Sweet Cherry Pie-lets with Meyer Lemon Cream

These adorable sweet cherry pie-lets are simple to serve and delicious to eat. Top with Meyer lemon cream for a burst of citrus flavor.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Dessert

Keyword: cherries, fruit dessert, miniature pies, miniature treats, muffin tin pies, Pi Day

Servings:

Author: Suzanne Cowden

1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon water
10 ounces frozen cherries (about 2 ¼ cups)
3 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons Meyer lemon juice (zest lemon before juicing to use in the Meyer lemon cream)
pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To prepare the filling, combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl, whisking until smooth. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the cherries begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes.
Stir in cornstarch mixture and increase heat to medium high, stirring constantly until the mixture comes to boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Mash the cherries with a potato masher or a wooden spoon. Transfer the filling to bowl and let it cool at room temperature. If preparing in advance, once filling is cool to the touch, store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Whirl flour, powdered sugar, and salt in food processor with the blade attachment. Add about half the butter and whirl until no chunks remain. Add remaining butter and whirl briefly until the butter is chopped into pea-sized pieces. Turn food processor on again and quickly begin drizzling ice water through the feed tube, stopping before the dough comes together. Pinch some crumbs between your fingers; if they don’t stick together, add a bit more water and whirl briefly.
Turn the mixture out onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Use the plastic wrap to help you bring the dough together; fold the edges of the dough toward the center and press down until it holds together, taking care not to overwork the dough. Flatten the dough into a disk and wrap the plastic wrap tightly around it. Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400°F.
On a floured surface, roll the pastry dough a thickness between ⅛ and ¼ inches. Using a 3 ¾ to 4-inch flower-shaped cookie cutter, stamp out as many flowers as possible.
Gently transfer the dough to a standard-size muffin tin, tucking each flower carefully into one of the cups. If necessary, combine remaining dough scraps and re-roll to fill 12 muffin cups.
Divide the filling between the prepared muffin cups.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350° F and continue baking for about 10 minutes, until the crusts are pale golden and the filling begins to bubble. Cool completely in the muffin pan.

To prepare the Meyer lemon cream, combine heavy cream, lemon zest, and powdered sugar. Using an electric mixer or hand whisk, beat until soft peaks form.
Remove cherry pies from muffin tin with a thin metal spatula. Top with Meyer lemon cream, lemon wedges, and edible flowers, if desired.