Instructions

1. We think Cherry Pie filling is very hard to make from scratch, especially when cherries aren't in season.  On the other hand, canned Cherry Pie Filling is often too tart and sometimes lacking in flavor.  We have a solution for that ... just a few additional ingredients will take the filling from boring to spectacular.  First, pour the filling into a bowl.  Add the sugar, cinnamon, and a small amount of Almond Extract and stir until combined.  The Almond taste is very mild but really works with the cherries to bring out their natural flavor.  Easy peasy. And the results are so good, you won't remember that you used canned pie filling.
2. Take the pre-made pie crust out of the refrigerator about 15 minutes before you are going to begin making the Mini Pies.  You want to make sure it’s not too cold otherwise it breaks too easily. Unroll the first circle of pre-made pie crust. We used a 3 1/2" Round Biscuit Cutter to cut out our mini pie crusts.  If you don't have that size of cookie-cutter, measure the diameter of your coffee cups. We used to use ours to cut out mini pies before we bought the cookie cutter.
3. Cut out the mini crusts.  You should get 6 crusts out of a single 9" round.
4. Press the mini crusts down into a muffin tin. Press around the edges so it fits snuggly into the opening.  Separate an egg and whisk the egg white with a fork. Lightly brush the egg white on the inside of the pie crust. This acts as a layer of protection between the filing and the pie crust and helps the Mini Pies not to have "soggy bottoms."
5. Spoon the cherry pie filling into the pie crusts.
6. Make a top for your pies. We used a lattice top but you could also cover it with a single circle of pie crust.
7. Now whisk the egg yolk and brush it onto the top of your mini pie crusts.
8. Bake in an oven preheated to 400 degrees for 18-22 minutes. The top will be golden brown and the cherry filling should be bubbling.
9. Allow to cool before removing the Mini Cherry Pies from the muffin pan.