These mini cherry pies are adorable and will quickly become your new favorite treat! They are only 4 WW points per pie and boast the perfect balance of sweetness and tartness. Cherry pie is an all-time classic and nostalgic dessert that may remind you of your childhood summers, digging into your grandmother’s freshly baked cherry pie. And these Weight Watchers cherry pies are especially delicious.
However, this recipe is for those who prefer shortcuts; the crust is made with crescent rolls instead of traditional pie dough. You can use the premade crescent dough to make individual portions, saving time and effort. This recipe also uses frozen cherries that are already pitted, saving you from having to prep the fruit in any way. Just pop the frozen cherries on the stovetop with a few other ingredients to make the filling!
I used dark sweet cherries in this recipe, but you can use another type if you prefer. The most important thing is to use frozen cherries without added sugar, as this will increase the WW points. We are aiming for low-sugar desserts over here!
These fruit pies are perfect for bringing to potlucks or BBQs. They are also great for little ones as they are pre-portioned and easy to handle. For a larger batch, simply buy more cans of crescent rolls and adjust the filling measurements with the button on the recipe card. This is one of the easiest crescent roll desserts you can make, so it is not a hassle to make in larger quantities!
Why You Should Try This Recipe
- Super easy: This is such a simple recipe. If you’re hesitant to make the cherry pie filling recipe from scratch, you shouldn’t be. It comes together so smoothly and thickens nicely.
- Transportable: These crescent desserts are perfect for when you’re on the go! You can easily arrange them on a platter or put them in a container and bring them to different events. They’re not messy like other desserts, so you don’t have to worry about anything spilling during transportation.
- Low-Point: At only 4 points per serving, these tasty, fruity pies won’t take up all of your Weight Watchers points budget.
- Serving Size: 1 pie
- Number of Servings: 8
- Time to Cook: 10-15 min
- WW Points Per Recipe: 4
Ingredients Needed For Mini Cherry Crescent Pies
- 10 oz frozen cherries
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp zero-calorie sweetener (use a cup-for-cup sugar replacement. I used monk fruit sweetener)
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp light (less sugar) orange juice
- 1 can reduced-fat crescent rolls (Pillsbury crescent rolls or another brand)
How To Make Mini Cherry Crescent Pie Bites (Step by Step)
- Make the cherry pie filling: pour the frozen cherries into a pot and heat them over medium-low heat, covered, for about 15 minutes until they are thawed and softened.
- Add the sweetener and salt; use a fork or other tool to press down the cherries, partially mashing them.
- Combine the cornstarch and orange juice and stir until fully dissolved. Then, add it to the mashed cherries.
- Cover and simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until the filling visibly thickens. Set aside the filling to cool slightly. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- When you’re ready to assemble them, spray a muffin tin and take the reduced-fat crescent rolls out of the refrigerator. Separate the 8 rolls.
- If you want to make a lattice or X design on top of your cherry-filled crescent cups, slice a strand of each crescent triangle lengthwise and cut the strand into smaller pieces for the design before working the dough into the muffin cups. (see photo)
- Press and mold the crescent dough triangles into the muffin cups, filling any gaps before evenly dividing the cherry filling among them. Then, decorate the tops with your desired design.
- Bake the mini pies for about 10 to 15 minutes until they are golden brown, and the sides are fully baked. Allow them to rest for a few minutes in the muffin cups before unmolding.
Variations and Substitutions
- Cherries: You can use sweet dark cherries as I did or use red tart cherries, whichever you prefer! Both sweet cherry pie and sour cherry pie are both scrumptious.
- Granulated Sugar: if you don’t prefer to use zero-calorie sweeteners, you can make these with regular old granulated sugar. Use the same exact amount. This will increase the points to 6 WW points per serving!
- Fruit: Try experimenting with different types of fruits! For example, use frozen fruit to make mini apple pies or mini blueberry pies. Keep in mind that every fruit has a different water content, though. If the filling seems thin, add a bit more cornstarch to compensate.
- Dough: You can also use puff pastry dough for this recipe, but you would need to input it into the Weight Watchers app to see how it affects the points. For this method, cut the dough into squares and follow the same process.
- Decorate them: You can make a simple glaze to drizzle over the pies by mixing powdered sugar and a splash of vanilla extract. Add a tbsp at a time of milk or water until it forms a glaze you can pour or spread.
- Stuffed Crescents: If you don’t want to use a muffin tin, you can fill the crescent roll triangles with the cherry filling and roll them up, then bake them on a baking sheet.
Tips and Tricks for Making Mini Cherry Pies with Crescent Roll Dough
- You can store any leftover mini cherry pies in a resealable bag or airtight container at room temperature for a few days. They will last longer, about 5 days, when stored in the refrigerator. You can also freeze them for 2-3 months.
- I suggest reheating these in the air fryer to crisp them up and make the filling warm and gooey! Yum.
- Avoid removing the crescent dough from the refrigerator too soon. You want to work with it while it is cold since it warms up quickly and can easily tear.
- The cherry pies are best enjoyed warm or at room temperature! Serve them with ice cream, fat-free Cool Whip, or sprinkle cinnamon on top.
- If using a Crescent dough sheet, cut the dough into 8 even squares or triangles before working with it.
Related Recipes
Weight Watchers Strawberry Pie
Weight Watchers Friendly Apple Pie
Mini Cherry Pies
Ingredients
- 10 oz frozen cherries
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 4 tbsp zero-calorie sweetener or granulated sugar, (use a cup-for-cup sugar replacement like monk fruit sweetener)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp light orange juice
- 1 can reduced-fat crescent rolls
Instructions
- Make the cherry pie filling: pour the frozen cherries into a pot and heat them over medium-low heat, covered, for about 15 minutes until they are thawed and beginning to soften.
- Add the sweetener and salt; use a fork or other tool to press down the cherries, partially mashing them.
- Combine the cornstarch and orange juice and stir until fully dissolved. Then, add it to the mashed cherries.
- Cover and simmer for approximately 5 minutes or until the filling visibly thickens. Set aside the filling to cool slightly. Preheat oven up to 375°F.
- When you're ready to assemble them, spray a muffin tin and take the reduced-fat Crescent rolls out of the refrigerator. Separate the 8 rolls.
- If you want to make a lattice or X design on top of your cherry-filled crescent cups, slice a strand of each crescent triangle lengthwise and cut the strand into smaller pieces for the design before working the dough into the muffin cups. (see photo)
- Press and mold the crescent dough triangles into the muffin cups, filling any gaps before evenly dividing the cherry filling among them. Then, decorate the tops with your desired design.
- Bake the mini pies for about 10 to 15 minutes, until they are golden brown and the sides are fully baked. Allow them to rest for a few minutes in the muffin cups before unmolding.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
