells cook through without burning.
- Seal the edges twice: Press the seam flat with your fingers, then crimp firmly with a fork.
- Fry in small batches: Crowding the pot drops the oil temperature and softens the crust.
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Making Cherry Hand Pies
- Overfilling the pies: Two tablespoons is the limit. More than that and the seams burst open.
- Rolling the dough too thick: Thick dough stays raw inside while the outside turns dark brown.
- Draining on a flat plate: Trapped steam softens the bottom crust. Use paper towels or a wire rack.
- Glazing them piping hot: Powdered sugar melts and slides right off. Let the pies cool a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have questions about this recipe? Here are the answers to the most commonly asked questions.
Yes, and they still turn out great. Brush the tops with egg wash and cut a small slit in each one. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes until golden.
You can, and it saves a good bit of time. The shell comes out crisper and thinner than this scratch dough. Roll it out and cut the same size circles.
The seams were not sealed tight, or the pies held too much filling. Press the edges firmly, then crimp twice with a fork. Stick to two tablespoons of filling per pie.
How To Store And Reheat
Storage
Let the pies cool completely before you put them away. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. The refrigerator keeps them good for about four days.
Freezing
Freeze the fried pies on a sheet pan until firm, then move them to a freezer bag. They keep well for up to three months. You can also freeze them assembled and unfried, then fry straight from frozen.
Reheating
Warm the pies in a 350 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes. An air fryer at 350 degrees crisps them back up in about 4 minutes. Skip the microwave, since it turns the crust soft and chewy.
Cherry Fried Pies
Equipment
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Food processer Optional
- whisk
- plastic wrap
- Rolling Pin
- 5-inch round cutter or bowl
- Deep skillet or heavy pot
- Deep-fry thermometer
- Slotted spoon or spider strainer
- Baking sheet or wire rack
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup cold unsalted butter cut into cubes
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup milk plus a little more if needed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups cherry pie filling about one 21-ounce can
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder.
- Add the cold butter cubes. Cut them into the flour with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and vanilla.
- Pour the wet mixture into the flour mixture and stir just until a soft dough forms. If it seems dry, add a small splash more milk. The dough should come together without feeling sticky.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape it into a square. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Roll the chilled dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 5 to 6 inch circles.
- Spoon 1 to 2 tablespoons of cherry pie filling into the center of each circle. Fold the dough over into a half-moon shape and press the edges together firmly, then crimp with a fork or pie press to seal.
- Pour about 2 inches of oil into a deep skillet or heavy pot and heat it to 350 degrees F.
- Fry the pies in batches for 1 to 2 minutes per side, until golden brown. Do not crowd the pan.
- Lift the pies out with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels.
- Let the pies cool slightly, then dust with powdered sugar or drizzle with glaze if you like.
Disclaimer:
Any nutritional data I provide is an approximation and actual dietary information can vary based on ingredients and proportion sizes.