Heart-Shaped Cherry Hand Pies That Scream Love

Special occasions like Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day call for making love-filled treats for the ones you love! This year, surprise your family with these heart-shaped cherry hand pies – the perfect mini bite-sized desserts for your celebrations!

These mini pastries are simple to prepare, they look adorable and are perfect for sharing and spreading love. Even if you’re short on time and need to have a big batch of Valentine’s treats for your kiddos to share with their classmates, with this simple recipe you can make these delicious heart pies the night before.

Nobody can resist the charm of homemade Valentine’s treats neatly presented in a lovely box.

But even if you make these just for your own family and kids, or your mom on Mother’s Day they are still the perfect treat! The joy these cute heart-shaped mini pies create is priceless! Maybe it’s the heart shape or the fact that they know it’s made with extra love!

So let’s get to baking and spreading love with these heartfelt treats!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredients Needed For Heart-Shaped Cherry Hand Pies

To make these heart-shaped cherry hand pies, you’ll need:

• 2 puff pastry sheets, thawed
• 6 oz. cream cheese
• ¼ cup sugar, divided
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup cherry pie filling
• 2 tbsp milk

Step-by-Step Preparation With Pictures

1. Preheat the oven to 355° F. While preheating, unroll the puff pastry sheets and use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out 16 hearts out of each sheet.

2. Carefully take all the heart-shaped cutouts from the puff pastry sheet.

3. Lay out your heart-shaped puff pastry cutouts on a baking pan lined with parchment paper. Utilize the space efficiently and avoid overcrowding.

4. Prick 16 of the hearts with a fork to be used as ‘tops’ for the pastries. Set aside.

5. Remove one tablespoon of the sugar and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine room temperature cream cheese, remaining sugar, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.

6. Add a tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture to the center of your heart-shaped pastries.

7. Top your cream cheese mixture with a heaping teaspoon of cherry pie filling.

8. Using your forefinger or a pastry brush, wet the edges of the pastry with cold water.

9. Now top with the pricked heart cut-out pastries.

10. Crimp the edges with a fork to seal to ensure none of the filling escapes during baking.

11. Brush each heart pastry with milk and sprinkle with sugar before popping in the oven.

12. Bake for 25 minutes or until the pie crust is golden brown.

Enjoy your homemade heart-shaped cherry hand pies!

Variation Ideas

Feel free to experiment with different fillings or crust variations:

• Fruity Twist: Swap out the cherry pie filling for some strawberries or blueberries.
• Chocolate Lover’s Delight: Craving for more sweetness? Drizzle some chocolate on top or toss a few chocolate chips into the cream cheese mix.

• Nutty Crunch: For an extra touch of texture, sprinkle some chopped nuts of your choice into the cream cheese mixture. It’ll add a nice crunch to the pastries.
• Flavor Fusion: Don’t be afraid to mix and match! Mix up the fruit fillings. Maybe a combo of cherries and strawberries? Double the fun, double the flavor!

Serving and Presentation

Forget about slicing and serving! These easy cherry pies are portioned perfectly, making it easy to manage dessert servings for the whole family.

Simply serve these adorable homemade cherry pies with red napkins for a charming Valentine’s touch. For an even fancier look, dust them with a light sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

A generous amount of whipped cream on the side or a scoop of vanilla ice cream can take these hand pies to the next level.

As for beverages, a hot cup of coffee and a glass of milk perfectly complement the flaky pastry and sweet cherry filling of this Valentine heart heart-shaped dessert. But a red raspberry leaf tea would make the best Valentine’s Day presentation!

Tips for Best Results

Get ready to create a batch that not only tastes amazing but also looks picture-perfect! Here are some tips to make them absolutely scrumptious:

• Thaw the Puff Pastry: Make sure those puff pastry sheets are properly thawed. Take them out of the freezer 1 hour in advance.
• Use Soft Cream Cheese: Opt for room-temperature cream cheese. Why? Because it mixes well with the rest of the ingredients giving a smooth filling texture.
• Play with Shapes: Get creative! Try out different Valentine-themed cookie cutters. It’s not just about the taste, it’s about making them look as good as they taste.
• Serve Warm: These cute mini cherry pies taste the best warm out of the oven.

Storage

Store: Place any extra pies in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Make Ahead: If you’re planning ahead, these heart-shaped cherry hand pies can be prepared a day in advance. Follow all the steps up to baking, cover them tightly, and refrigerate. When you’re ready to bake, pop them in the oven and enjoy!

One Last Thing

In the hustle of busy everyday life, finding the time to create a homemade dessert might seem challenging. However, the joy these heart-shaped cherry hand pies bring is worth every moment spent in the kitchen. 

Whether you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day with your significant other, your kids, or even just treating yourself, these heart-shaped cherry hand pies are the perfect sweet gesture to spoil your loved ones.

So, share the love by making a batch of these delightful mini pies, and watch how they steal everyone’s heart at your Valentine’s Day gathering. After all, nothing says love like a homemade treat straight from the heart!

Your Turn

If you make these heart-shaped cherry hand pies this Valentine’s Day, please take a moment to let me know how you liked them by leaving a rating and a comment below on the recipe card.

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