Sweet Cherry Pie
Discover the ultimate cherry pie stuffed with 2 pounds of perfectly sweet and tart cherries! The filling is juicy, thick, and jammy (never watery or gummy), balanced by a hint of lemon, spices, almond, and vanilla, and stuffed in a buttery golden crust. Our step-by-step guide with detailed photos and tips ensures a gorgeous, foolproof lattice top and a perfectly sliceable, pie every time!
Servings 8 10 hours
Ingredients
- 2 recipes Homemade Pie Crust (1 for bottom crust and 1 for lattice top)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp EACH ground allspice, ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 2 lbs. fresh sweet cherries, pitted (weigh before pitting) *See Notes
- 1½ tablespoons lemon juice
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1½ tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- Egg wash: 1 egg beaten with 1 TB heavy cream (may 1 TB sub milk)
- Optional: Coarse raw sugar for sprinkling on crust
Instructions
- Prepare Pie Crust: Follow this recipe and prepare one pie crust (the bottom crust) through ROLL DOUGH: Step 2 (folding overhanging dough onto the edges of the pie pan). Prepare the second pie crust through MAKE DOUGH: Step 6 (refrigerating the disc).
- Make the Cherry Filling: In a large bowl, mix the sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and salt. Cut half of the cherries into halves and the rest into quarters. Stir in the cherries, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract into the sugar mixture until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate while you prep the lattice top or up to 24 hours.
- Roll Out Dough for Lattice Top: Place a large piece of parchment paper on a baking sheet and generously dust with flour. Roll the dough disc into a rough 12x10-inch rectangle on the parchment paper. At this point, I cover and freeze the dough (on the baking sheet) for 20-30 minutes for easier/cleaner slices.
- Make Lattice Strips: After chilling, use a ruler and a pizza cutter, pastry wheel, or sharp knife to cut the dough into 1-inch-wide strips. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for up to 24 hours for MUCH easier-to-handle lattices. When you're ready to use the lattices, finish the cherry filling first:
- Thicken Cherry Juice: Transfer 1/3 cup of the juice from the cherry mixture (or 1/4 cup if that’s all there is) to a small saucepan. Cook over low heat until the juice has thickened to the consistency of thick syrup, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes; set aside.
- Add Cherry Filling to the Pie: Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries to the pie crust. Pour the thickened juices over the cherries and stir to combine (it will be thick but will thin in the oven). Dot the pieces of butter evenly over the top.
- Weave the Lattice Top (See Post for Photos): If the strips become too stiff to work with, let them rest on the counter for 10 minutes or so. Start by laying four horizontal strips evenly spaced over the pie. Fold the first and third horizontal strips back and place a vertical strip on the left side. Unfold the first and third strips over the perpendicular strip and fold the second and fourth strip back. Add a second perpendicular strip, then unfold the second and fourth strip. Repeat the process with two more perpendicular strips for a total of eight strips, four running in each direction.
- Make the Edges: Press the edges of the strips into the edges of the crust to seal. Flute, crimp, or create whatever edge design you prefer. Lightly brush the entire crust and lattice top with the egg wash. Sprinkle the top with coarse sugar.
- Refrigerate: Chill the unbaked pie for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Don’t skip this step—it will help the crust not shrink.
- Bake: Bake the pie at 400°F for 20 minutes. After this initial baking period, cover the edges of the crust with a pie shield or foil to avoid over-browning. Lower the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking for another 30-40 minutes, until the filling juices have bubbled through the lattice vents for at least 5 minutes.
- Cool: Transfer the pie to a cooling rack for 4 hours before slicing. We love to warm our slices for about 10 seconds in the microwave and serve with vanilla ice cream - yum!
Video
Notes
- This cherry pitter makes pitting cherries quick and easy for snacking and desserts like this!
- Frozen Cherry Option: When using frozen cherries, it's best to slice them while they're still frozen. Then, toss them with the sugar mixture ingredients and allow them to thaw in the fridge. Remember to adjust the sugar based on whether you're using sweet or sour cherries.
- Storage: Let the pie cool completely before tightly covering it with foil or plastic wrap. Store at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For more extended storage, refrigerate the pie for up to 5 days. Whether the pie is at room temperature or refrigerated, we like to warm individual servings in the microwave for 10 seconds.
Prep and Make Ahead Instructions
- Pie dough: The pie discs can be covered in plastic wrap and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Alternatively, make the dough through rolling it out and placing it in the pan. At this point, it can be covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Cherries: You can pit the cherries up to 2 days in advance. Transfer the cherries and any juices to the sugar mixture when ready to use. Alternatively, you can make the cherry mixture up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerate or freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw the mixture, then proceed to thicken the juice per recipe instructions.
- Complete Pie: Bake and cool the pie, then cover and store at room temperature for up to one day. Baked pie can also be frozen for up to three months and thawed overnight in the refrigerator. Allow the pie to come to room temperature before serving, or reheat individual servings in the microwave for 10 seconds or so.