In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the cherries, sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir to combine. Cook cherries until soft, stirring occasionally. Once the mixture starts to simmer, cook for 2 more minutes then remove from the heat and let the mixture cool completely (about 30 minutes).

Preheat the oven to 400° F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the pie dough out. Use a 3 ½-inch round cookie cutter to cut rounds. Gather and reroll any leftover dough, then cut out more circles.

Place half of the dough rounds on a prepared baking sheet, each about 3 inches apart. Transfer about 2 Tablespoons of the cherry filling in the center of each round keeping the edges clear of any filling. Place remaining dough rounds on top of the filling and use a fork to crimp the edges.

Whisk together the egg and milk. Use a pastry brush to coat the hand pies with the egg wash. Sprinkle a little sugar on top of each pie. Use a sharp knife to cut three small vent holes on the top for steam to escape.

Bake the hand pies for 20 to 22 minutes or until they are golden brown, and the filling is bubbling. Let pies cool for a couple minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack and adding the glaze.

For the glaze, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk and almond extract. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the pies. It’s okay if they are still warm. You can be generous with the glaze.