Mummy Cherry Hand Pies are delightfully spooky and adorable Halloween tart. Buttery, light pie crust and sweet tangy cherry filling are the magic and thrill of these little pies. Bite sized and fun to look at they make great party treats or fun cooking time activities with kids.
Halloween has been a favorite holiday of mine. There is just something about the fun treats that you can make, the cooler air, the more colorful leaves falling from the trees, and of course all the pretty fall clothing you can put on.
I have always loved dressing up in costumes and I was a sucker for any candy that came into my house. Being a mom makes this time of year even more fun; being able to decorate our home, play dress-up with my girls, and make fun treats the whole family can enjoy.
This recipe started out as a way to use up all of the gorgeous cherries I had in my freezer from our summer's worth of berry picking. We have so many that we opt for freezing them for later use, and with fall being here it was time to pull the cherries out and make them into something festive.
These hand pie mummies are so cute and fun. I love when food looks cute. Cute food seems to taste better. And while we obviously do not have any scientific studies to back this idea up, our kitchen and tummy testing results thus far conclude that cute food = a more enjoyable eating experience.
These little pies are perfect for your Halloween party. They are also easy for kids to make too; a fun "cooking" activity with some simple slicing of the dough and spreading the cherry pie filling.
What is a hand pie
A hand pie is a pie that is meant for you to eat with your hand. There's no need to dirty a plate or fork, when you can use your hands to enjoy this tasty little treat. Cute little mummies that fit in your hand are the perfect fall treat for this Halloween season.
I remember always eating hand pies at my grandmother's house when I was younger. We used to make them with my mom, and I would always get so excited at the prospect of getting to eat one right after we made them.
I still enjoy making hand pies because they are fun to cook with kids. There is something magical about letting them help you "make" these cute little treats and then being able to eat the fruits of their labor. It's like a mini cooking lesson that the whole family can enjoy.
These mummies are made with a rich flaky, pie crust filled with tart cherry filling and add a cute little face on top to make them even more festive and fun! They look great on your Halloween party table or as gifts for friends at school or work.
Can I use a different design instead of mummies
Of course, you can. You could use a bat or ghost cut-out instead of the mummies to make them even more festive for this time of year. If you want you can even just cut your dough into four and then fold your dough in half and make normal hand pies. There's no need to get all fancy if you don't want too.
Can I freeze these hand pies
Yes! If you are not planning on eating all the pies right away, you may freeze what is left over in an airtight container. When you are ready to serve, simply let them thaw out on the counter before serving. I like to freeze my hand pies individually wrapped in two layers of plastic wrapped.
How do I store these
Keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. If you want to keep them longer than that then stick them in a freezer resealable bag and freeze away! They will last for several months in the freezer and thaw out pretty quick when ready to eat.
Can I use homemade pie filling
Yes, you can absolutely make your own cherry pie filling. It's really easy to make a homemade pie filling and I encourage you to do so if possible. You do not have to use pie filling though! Any sort of jam or jelly would work just as well; think grape jelly with cheese cloth for eyes and mouth.
Can I use a different type of fruit
Yes, you can use any sort of fruit in this recipe. My personal favorite is cherries since they are a sweet and tart at the same time but almost any other kind of berry or even peaches would be delicious in these little hand pies.
Can I make this hand pies recipe ahead
You can, but I don't recommend. These cherry hand pies really taste better when they are made fresh.
Should I serve these hand pies warm or cold
I like to serve my hand pies warm, but they are great either way.
Ingredients for Mummy Cherry Hand Pies
- refrigerated pie crust
- pie filling
- egg
- granulated sugar
How to Make Mummy Cherry Hand Pies
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper or use non-stick cooking spray.
- Unroll 1 chilled pie crust. With a gingerbread man cookie cutter cut as many little mummies as you can out of 1 pie crust and place on a prepared cookie sheet.
- Place 1 teaspoon filling in the middle of each mummy.
- Unroll second chilled pie crust and cut ⅛ inch strips or mummy wraps.
- Dip your finger in water and wet around the edges of the little mummies.
- Place the pie dough strips over the pie filling. Gently press the edges to seal. Brush with egg and sprinkle with granulated sugar
- Place in the oven and bake till golden brown about 20 minutes
- Remove from the oven and Enjoy!
Tips:
- Keeping the crust chilled until ready to use is helpful in handling the tiny strips and cut outs.
- You can find gingerbread man cookie cutters on Amazon.com year around or at Christmas in most stores.
- Depending on the size of your cookie cutter you will need to adjust and watch the baking time in the oven.
Mummy cherry hand pies are a great way to celebrate Halloween with your family and friends. These little hand pie creations are fun for both kids and adults alike. They're easy to make but you may need some help from an adult if the kids want to get involved in cutting out the dough strips or making faces on top of their mummies. Just be sure everyone is careful not to poke themselves with that knife! If you have any questions about this recipe, feel free to leave it below as well as share how these recipes turned out for you by commenting below too! Happy baking!
More Fun Halloween Recipes
Cherry Mummy Hand Pies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 box refrigerated pie crust
- 1 cup pie filling
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the cookie sheet with parchment paper or use non-stick cooking spray.
- Get out and measure your ingredients.
- Unroll 1 chilled pie crust. With a gingerbread man cookie cutter cut as many little mummies as you can out of 1 pie crust.
- Place on a prepared cookie sheet.
- Unroll second chilled pie crust and cut ⅛ inch strips or mummy wraps.
- Place 1 teaspoon filling in the middle of each mummy.
- Dip your finger in water and wet around the edges of the little mummies. Place the pie dough strips over the pie filling.
- Gently press the edges to seal.
- Brush with egg.
- Sprinkle with granulated sugar.
- Place in the oven and bake till golden brown about 20 minutes.
- Add eye balls to each mummy on a drop of pie filling from a toothpick
- Remove from the oven.
- Enjoy every bite.
Notes
Keeping the crust chilled until ready to use is helpful in handling the tiny strips and cut outs.
You can find gingerbread man cookie cutters on Amazon.com year around or at Christmas in most stores.
Depending on the size of your cookie cutter you will need to adjust and watch the baking time in the oven. Serves: About 14 small pies or if using the larger cookie cutter 5-6 pies Storage:
Will keep refrigerated in an airtight container or sealed with cling wrap for up to 7 days.
Will also freeze well for up to 3 months. To thaw, place in the refrigerator overnight. Or enjoy frozen! Recipe:
Leave a Reply