Mini Cherry Shortbread Pies

For the shortbread crust:
In a large bowl, sift the flour and salt.

Cream butter and powdered sugar in a bowl of a standing mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the flour mixture until just incorporated.

Gather dough and form a disk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to chill.

For the filling:
Combine the cherries, sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-low heat and cook for 10 minutes.

Add dissolved cornstarch and lemon zest to the cherries. Keep cooking until it thickens. Allow the cherry filling to cool to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out 2/3 of the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 4-inch rounds. Gently fit the dough rounds into the bottom of the prepared muffin tin.

Spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons cooled cherry filling into each cup. Roll the remaining dough out and cut into 1/3-inch width strips. Lay 3 or 4 strips over the filling, evenly spaced, and then weave with the remaining strips diagonally. Adhere the ends to the edge of the shell.

Bake the pies for 18 to 20 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove from oven and let the tart shells cool a few minutes before inverting and transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.