Cherry Pie
The best pie I’ve ever made! You’ll make your own crust and cook down the cherry filling on the stove before assembling the pie. Not-too-sweet and perfect for the summer.
Full recipe + printable recipe card below. Enjoy!
Ingredients
Pie crust
2½ cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 teaspoons sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 sticks salted butter, very cold and cut into ½-inch cubes
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
Filling
6 cups (30 ounces) frozen pitted dark sweet cherries
⅓ cup sugar, or more as needed
¼ cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or more as needed
1 tablespoon cold salted butter, cut into small pieces
Egg wash
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Instructions:
Make the pie crust: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and toss to coat in the flour. Using your fingers, pinch the butter into the flour until the mixture has a sandy texture with some pea-sized pieces and some larger flat pieces of butter throughout.
Add 6 tablespoons of the ice water and gently mix with a fork or your hands until the dough starts to come together. If it still feels dry and crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, just until the dough holds together when squeezed.
Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and gently press it together. Divide in half, shape each half into a disc, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
Make the filling: To a medium pot, add the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, almond extract, and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the cherries release their juices and the mixture begins to bubble and thicken slightly, 8 to 12 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice. Taste and add more sugar and/or lemon juice as needed. (This will depend on the sweetness of the cherries.)
Remove from the heat and let the filling cool until just warm or room temperature. The filling will continue to thicken as it cools.
Preheat the oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disc of dough into a 12-inch round. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish and gently press into the bottom and sides. Spoon the cooled cherry filling into the crust and dot the top with the butter.
Roll out the second disc of dough and place it over the filling or cut it into strips and make a lattice. Trim and crimp the edges.
Make the egg wash: In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water. Brush the top crust with the egg wash. Cut a few vents in the top if not using a lattice.
Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F and continue baking until the crust is deeply golden, 30 to 40 minutes.
Let cool for at least 2 hours before slicing, or until the filling is fully set.
Prep time: 45 minutes | Total time: 2 hours, plus 1 hour for chilling the crust and 2 hours for cooling the pie
Serves 8