Cherry Pie Recipe

Homemade Cherry Pie

Making a homemade pie is something you can do anytime throughout the year, depending on the season. In the fall, of course, there’s Dutch apple pie, in the spring and summer, we’re all about stone fruit and fresh berry pies, then of course in the winter we’ve got pumpkin pie!

There’s nothing more nostalgic and heart-warming than an easy homemade pie made right from scratch. Or with a few shortcuts if you’re short on time!

This classic cherry pie is one of my family’s favorite summer treats and it makes the perfect dessert for 4th of July. It’s made with a simple cherry pie filling, bursting with the flavors of sweet juicy cherries, inside a buttery flaky pie crust. It’s got the perfect balance of sweet and tart and despite all that it offers, it really is a fuss-free, humble pie.

Remember that you’ll need to chill the dough for at least 1 hour or overnight, so just be prepared for that. Then it’s smooth sailing!

Recipe Ingredients

Stock up on extra cherries and use them to make cherry pie bars next!

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

• All-purpose flour: You’re going to want to take great care to measure your flour correctly. This will have an impact on how your pie crust turns out! All-purpose flour is a great choice of flour as it is neutral in taste, holds its structure, and still allows for a light flaky texture.
• Salt: Brings out the flavor in the crust. Otherwise, it would be pretty bland since we’re also using unsalted butter.
• Unsalted butter: Do not remove it from the fridge until just before using it. It needs to be chilled and cut into cubes. Cold butter and cold water are key in achieving a beautiful flaky, buttery crust.
• Ice cold water: This will be added to the flour and butter to help form it into a cohesive dough. Again, it needs to be ice-cold so that it doesn’t melt the butter.
• For the filling: Cornstarch, water, pitted cherries, sugar, and freshly squeezed lemon juice. My recipe for homemade cherry filling has all the details and tips on how to use it for more than just pie.

Variations

I love to make a homemade easy homemade pie crust when I have the time. I also have an all butter pie crust and it is another go-to crust recipe.

However, if a store-bought crust is what you want to use, you certainly can.

You can also alter the flavor of your pie filling if you want. Add a bit of cinnamon for warmth, vanilla extract, or almond extract for a taste enhancement.

Although this recipe for cherry pie is from scratch, I won’t tell anyone if you decide to use a canned pie filling instead. I know how busy life can get, so you do you!

• Bring the cherries to a boil. Combined cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch slurry in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Thicken the cherry mixture. Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low to simmer for 10 minutes. Stir frequently until the sauce thickens and the cherries have softened. Cool the filling.
• Make the pie dough. In a large bowl, stir the flour and salt. Use a pastry cutter to cut the cold butter cubes into the flour until coarse crumbs form. You can use a food processor for this if preferred. Add 1 Tablespoon of cold water at a time until it becomes a dough ball. Cut the dough in half, form each one into 1” disk, and wrap each portion in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour.
• Lay dough into a pie plate. Bring chilled dough to room temperature for a few minutes then use a rolling pin to roll out one of the pie disks on a well-floured surface. It should be about 1/4” thick and large enough to fit a 9” pie dish. Carefully add it to the pie pan and use your fingers to create ridges if desired. Repeat with the other disk. Leave it whole or cut it into strips for a top lattice crust.
• Add filling. Pour prepared cherry filling into the crust. Add the top crust and fold any excess dough into the edges of the bottom crust. Place on a baking sheet and place in preheated 400°F oven.
• Add top crust and bake. Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and bake for another 30-40 minutes. The top crust should be nice and golden brown and the juices from the filling should be bubbling up.

Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely (at least 3 hours) to let the filling set. Serve with homemade vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream, and enjoy!

Tips for Making the Best Cherry Pie

• Use a cherry pitter. It makes the process of removing the pits easier, and cleaner!
• Do not add too much water to the dough, otherwise, it becomes sticky. This is why we use only 1 Tablespoon at a time and stop once the dough has formed.
• The dough must be chilled before using it so that the butter has a chance to solidify once more.
• You will need to bring it to room temperature for about 20 minutes so that it’s easy to work with.
• If you notice the crust browning too quickly as it bakes, cover the edges with foil.
• To make the crust pop with a beautiful golden color, brush the edges of the top crust with an egg wash for the last 10 minutes of baking. Some people even like to sprinkle a bit of coarse sugar on top!
• If possible, use a glass dish. This makes it much easier to see the bottom crust to know when it’s baked until golden.

Storing

Keep leftover pie stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To freeze it, allow it to cool completely. Wrap it in plastic wrap and keep it frozen in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Bring it to room temperature before serving, or warm it slightly in the microwave.