This cherry pie recipe is one of my favorite homemade desserts. It features a buttery, flaky crust and a velvety, almond-scented filling. If you allow it to cool completely, it slices beautifully, but the filling still stays a tiny bit juicy so that you can savor the cherries’ delicious texture. This cherry pie recipe is simple to make. But heads up: it does take some time. The pie dough has to chill and the filling has to cool before you can assemble and bake the pie. If you want to get ahead, you can make both the crust and the filling a day or two in advance—find my tips in the post below. I hope you love this cherry pie recipe as much as I do!
Cherry Pie Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this homemade cherry pie recipe:
Cherries, of course! Tart cherries, also called sour cherries, are best in this recipe. You can use sweet cherries if you prefer—just note that they make the pie taste sweeter. These days, I mostly use frozen cherries in my pie filling, as they’re readily available year-round. If you have easy access to fresh cherries, though, they’ll work here too. You’ll need 2 pounds after you pit them, about 5 cups. Cornstarch and water – They create a slurry that thickens the cherry pie filling. Cane sugar – It sweetens the filling. Cinnamon and ground ginger – For warm depth of flavor. Almond extract – Cherry + almond are a perfect pairing. If you don’t have almond extract on hand, vanilla extract is a good substitute. Pie crust – I love my flaky, buttery homemade pie crust, but you could substitute store-bought pie dough in a pinch. An egg – You’ll beat it with a little water to make an egg wash for the crust. Coarse sugar – Optional, but delicious. It adds sparkle and sweetness to the top of the crust. And vanilla ice cream – For serving.
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Cherry Pie Filling
The key to making a great cherry pie filling is thickening the cherry juices on the stove before you add the filling to the pie. This easy step will minimize the amount of juice that seeps into the crust and makes it soggy. It will also help the pie slice nicely once it cools. Here’s how I make my filling:
Start with 2 pounds of thawed frozen cherries. Place the cherries in a strainer set over a bowl to capture their juices. Measure 1 cup of the juice. If you don’t have 1 cup, microwave the cherries for 15 seconds or so, and they’ll release more juice. Repeat until you have 1 cup of cherry juice. Save any extra for another use. Then, make a cornstarch slurry. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth. Next, thicken the juices. Place the 1 cup cherry juice in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir in the sugar and return the mixture to a boil. Once the sugar dissolves, add the cornstarch slurry and stir until the mixture thickens. It will become clear, smooth, and glossy. Finally, mix up the filling. Transfer the thickened cherry juices to a large bowl with the cherries. Stir in the spices, almond extract, and a pinch of salt.
Then, allow the filling to cool completely. If you’ve ever made homemade pie dough, you know that the name of the game is keeping it cold until it goes in the oven. To help keep it cold, we want to add a cool filling to it, not a warm one.
Assembling the Pie
When the filling has cooled and the pie dough has chilled for two hours or longer, it’s time to assemble the pie! First, roll out the crust according to the instructions in this recipe. Stick it in the fridge to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven. Arrange a rack in the bottom third of the oven, and set a baking sheet on it. Preheat the oven to 425°F with the baking sheet inside it. Then, assemble the pie! Pour the cooled filling into the bottom crust.
Next, weave a lattice on top. Slice the top crust into 1-inch strips. Arrange 4 or 5 strips crosswise over the top of the pie. Weave 4 or 5 strips through them to make a lattice.
Pull back the strips as necessary to weave.
Trim the edges of the lattice, then fold the edge of the bottom crust up and over it so that the edge of the dough is in line with the edge of your pie plate.
Crimp the dough with your fingers or a fork.
Brush the egg wash onto the lattice. Tip: JUST the lattice! The edges of the dough will brown on their own, so there’s no need to brush it onto them.
Sprinkle on the coarse sugar. Finally, bake. Place the pie on the preheated baking sheet in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and bake until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden brown. Now for the hard part! Allow the pie to cool completely before you slice it. This will take about 4 hours. It might be hard to resist digging in right away, but allowing the pie to cool fully is crucial for getting a clean slice.
Cherry Pie Recipe Tips
Keep the pie dough cold. When you bake an all-butter pie crust, you want the butter in the pie dough to melt in the oven, creating gorgeous flaky layers. For the best results, keep the dough cold while you assemble the pie. Chill it for at least 2 hours before rolling it out. I also like to chill the dough for 30 minutes after I roll it out and make sure the filling is completely cool before adding it to the pie. Tent the pie with foil if it’s getting too brown. Your cherry pie is ready when the crust is golden brown and the filling has been bubbling for several minutes. If the crust is getting too brown before the filling is bubbling, tent it with foil to minimize additional browning. Allow the pie to cool completely before you slice it. If you slice and serve the pie while it’s still warm, the filling will ooze out of the crust. For a clean slice, let it cool completely after you take it out of the oven. 4 hours are best, but if you can’t wait that long, try to let it cool for at least 2.
Thickening the cherry juices on the stovetop prevents too much liquid from seeping into the crust as it bakes. Baking the pie in the lower third of your oven helps too. In most ovens, the heating elements run along bottom, so placing the pie on a low rack brings the bottom crust closer to the heat source. I also like to place the pie on a preheated baking sheet (a tip I learned from Melissa Clark at The New York Times) to jumpstart the browning of the bottom crust.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
This cherry pie is best on the day that it’s baked, but it keeps nicely for up to 3 days. Cover it and store it at room temperature until you polish off the last slice, preferably with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. If all the cooling and chilling time seems like a lot for one day, you can make both the pie dough and the filling in advance. Wrapped tightly in plastic, the pie dough keeps well in the fridge for up to 2 days. Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, the cooked filling keeps well for up to 4. With both prepped ahead of time, it’s easy to assemble and bake the pie in one day. Enjoy!
More Favorite Fruity Desserts
If you love this cherry pie recipe, try one of these fruity desserts next:
Cherry Clafoutis Strawberry Shortcake Peach Crisp Easy Peach Cobbler Apple Crumble Or any of these 30 Easy Summer Desserts!
Adapted from Joan Nothern’s cherry pie recipe
