This post and recipe was created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek! I was sent samples by some of the sponsor companies but as always opinions are 100% mine.
These Halloween Chocolate Cherry Hand Pies are an easy and frightfully fun treat to enjoy this October! With a chocolate pastry crust cut out in Jack-O-Lantern shapes and canned cherry pie filling, this handheld dessert will be a hit at Halloween parties!
Halloween Chocolate Cherry Hand Pies
I am so excited to share these spooky fun chocolate cherry hand pies with you today! October is my favorite month for so many reasons, including Halloween and my birthday, so I figured it only makes sense to start things off strong with a festive treat!
Last year I saw these Jack-o-lantern pumpkin hand pies and fell in love. They were totally the inspiration for this post. But I wanted to go a different route from pumpkin, and instead do a Black Forest version with chocolate and cherries. My Aunt Becky’s Black Forest cake has been my traditional birthday cake for as long as I can remember, and I thought it would be so fun to recreate those flavors in portable pie form. And besides, the Black Forest is spooky too, right?
I love these Halloween chocolate cherry hand pies because unlike so many goodies around Halloween, these aren’t super chocolatey or overwhelmingly sweet. It’s difficult to make a chocolate pie dough that tastes intensely chocolatey without sacrificing the flakiness of pie crust. And adding too much sugar to pie dough creates even more issues, especially since I wanted to keep these more in the realm of pie crust, and not cherry filled chocolate cookies. But there is a definite cocoa taste to the chocolate crust that pairs perfectly with the cherry filling to give you a sense of the classic Black Forest cake flavors.
And I love how the red cherry pie filling looks devilishly wicked in the grinning chocolate jack-o-lantern faces that I carved out using a sharp paring knife. I opted to go the cherry route with canned pie filling to make things easy, but this chocolate pastry crust would be just as delicious filled with pumpkin, nutella, or a peanut butter chocolate ganache.
I could also see making these for Valentine’s Day and cutting out hearts instead of pumpkins.
How to Make Chocolate Pie Dough
Honestly, chocolate pie dough isn’t all that different from regular pie dough except you sub in cocoa powder for some of the flour, increase the sugar a titch, and add a little more liquid.
Otherwise, the principles of making a good pie crust are all the same. Like using cold ingredients and chilling the dough before rolling it out.
Roll out the chocolate pie dough on a lightly floured surface. You can “flour” with cocoa powder, although regular all-purpose flour works just fine.
I used a pumpkin cookie cutter to cut out the bottoms of each hand pie and transferred them to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet before mounding cherry pie filling on the top of each one. I just eyeballed things at this point but would say that I used about 1-2 tablespoons of filling for each chocolate cherry hand pie. The amount will largely depend on the size and shape of the cookie cutter you choose to use but you don’t want to overfill the hand pies.
Use the same cookie cutter for the top “crusts” of the pies, but this time cut out Jack-o-lantern faces with a sharp paring knife. Not only does this look cute, but it allows the pies to vent while baking so the filling mostly stays put rather than bursting out the sides. Adding the slits in the top also gives some flexibility to stretch the top cutout slightly to fit over the filling.
Brush the edges of the bottom crust with egg wash before placing the top crust on to help it stick better. Seal each hand pie shut by pressing around the edges with the tines of a fork. Then bake the chocolate cherry hand pies for 15-18 minutes in a 400 degree F oven.
Then let the pies cool before eating them!
Keep scrolling past the recipe for tons more Halloween recipe inspiration from some of my favorite food bloggers and for information on the Halloween Treats Giveaway!
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup butter, very cold and grated or cubed (Maybe 1 cup?)
- 10-12 tablespoons ice cold whole milk, half-and-half, or cream
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon water
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Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar, salt, and cubed butter in a large food processor and pulse until coarse crumbs form (about 15 to 20 pulses). You could also use a large bowl and pastry cutter instead, if you don't have a food processor.
