Happy Friday! Summer is coming to an end but I’m still savoring the last bits of it with Mickey’s Fried Cherry Pies! I’ve always associated cherry pies with summer and while a full pie is delicious, I’ve really been enjoying hand pies as they’re easy to grab and eat on the go. These deep fried hand pies have a sweet and sour cherry filling and vanilla glaze!
These pies are deep fried in oil, which is a bit different to the usual cooking method for pies, but it results in a deliciously flaky, warm, and rich treat! If you’re looking for other hand pies, be sure to check out my Cranberry Mickey Hand Pies and my Winifred’s Spellbook Hand Pies!
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To make these hand pies, start by making the pie dough. You can definitely make the dough by hand, but I usually make my pie doughs in the food processor.
Start by whisking together the flour, sugar, and salt. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and scatter over the flour. Pulse briefly until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is pea sized.
Add the water and pulse for several seconds until the dough begins to come together but is not totally smooth. You should still see butter chunks. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and press it into a square about ½ to 1 inch thick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Next, make the cherry pie filling. For these pies I used a mix of sweet and sour cherries. I tend to prefer a sweeter cherry pie filling as sometimes sour cherries are a bit too sour for me so having a mix of both worked well for me. If you’d rather use just sweet or just sour cherries that’s okay too!
To make the filling, first place a mesh sieve over a medium bowl. You’ll need this to strain the cherries later. In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until the cherries have softened and released their juices.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the mixture through the prepared sieve. Allow the cherries to drain. Pour the cherry juices back into the saucepan, leaving the cherries in the sieve over the bowl. Bring the juices to a bowl and then cook until the juices have reduced to ⅓ cup and then remove from the heat.
Combine the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the juices and return the saucepan to the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and glossy.
Remove the mixture from the heat and whisk in the cinnamon, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Add the cherries and stir to combine. Refrigerate the mixture, uncovered, for 1 hour.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to a 12-inch square. Use a large Mickey Mouse shaped cookie cutter to cut out the pie shapes. Depending on the size of the cookie cutter, you should have 6-8 cutouts, making 3-4 hand pies. Cover and refrigerate the dough cutouts until you’re ready to assemble the hand pies.
Once everything has chilled, it’s time to assemble the hand pies! Place a spoonful of cherry filling into the center of 3-4 Mickey Mouse cutouts, and 1-2 cherries in the ears. Leave a clear border around edges. Brush a little water around the border, then place a second Mickey Mouse cutout on top of the cutout with the cherry filling. Press it down gently to adhere the pieces of dough together. Use a form to crimp the edges of each hand pie. Place the pies in the freezer while the oil heats.
Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 F. I definitely recommend using a candy/oil thermometer to help you keep track of the oil temperature. Line a sheet pan with paper towels. Remove the hand pies from the freezer and place 1-2 pies into the oil, depending on the size of your pot. Cook until the hand pies are deep golden brown all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked hand pies to the paper towel lined sheet pan.
While the hand pies are cooling, make the glaze by whisking together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Once smooth, transfer the glaze to a piping bag. Pipe a drizzle of glaze over each hand pie.
Enjoy Mickey’s Fried Cherry Pies and the last bits of summer!
Mickey’s Fried Cherry Pies
Ingredients
Flaky Pie Dough
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup cold water
Cherry Pie Filling
- 2 ½ + ⅓ cups mix of frozen sweet and sour pitted cherries, thawed
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 ½ tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Glaze
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Equipment
- large mesh sieve
- dutch oven or heavy bottomed pan
- candy/oil thermometer
- spider or heat-safe slotted spoon/spatula
- piping bag
- 6 cups vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Flaky Pie Dough
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Transfer to the bowl of a food processor.
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Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and scatter over the flour. Pulse briefly until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is pea sized.
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Add the water and pulse for several seconds until the dough begins to come together but is not totally smooth. You should still see butter chunks.
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Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and press it into a square about ½ to 1 inch thick. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
Cherry Pie Filling
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Place the mesh sieve over a medium bowl and set aside.
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In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until the cherries have softened and released their juices.
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Remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the mixture through the prepared sieve. Allow the cherries to drain.
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Pour the cherry juices back into the saucepan, leaving the cherries in the sieve over the bowl. Bring the juices to a bowl and then cook until the juices have reduced to ⅓ cup. Remove from the heat.
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Combine the cornstarch and the water in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the juices and return the saucepan to the heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick and glossy, about 5 minutes.
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Remove the mixture from the heat. Whisk in the cinnamon, lemon zest, and vanilla extract. Add the cherries and stir to combine. Refrigerate uncovered for 1 hour.
Assembly
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On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pie dough to a 12-inch square.
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Use a large Mickey Mouse shaped cookie cutter to cut out the pie shapes. Depending on the size of the cookie cutter, you should have 6-8 cutouts, making 3-4 hand pies. Cover and refrigerate the dough cutouts until you’re ready to assemble the hand pies.
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Remove the dough cutouts and the cherry filling from the refrigerator. Place a spoonful of cherry filling into the center of 3-4 Mickey Mouse cutouts, and 1-2 cherries in the ears. Leave a clear border around edges.
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Brush a little water around the border, then place a second Mickey Mouse cutout on top of the cutout with the cherry filling. Press it down gently to adhere the pieces of dough together. Use a form to crimp the edges of each hand pie. Place the pies in the freezer.
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Place the oil in a dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot. Heat over medium-high heat to 350 F. Line a sheet pan with paper towels.
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Remove the hand pies from the freezer and place 1-2 pies into the oil, depending on the size of your pot.
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Cook until the hand pies are deep golden brown all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked hand pies to the paper towel lined sheet pan.
Glaze
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While the pies are cooling, combine the sugar, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth.
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Transfer the glaze to a piping bag and pipe a drizzle of glaze over each hand pie. Let the glaze set, about 5 minutes, and serve. The pies are best eaten the same day.
Recipe Notes
Adapted from Claire Saffitz