Black Cherry Cheesecake Hand Pies

Pie Dough

• Cut butter into ½-inch cubes and keep cold in the refrigerator.
• In a large bowl, whisk to combine flour and salt. Add butter, toss to coat in flour, then use your fingers or a pastry blender to cut the butter into pea sized pieces.
• Add 6 tablespoons of the cold water mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms. Bring the dough together with your hands, adding a few more tablespoons of water if still crumbly. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface, divide in half and pat into 2 fat discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Cherry Cheesecake Hand Pies

• Combine cherries, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring constantly to prevent scorching, until mixture thickens and turns dark and glossy, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
• Add softened cream cheese and sugar to a mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer on medium speed to blend the mixture until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll one disk of pastry dough out to ⅛-inch thick. Use a 4-inch square cookie cutter to cut out 16 squares, re-rolling scraps as needed. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Scoop a tablespoon of cream cheese mixture into the center of a pastry square. Top with a tablespoon of cherry mixture. Brush outer edge with egg wash, top with another pastry square and gently press to seal. Use a fork to crimp the edges and carefully transfer to prepared baking sheet. Repeat to make 7 more hand pies. Freeze for at least 30 minutes.
• When ready to bake the hand pies, preheat oven to 400°F.
• Brush tops with egg wash and cut 3 small steam vents in the top. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until pies are puffed and golden brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
• While hand pies cool, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, almond extract and corn syrup until smooth. Brush glaze over warm hand pies and let set aside for 10 minutes to dry. Serve warm or at room temperature.