Homemade Cherry Pie

Homemade cherry pie features a buttery flaky pie crust and juicy cherry filling.

***Special flavoring - add 2 shots of bourbon to the filling mixture for additional flavor!!***

My #1 tip? Keep the dough, filling, and prepared (unbaked) pie as cold as you can at all times.
Notes

Make Ahead / Freezing Instructions: A couple ways to make ahead of time! Make 1 day in advance– after it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked pie also freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving. Prepared fillings can also be frozen up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
Special Tools: Cherry Pitter | Rolling Pin | Pie Dish | Pastry Blender | Pastry Brush | Eat Dessert First Fork
Cherries: You can use any variety of cherries (about 1.5 lbs)– I use a combination of dark sweet and rainier. If using sour cherries, increase sugar to 3/4 or 1 cup depending how sweet you like it. I do not suggest using frozen cherries. The filling will turn out quite liquid-y and soupy.

***IF you decide to cook with frozen fruit you have a couple of options. you can roll the frozen fruit in flour to help absorb the extra water that is produced OR you can add 1T = 1t of tapioca starch to the filling (can be used as a thickener and will give extra shine to the filling). In any case, you must cook the pie about 5-10 minutes longer and will need to watch. This process lets out the steam from the evaporated waters, but you must use a lattice crust on top. Having a full crust that is only vented will not allow enough steam to be released***

Ingredients

Homemade Pie Crust (my recipe makes 2 crusts; 1 for bottom 1 for top)see additional recipe!!

4 and 1/2 cups halved pitted fresh cherries*
2/3 cup (135g) granulated sugar
1/4 cup (28g) cornstarch
1 Tablespoon (15ml) lemon juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (it’s delicious!)
1 Tablespoon (14g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon (15ml) milk
optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust

Directions

Refrigerate (or freeze) the prepared pie before baking for up to 1 hour. Refrigerate the filling before you need it. Keep everything cold cold cold– always.
The crust: Prepare my pie crust recipe through step 5.
Make the filling: In a large bowl, stir the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract together until thoroughly combined. Set filling aside in the refrigerator as the oven preheats. This gives the filling a chance to rest.
Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C).
Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out one of the discs of chilled dough (keep the other one in the refrigerator). Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9×2 inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Spoon the filling into the crust and discard any leftover juices in the bottom of the bowl. Dot the pieces of butter on top of the filling.
Arrange the lattice: Remove the other disc of chilled pie dough from the refrigerator. Roll the dough into a circle that is 12 inches diameter. Using a pastry wheel, sharp knife, or pizza cutter, cut strips of dough– I cut four strips 2 inches wide and two strips 1 inch wide. Carefully thread the strips over and under one another, pulling back strips as necessary to weave. (See video above!) Press the edges of the strips into the bottom pie crust edges to seal. Use a small paring knife to trim off excess dough. Flute or crimp the edges with a fork, if desired.
Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar, if using.
Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the pie to prevent the edges from browning too quickly.
Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

More Info

Servings / Yield: 8-10 pieces
Prep Time: 3 hours   /   Total Time: 7 hours
Category: Dessert
Keywords: cherry pie