Cherry Cheesecake Hand Pies

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and set the rack in the lowest position. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Add the cornstarch to the reserved juice, if using canned or frozen cherries, or water if using fresh, and stir to combine. Set aside.
3. In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, 3/4 cup of the granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and salt and stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook, stirring, for 15 to 20 minutes, until reduced and thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cornstarch mixture. Return the pan to the stovetop over medium heat and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cook until clear and thick, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature, 30 to 45 minutes.
4. Roll out half of the chilled dough to 1/8-inch thick. Using a 4 1/2-inch round cutter, cut 8 discs, re-rolling scraps as necessary. Transfer the discs to a prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Repeat the rolling, cutting, and chilling process with the remaining dough. To make decorative cutouts for round hand pies as pictured, use a 1-inch round cutter to cut circles from the centers of half the discs.
5. In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and the remaining 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Add the egg yolk and stir to combine. Set aside.
6. Remove the chilled dough discs from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature until pliable, 2 to 3 minutes. Spoon 1 tablespoon of the cherry filling and 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese filling into the center of a dough disc. Lightly brush the edges of the disc with water and place a second disc (one with a cutout hole) on top. Gently press the edges to seal. Add a decorative border by pressing the edges of the dough together with the tines of a fork. Repeat with the remaining dough discs and filling.
7. Place the hand pies on a prepared baking sheet and brush them with egg wash. If needed, use a paring knife to cut decorative steam vents into the top of each pie. Sprinkle with sanding sugar or granulated sugar.
8. Bake until the filling is bubbly and thick and the crust is golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove the hand pies from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. Let cool for 1 hour. The filling will continue to thicken and set as the pies cool.