Cherry pie is such a classic dessert. Whether you use sour, sweet, or a mixture of both (like I do) this recipe always hits the spot. Pair this with some vanilla ice cream and it becomes a great way to finish a meal.Â
My father is a fan of sour cherry pie. I love some sour foods but with my cherry pie I want just a touch more sweetness. What I came up with was a nice blending of the two by using both cherries. The tartness still comes through but it is just a little muted. Then you have the added bonus of vanilla ice cream to balance out the flavors perfectly.Â
What cherries to use for cherry pie
The cherries used in this recipe all boil down to your particular tastes. If you love a good sour cherry pie then feel free to use all sour cherries. If you would prefer a sweeter pie then you can use all dark sweet cherries. Otherwise you can experiment which combination of both you prefer. I personally go for about a half and half ratio.
While fresh cherries are wonderful to use for a pie this recipe calls for pounds of them. I absolutely refuse to pit that many cherries for a single pie. Frozen cherries are the way to go in this recipe. They will save you all kinds of time but more importantly freezing fruits and veggies helps break down the food a little by the ice crystals forming within the fruit. This makes it softer and able to cook more quickly.Â
The cherries will release all of that water and you don’t want to throw it out since so much of the flavor is there. You cannot however bake a cherry pie without cooking the cherries first. If you do you will end up with a very soggy pie. The best way to combat this is to let some of the water cook off before adding the cornstarch. That means you don’t have to keep heaping cornstarch into the filling.Â
The amount of dough used in this recipe is enough to make a double crust pie. However if you are planning on making a lattice then you will be getting rid of a lot of the top layer. In order to avoid waste you can make little shapes out of the dough to place on top or decorate the rim of the pie plate before baking. However you want to make sure that the cherry filling is completely cool and the pie dough is cold before you fill it. Otherwise the butter will start melting and the dough will be tough.Â
Easy Homemade Cherry Pie
Equipment
- 10 inch pie pan
- Spatula
- Saucepan
- Rolling Pin
- Knife
- Lined cookie sheet optional
Ingredients
- 2 short crust pastry dough
- 3 lbs cherries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 3 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
Making the filling
- In a large sauce pan on medium heat, heat the cherries with both sugars. The cherries will release a lot of water. Stir to keep the cherries on the bottom from scorching. Some of the smaller cherries might break down. Cook for 10 minutes. While the cherries are cooking make a slurry with the lemon juice and cornstarch. Add the cornstarch slurry to the cherries and bring to a boil. Cook until the mixture thickens.
- Remove from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl and cool to room temperature.
Preparing the crust
- While the filling is cooling roll out one of the disks of dough into a thin circle. Line the pin pan and place back in the refrigerator to cool.
Assemble the pie
- Preheat the oven to 350°F or gas mark 4.
- Remove the pie pan from the refrigerator along with the other disk of dough. Fill the pie pan with the filling and top with either a lattice or the other disc of thinly rolled dough. If you are not using a lattice make sure to cut vents into the top of the dough. Trim the dough and style the edges as desired.
- Place the pie on the lined cookie sheet. Cook for an hour or until the crust is golden brown. Remove and let cool before slicing.
Oh my, I ate almost half of the pie, it was so delicious. Perfect dessert for any summer parties. Can’t wait to make this again for my family.
Amazing recipe! I love that it is easy to prepare and with few ingredients. Will try making it over the weekend for our family picnic.
What an incredibly gorgeous pie! That lattice top is just perfectly done, and I am so impressed with how well the cherry filling stays put after the pie is cut. This would seriously be the perfect dessert for a summer party.
I need to buy cherries to make your beautiful pie. It’s perfect for this coming Fourth of July!
Your photos have my mouth watering! I’m making this pie next weekend for a get-together. I’ll let you know how it goes!
Wow! This cherry pie looks incredibly yummy! It’s overloaded with flavor and taste with every bite! Plus it just looks so perfect! This will gonna be an instant favorite! Loved it!
This is the first cherry pie I have made that was very similar to my grandmothers, and it was so good . Thanks for an easy to follow recipe .
I always opt for a homemade fruit filling and this looks absolutely fabulous! I wish I had a slice right now…perfect for Independence day!
You had me at cherry! The first of the BC cherries have hit the stores and pie is most definitely on the menu for Canada Day long weekend. There’s nothing as delicious as a cherry pie from scratch.
Cherry season in Ontario is just around the corner. The perfect place for these seasonal gems. Always a dessert delight.
It has been such a long time since I have made homemade cherry pie filling. What a classic dessert! Your pie looks scrumptious!
This is a perfect dessert to make for our pool party this weekend.
It’s delicious and easy!