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Slowly drizzle in the cold milk while pulsing or stirring with a fork, if not using a food processor. The dough will be slightly shaggy and soft, but if it is still looking too dry, add another tablespoon or two of milk. Divide the dough into two discs and wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 5 days.
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When ready to make the hand pies, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Roll out one disc of chocolate pie dough on a floured work surface (you can "flour" with cocoa powder to keep things dark, or just use regular flour, which will mostly be absorbed into the pie dough anyway). Cut into pumpkin shapes using a 3 inch pumpkin cookie cutter and transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat mat. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of cherry pie filling right into the center of each pumpkin.
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Roll out the second disc of chocolate pie dough and cut out pumpkin shapes using the same cutter. Use a sharp paring knife to "carve" jack-o-lantern faces. Brush the edges of the bottom crusts with egg wash made by whisking 1 egg and 1 tablespoon of water together. I just use my finger to moisten the edges so the top crust will stick. Gently lay the top crusts over the cherry filling, matching edges and crimping with a fork to seal the hand pies.
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Bake the hand pies for 15-18 minutes at 400 degrees F, just until the edges are set, but do not overbake. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
These Halloween chocolate cherry hand pies are my contribution to the monthly recipe collaboration group I am a part of where we have been sharing fun recipes around a theme on the 1st of the month all year long. There are some amazing ideas in the links below so be sure to visit them for lots more Halloween inspiration, both spooky and sweet!
Halloween Cinder Cake
Halloween Rice Crispy Treats
Spooky Spider Chocolate Cheese Ball
Puking Pumpkin Dessert Dip
Mini Chocolate Spider Donuts
Halloween Popcorn Bars
Chocolate Peanut Covered Caramel Apples
Candy Corn Truffle Bark
Mini Frankenstein Cheesecakes
Halloween Polka Dot Cupcakes
Ghost Munch
Halloween Cake Pops
Check out the amazing #HalloweenTreatsWeek recipes from our bloggers today!
- Melting Ghost Hot Chocolate from Big Bear’s Wife
- Day of the Dead Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes from Pook’s Pantry
- Devilish Halloween Deviled Eggs from Pastry Chef Online
- Candy Corn Layer Cake from ReciPEAs
- Cauldron Cupcakes from Mrs. Happy Homemaker
- Black Magic Skull Cakes from Sugar Dish Me
- Frankenstein’s Monster Pudding Cups from I am a Honey Bee
- Halloween Sprinkle Cookie Cake from Love and Confections
- Chocolate Dipped Brownie Pops for Halloween from Southern From Scratch
- Creepy Crawly Dirt Cup Pudding Parfaits from 4 Sons R Us
- “Guts” Cinnamon Rolls from A Blender Mom
- Creepy Eyeball Donuts from Daily Dish Recipes
- Mummy Bites from Eat Move Make
- Monkey Brain Bread from Pint Sized Baker
- Halloween Cookie Pizza from Grumpy’s Honeybunch
- Boo Berry Pie from Kudos Kitchen
- Monster Donuts from The Baking Fairy
- Boogeyman Brew from Who Needs A Cape?
- Purple People Eater Thumbprints from The Spiffy Cookie
- Hocus Pocus Halloween Decorated Pretzels from Lady Behind The Curtain
- Black and Orange Cookies from Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Skeleton Popsicles from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Monster Mash Cake from Mildly Meandering
- Graveyard Skillet Brownies from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen
- Blood-Red Pomegranate Margarita from The Redhead Baker
- Halloween Snoballs from The Beard and The Baker
- Halloween Dunkaroo Dip from Savory Experiments
- Bloody Eyeball Cherry Cheesecake Cupcakes from Katie’s Cucina
- Eye Scream Sundae from For the Love of Food
Halloween Treats Week
Happy Halloween! We hope you’re ready for a spooktacular event as we celebrate Halloween with the first annual #HalloweenTreatsWeek event hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife. This haunting week-long event is filled with fantastic Halloween treats, recipes and some frightfully fun giveaways.
