Best Homemade Cherry Pie
- PREP 30min
- COOK 60min
- TOTAL 1hrs 30min
My favorite cherry pie recipe is easy! You need a little patience when pitting the cherries, but I promise it’s worth it. You can use sweet cherries, sour cherries, or a combination of both.
You Will Need
Homemade Pie Crust, our recipe makes 2 crusts (one for the top and one for the bottom)
2 ½ pounds (1300g) whole fresh cherries, about 5 cups pitted
2/3 cup (130g) granulated sugar, plus more for top
1/4 cup (30g) cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small squares
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Directions
Prepare Bottom Crust
Roll out half of the pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish (keep the remaining dough chilled). To prevent sticking, sprinkle flour on your work surface and rolling pin. Roll from the center outwards for even thickness, lifting and rotating the dough by a quarter turn as you go. Check the size by inverting the pie dish over the dough (it should be about 2 inches larger).
Carefully place the dough into the pie dish without stretching it, and trim the edges to within 1 inch of the dish. Refrigerate while you prepare your filling.
Make Pie Filling
Pit the cherries and cut them in half. Then, cut half of the mixture into quarters (the variation of sizes makes a better filling).
Add pitted cherries to a large bowl, then add the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon juice, and salt. Gently toss to combine. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the pitted cherries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, almond, lemon juice, and salt. Give it a gentle toss, then set aside on the counter while you roll the top crust.
Assemble the Pie
Roll out the remaining dough to a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface. If the dough sticks to the surface, add more flour.
Spoon cherry pie filling into the prepared pie crust, but leave most of the liquid pooled at the bottom of the bowl (it makes the pie soggy). Scatter the little squares of cold butter over the filling.
Carefully place the top round of dough over the filling. Use a knife or pair of kitchen scissors to trim dough to within 1 inch of the edge of the dish.
Fold the edges of the top crust underneath the edges of the bottom crust, pressing the edge to seal it to create a thicker, 1/4-inch border that rests on the lip of the pie dish. Crimp the edges as desired.
Whisk the egg yolk and cream to create an egg wash, then brush it over the crust. Sprinkle with extra sugar and refrigerate the pie for 10 minutes before baking.
Cut 3 to 4 slits through the top pie crust to let steam escape in the oven.
Bake Pie
Before baking, position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and place a baking sheet on it. This will catch any potential drips from the pie. Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 35 to 45 minutes. The pie is done when the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling enthusiastically.
If you notice the crust edges browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil and continue baking until the pie is fully cooked.
Allow the pie to cool for 3 to 4 hours before cutting for the best results (this gives the filling time to thicken and set properly).
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Cherries: I prefer this pie with fresh cherries. If you use frozen cherries, thaw them first, and drain of extra liquid. I highly recommend using fresh cherries, but you can use 4 cups of canned or bottled cherries, drained with about 1/3 cup of cherry juice reserved for adding to the cherry filling.
- Don’t have a cherry pitter? Push the pit out with the blunt end of a chopstick, or press the cherry down onto a piping tip.
- Sugar: Feel free to add more sugar if your cherries are more tart. 2/3 cup (135g) is perfect for sweet cherries. You can increase to 3/4 cup (150g) or more for tart or sour cherries.
- Thicker filling: As written, our cherry pie filling is slightly loose (I love it this way). For a thicker filling, use a slotted spoon when adding the cherries to the pie crust, allowing excess liquid to remain in the bowl. Next, pour the leftover liquid into a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until reduced. Cool for 5 minutes, then pour over the cherries in your pie. Give them a gentle toss, then add the top crust and bake as directed in the recipe.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.