Cherry Pie Recipe

This sweet and sour cherry pie has a heavenly cherry filling covered with a perfectly golden, buttery crust. It’s a budget-friendly dessert made with simple ingredients, but doesn’t skimp on the elegant flavors!

After perfecting this keto cherry pie, I knew I needed to make the traditional version to match. Introducing the perfect dessert for summer: classic cherry pie!

This simple cherry pie recipe looks and tastes elegant, but is surprisingly easy to make with fresh, frozen, or canned cherries and simple baking staples. Bring your freshly baked pie to the summer picnic or potluck, or enjoy it as a post-barbecue dessert. Everyone will get a kick out of the tart cherry filling and buttery crust!

Table of Contents

1. Why this recipe works
2. Ingredients needed
3. How to make cherry pie
4. Tips to make the best recipe
5. Storage instructions
6. Recommended tools to make this recipe
7. More homemade pies to try
8. Frequently asked questions
9. Cherry Pie Recipe

Why this recipe works

Making a cherry pie from scratch is easier than you may think. And just like my blueberry pie, every slice showcases seasonal summer fruit wrapped in a buttery pastry.

• Tart and gooey cherry filling. The star of the show here is, of course, the cherry filling. The cherries are cooked down in a saucepan on the stove, then stirred with lemon juice, cinnamon, almond extract, and cornstarch until it takes on a heavenly gooey consistency. 
• Your choice of cherries. While fresh cherries are the best choice during summer, you can make this crowd-pleasing pie year-round with either frozen or canned cherries (we do this in a clafoutis, too!).
• Easy ingredients. Similar to a crosata, despite the elegant presentation and flavors, this cherry pie recipe is easy to put together with a handful of budget-friendly and easy-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients needed

You need a short list of straightforward ingredients to make this impressive dessert. Using store-bought pie dough and canned cherries makes it even easier! Here’s what you need:

For the pie crust:

• Pie crust dough. Any 9-inch store-bought pie dough works well here. You can also make the crust yourself or use my keto pie crust.
• Egg. The egg is beaten, then brushed over the pie dough to encourage browning.
• Water. For the egg wash.

For the cherry pie filling:

• Cherries. You can use fresh, canned, or frozen (thawed) pitted cherries. If using canned cherries, drain and reserve the cherry juice.
• Sugar. Granulated white sugar is best.
• Lemon juice. The acid from the lemon juice helps balance the tartness from the cherries in the filling and brightens up every bite.
• Cornstarch. To thicken the cherry filling.
• Almond extract. This adds a hint of nuttiness to the filling. Feel free to leave it out if you have an aversion to nuts.
• Cinnamon. To add a subtle warmth to the cherry filling. You can also add nutmeg, cardamom, or other warm spices you like.

How to make cherry pie

This recipe starts by making the gooey cherry filling before it’s poured into the pie crust and baked to golden perfection. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1 – Simmer the cherries

Add the cherries, some of the cherry juice, and sugar to a saucepan on the stove, and bring it up to a simmer. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved.

Step 2 – Finish the cherry filling

Make a cornstarch slurry by stirring the cornstarch, lemon juice, and reserved cherry juice in a small bowl. Stir the slurry, along with the cinnamon and almond extract, into the cherry filling until it becomes gel-like.

Take the pot with the cherries off of the heat and set it aside to cool completely.

Step 3 – Prepare the crust

Roll out one piece of pie dough into a circle that’s slightly larger than your pie plate. Lay the rolled-out dough into the pie plate, making sure that the excess dough is hanging over the sides.

Step 4 – Assemble

Pour the cherry filling into the crust. Roll out the second piece of dough and cut it into 1-inch thick strips. Lay the strips on top of the cherry filling to make a lattice wave.

Step 5 – Add the egg wash

Beat the egg with the water in a bowl. Brush it over the crust, then top with coarse sugar (optional).

Step 6 – Bake

Bake the cherry pie at 425ºF for 10 minutes, then lower the heat. Cover the pie with a layer of foil in the last 10 minutes to prevent the crust from becoming too dark.

Take the pie out of the oven and set it aside to cool before slicing and serving. Enjoy!

Tips to make the best recipe

• Fresh and bright red cherries will look the best in this pie! But it will still taste great if you use frozen or canned cherries instead.
• If you’re making the pie with frozen cherries, make sure to thaw them ahead of time. Drain the excess water but save the cherry juice.
• To prevent the pie crust from shrinking, fold and crimp the excess pie dough and lattice strips under the edges.
• Did you run out of cherries? Feel free to bulk up the filling with chopped strawberries or rhubarb.
• You can repurpose the cherry filling as a topping for cheesecake!
• For the ultimate dessert, serve each slice of cherry pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, coconut ice cream, or whipped cream. 

Storage instructions

To make ahead: Roll out the pie dough and lay it on the pie plate up to 5 days in advance. Keep it covered and in the fridge until it’s time to make the pie.

To store: The leftover baked and cooled pie should be covered and stored in the fridge. This way, it will stay fresh for up to 2 weeks.

To freeze: Keep the leftovers in an airtight container and freeze for up to 6 months.

Recommended tools to make this recipe

• Saucepan. To simmer the cherries on the stovetop.
• 9-inch pie plate. Used to hold and bake the pie dough and filling.
• Pastry brush. To brush the egg wash all over the pie crust.

More homemade pies to try

• Vegan Pecan Pie
• Keto Pumpkin Pie
• Lemon Meringue Pie
• Vegan Banoffee Pie
• Keto Key Lime Pie
• Coconut Cream Pie

Frequently asked questions