Remember when Warrant had that one song? KISS should’ve done a song about cherry pie too, though I can tell you that this homemade cherry pie recipe will blow it all out of the water. When you need a fruit pie that everyone wants a piece of, it’s gotta be this one!
Best Cherry Pie Recipe
Made with fresh cherries, this has got to be the best cherry pie you’ll ever taste. Just a few simple ingredients are all it takes to whip up this amazing dessert for friends and family.
Homemade Cherry Pie Ingredients
- Cherries – You’ll need to cut them in half and remove the pits.
- Sugar – Bring out the sweetness of those cherries and make everything even sweeter.
- Cornstarch – Thicken up the filling for that perfect texture.
- Lemon juice – Adds that something extra to really boost the flavor.
- Extracts – You’ll use both almond and vanilla extract here.
- Pie crust – Make one from scratch using our recipe or use a frozen one.
- Butter – It needs to be unsalted, cold, and cubed.
- Coarse sugar – The garnish for sprinkling on top of the crust.
Easy Cherry Pie Recipe
This easy cherry pie is super quick to make. You’ll need allow cooling time for it, but the part where you’re actively involved in making it is simple and quick.
How do you Make Cherry Pie from Scratch?
To make this recipe for cherry pie, start by making your pie crusts (using our pie crust recipe) or use a frozen one. To make the filling, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and extracts together, cover, and let that refrigerate to let the flavors come together. When it’s ready, you roll out that chilled pie dough to 12 inches in diameter, then put it in your pie pan. Spread in the filling of just the cherries while reserving the juices, then refrigerate the pie. Pour some of that juice into a saucepan over low and cook until it thickens slightly. Let it cool, then pour over the cherry filling. Put the cubes of butter on top and preheat to 400F. Get the pastry for the top ready and brush it with egg wash followed by a sprinkling of sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375F for another 40 minutes. Let it cool for at least 4 hours before serving.
Expert Tips and Tricks for the Perfect Cherry Pie Every Time
- Save time with a cherry pitter. This kitchen tool makes short work of removing the pits from fresh cherries.
- If you can only find frozen cherries, that works too. Sometimes it’s hard to find them fresh, so head to the freezer section. Make sure you thaw them out completely first before using the cherries for pie filling.
- Don’t skip the stovetop step. Unlike apple pie, you can’t just throw cherries into a pie crust and call it a day. They needed to be cooked first to draw their juices out and keep the pie crust from getting soggy.
What kind of cherries do you use for pie?
Rainier cherries, dark sweet cherries, or any type of cherries you find will work. Generally, you’ll find sweet cherries fresh while the canned varieties are always tart. With tart cherries, make sure you add enough sugar to balance the flavors.
Can I use fresh cherries instead of dried?
Yes, in fact, fresh cherries would be better than dried cherries when making a cherry pie.
Can I use frozen cherries instead of fresh?
Yes, frozen cherries are another great option for your cherry pie. It’s sometimes hard to find fresh cherries at certain times of the year.
Should I thaw frozen cherries for pie?
You must thaw out your cherries if they are frozen before you make your pie filling. This will ensure the best taste and texture in the pie.
Can I use canned cherries instead of fresh?
While fresh or frozen is best, you can use canned cherries in your cherry pie. You may want to drain or rinse the syrup they were canned with before you use them though.
What can you add to cherry pie filling to make it taste better?
While it’s best to make the cherry pie filling from scratch, if you have to use the canned stuff, add a little vanilla extract and almond extract to jazz it up.
How do you make canned cherry pie filling taste better?
Flavor extracts are the way to make canned cherry pie filling taste better. You can add almond extract or vanilla extract to improve the flavor.
How do you thicken canned cherry pie filling?
Cornstarch helps make cherry pie filling thicker. As the cherry juices cook out, this process thickens the mixture so it makes for a luscious pie filling.
How do you keep a cherry pie crust from getting soggy on the bottom?
Doing a blind bake of the crust should help keep it from getting soggy. Some people also do an egg wash on top of the unbaked crust before the blind bake to keep the filling from making it mushy.
How to Cook Cherry Pie?
With cherry pie, you’ve got to make the filling on the stovetop first. Then you need it to chill in the crust before you put the whole thing in the oven.
How Long do you bake Cherry Pie?
Homemade cherry pie will need to bake for a total of one hour. The first 20 minutes will be at a higher temperature while the last 40 minutes will be at a lower one.
What temperature is a cherry pie done?
If you need to check the internal temperature of your cherry pie, make sure it reads at 213F. The crust will be golden and the filling will be all bubbly.
What goes well with Cherry Pie?
Nothing beats a scoop of vanilla ice cream or some fresh whipped cream. Or even both of those piled on top!
How to store Cherry Pie?
When you bake a fresh cherry pie, you need to cover it loosely and put it in the fridge to store it.
How long does Cherry Pie last?
You’ll have about 5 days to demolish that cherry pie that’s taking up residence in your fridge. If you can’t, we suggest putting it in the freezer.
Can you freeze Cherry Pie?
Yes! And the best part is it will be good for up to 6 months, as long as you’ve wrapped it well.
How to reheat Cherry Pie?
If you want to warm up your cherry pie before serving it again, preheat your oven to 250F and warm it for 15 minutes. It will be the perfect toasty temperature!
Watch How To Make Cherry Pie (Video)
Kulick's Cherry Pie Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 cups fresh cherries (halved & pitted)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 homemade pie crusts (or frozen)
- Egg wash: 1 large egg beaten + 1 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter (cold & cubed)
- Garnish: coarse sugar for sprinkling sugar on crust
Instructions
- Prepare 2 traditional pie crusts for the top and bottom of the pie. (Click here for video)
- Make the filling—in a large mixing bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract together until combined. Cover the filling with saran wrap and refrigerate between 6-24 hours to allow the flavors to develop.
- Once the filling is ready, roll out your chilled pie dough on a floured work surface until it’s about 12 inches in diameter. Once it’s the appropriate diameter, place into a 9 inch pie dish, crimping the crust around the plate. Use a slotted spoon to spread the cherries into the crust, reserving the juices. Refrigerate the pie uncovered.
- While the pie refrigerates, pour several tablespoons of the remaining juice into a saucepan on low heat and cook until it is slightly thickened. Allow the cherry juice reduction to cool, then pour over the cherry filling. Place the small cubes of butter on top of the filling and preheat the oven to 400F degrees.
- While the oven preheats, roll out the second disc of chilled pie dough into a 12-inch diameter and use a pastry wheel to cut the dough into 4 strips that are 2 inches wide and 2 strips that are 1 inch wide. Thread the strips over and under one another, creating a lattice pattern. Press the edges of the strips of the pie crust together and flute or crimp the edges with a fork. Brush the top with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 375F and bake an additional 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the juices are hot and bubbling. If the edges seem to be browning too quickly, loosely cover with aluminum foil or use a pie crust shield.
- Remove the pie from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack, and allow to cool for at least 4 hours before serving 18.Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream.