“When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers ‘tis near Halloween.”
For our very first #HalloweenTreatsWeek event we have 30 talented bloggers that are sharing their favorite Halloween recipes throughout the week! There are going to be over 100 Halloween themed recipes shared during this year’s #HalloweenTreatsWeek and we can’t wait for you to see them all!
Plus, don’t forget that we have 5 (five) great giveaways for you this week thanks to our amazing sponsors!
Scroll down to take a look!
Prize #1
Prize #1 — Dixie Crystals is giving away one (1) Instant Pot (8 Qt) to one lucky winner!
Prize #2
Prize #2 — Adam’s Extract is giving away – 1 Gift Pack – including Pure Vanilla Extract, Ground Cinnamon, Caramel Extract, Almond Extract, Pumpkin Pie Dip Mix and Adam’s Best Twice as strong Vanilla
Prize #3
Prize #3 —Wilton is giving away a Wilton Gift Pack – including – Halloween Cookie House Bat, Tombstone and Skull 3-Piece Cookie Cutter Set, Halloween Skull Tube Pan, Zombie Cupcake Liners, Skull Sugar Decorations
Prize #4
Prize #4 — Sweets and Treats Shop is giving away 1 (one) 1.5lb Sprinkle Mix Kit from their shop
Prize #5
Prize #5 — Treat Street USA is giving away a $25 Visa Gift Card
Giveaway open to US Residents 18 years or older. All entries will be verified. No PO Boxes Please. Prizes will be sent directly from sponsors to winners, bloggers are not responsible for prizes. This giveaway runs from October 1st – October 6th at 12AMEST. Winners will be selected soon afterward and contacted by e-mail. Winners will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. There are a total of 5 (five) prizes and therefore we will have a total of 5 (five) winners. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.
Disclaimer: These posts and recipes are part of the week-long event, #HalloweenTreatsWeek but all opinions are 100% mine! We would like to Thank our amazing sponsors: Dixie Crystals, Adam’s Extract, Wilton, Sweets and Treats Shop and Treat Street USA ! These wonderful sponsors provided the prize packs for our giveaways and also sent samples and products to the #HalloweenTreatsWeek bloggers to use in their recipes.
I'm Amy: former lawyer, now SAHM in the CA Bay Area. I love food, photography, books, travel, exercise, adoption and pie. Definitely pie. 
Love this idea will be making them for Halloween this year. Now to just go find pumpkin cookie cutters. Thanks for the recipe for the chocolate pie crust. I have been wanting to flavor the pie crust chocolate but, hadn’t found a recipe for them. Also thanks for the opportunity for the giveaway sounds wonderful.
I love these cherry pies – they are perfect for Halloween!
I love that you used chocolate dough for these rather than plain or orange colored dough. It makes them even creepier!!
My favorite Halloween characters are the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus! My favorite Halloween Desert is Rotten Candy Apples with Sour Gummy Worms.
These are so cute, I love how they all have different faces!
These turned out awesome!
I love desserts with a chocolate and cherry combo! This is such a fun idea for Halloween, Amy!
Thank you! Chocolate and cherries is one of my favorite combos as well!
My favorite dessert is popcorn balls. My mother used to make them every year.
These look delicious and I will have to try out this recipe ASAP! My favorite Halloween characters are witches.
These are really cool! I can see them at any halloween party!
Love the cherries as red eyes. Spooky!
These hand pies are adorable! My favorite dessert for Halloween are pumpkin whoopie pies
Amy, these hand pies are awesome! Love the creepy look, and they sound delicious as well!
These look so spooky! Thanks for sharing.
my favorite halloween dessert is reeses..that counts as dessert right :p
These are so creepy-cute and turned out perfect! Not too sweet, the cherry and chocolate were nicely balanced.