Ghastly Cherry Eyeball Hand Pies

Name: Ghastly Cherry Eyeball Hand Pies
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 21 oz Cherry Pie Filling; 1 whole Eggs; 2 slices Pie Crust; 12 whole Pitted Dark Cherries; 1 tbsp Strawberry Jam; 1 tsp Water; 1 whole White Decorating Icing

Dessert 🍰Snack 🍿 American Low-Sodium Vegetarian 🥦Halal 🕌Kosher ✡️Pescatarian 🐟

Ghastly Cherry Eyeball Hand Pies balance buttery, flaky crusts with a sweet-tart cherry filling and a glossy whole-cherry “pupil” for a playful spooky bite. The contrast of tender pastry and juicy fruit pops, while a drizzle of red sauce adds a fun, eerie finish. Serve these for Halloween parties, classroom treats, or a festive movie night.

Prep30 mins
Cook25 mins
Serves12
DifficultyEasy

1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2

Roll the pie dough out on a work surface and cut 12 circles using a 4-inch round cookie cutter.
3

Gently press each circle into a standard muffin tin cup to form a mini pie shell, then prick the bottom of each crust a few times with a fork.
4

Pre-bake the empty shells in the preheated oven until lightly golden, about 10 minutes, then remove the muffin tin from the oven and let the shells cool for about 5 minutes.
5

Spoon the cherry pie filling evenly into the shells, roll out the remaining pie dough, cut 12 circles with a 3-inch round cookie cutter, place them on top of the filling, and crimp the edges so the filling is fully enclosed.
6

Slice the dark cherries in half and place one cherry half, cut-side down, in the center of each mini pie.
7

Cut one large and one small crescent shape from the dough scraps for the "eyelids"; gently place the eyelids on each cherry and press lightly to secure, leaving about half of the cherry peeking out; repeat for all 12 "eyes."
8

Whisk the egg and water together in a small bowl, then use a pastry brush to coat the pastry tops and eyelids with the egg wash.
9

Bake the mini pies in the preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes; remove from the oven and cool the pies in the tin for at least 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10

Before serving, pipe a tiny dot of white icing on each cherry to create a "glint" in the eye, pipe a thin line of white icing along the lower edge of each cherry, drizzle red berry sauce on a plate to resemble a pool of "blood," then set an eyeball pie in the center and enjoy.