Cherry Cream Cheese Hand Pies

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, combine cherries, water, lemon juice, 1/4 cup sugar and cornstarch. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract (less than 1/4 teaspoon).

Generously flour a countertop. Roll one pie crust out until it’s half the original thickness. Repeat with the second crust.

Using a 3-4 inch round cookie cutter or glass, cut out 24 circles. Place 12 rounds onto a non-stick baking sheet that has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of cherry filling into the middle of each circle. Top with the remaining circles, sealing the edges with a fork.

Brush each hand pie with some of the beaten egg whites and sprinkle with the reserved 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar. Bake for 10-12 minutes until pies are golden brown.

While pies are baking, whisk together powdered sugar, whipped cream cheese and cream or milk until smooth. Add additional milk until desired consistency is achieved.

Remove pies from the oven. While pies are still hot, drizzle cream cheese glaze over each pie. Let them cool 5-10 minutes. Enjoy!