Mini Cherry Pies For Kev

My brother Kevin, for reasons unbeknownst to anyone, LOVED cherry pie.  Anytime, any place, anywhere.  One of my fondest childhood memories is of helping my mom attempt to stick birthday candles into the cherry pie that my brother had insisted on having instead of a birthday cake.  Let me tell you, this was no easy feat.  We had to move fast because every time we looked away, one of the seemingly-secured birthday candles would suddenly be engulfed by the quicksand-like filling.  I'm pretty sure that year featured the fastest rendition of "Happy Birthday" ever sung... by anyone... ever.  

To honor my brother's birthday each year, I make a cherry pie and enjoy a viewing of one of film-making's finest: Beverly Hills Cop.  (Oh yeah.)  However, one can only eat so much cherry pie.  Particularly if one's boyfriend can't stand the stuff.  This year, I decided to attempt a little experiment and in the process, stumbled upon a simple way to make pint-sized pies (well, half-pint-sized).  All you need are some ramekins, a cookie cutter or large drinking glass, and your favorite pie filling recipe.  You can even freeze the uncooked mini pies, just let them thaw out before popping them in the oven.  For me, February 6th = cherry pie <3

Kev's Cherry Pie - Miniaturized!

(makes 4 pie-ramekins)


Enough pie dough for 1 9" pie crust (store-bought or homemade)
2 1/2 cups pitted frozen or fresh cherries
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1/2 cup sugar + more for sprinkling
1 1/2 TBSP cornstarch
Pinch cinnamon
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 TBSP butter, melted


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  First, roll out your pie dough to the desired thickness.  Then, using a cookie cutter or large drinking glass, cut out round disks of pie dough just large enough to perch on top of the pie filling inside your ramekins.  Cut a couple of slits in each pie dough disk, so the steam can escape while they're baking. 


In a small saucepan, heat cherries and lemon juice over medium heat.  Once heated through, add sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon.  Stir and continue to cook until the filling begins to thicken.  Then remove the filling from the heat and add the almond extract.  Divide the filling equally among the 4 ramekins.  Gently tuck the little pie dough disks on top of the filling in the ramekins.  Brush the tops of the pies with a little melted butter and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar.  Place the ramekins on a baking sheet and bake the little pies for 30-35 minutes, or until the filling is bubbly and the crust is just starting to brown at the edges.

Enjoy with ice cream, whipped cream, or a big glass of milk!

Also pairs well with a mid-80's Eddie Murphy movie :)