Is there anything that says summer quite like cherry pie?? Yeah, I didn't think so. It's a little sweet, a little tangy, and so so good! This cherry pie has homemade flaky, buttery pie crust and is filled with a fresh cherry filling. Serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream for the perfect summer dessert!
You might also like these black forest cupcakes or cherry macarons!
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Ingredient Notes
You just need a few simple ingredients to make the best ever cherry pie!!
- Homemade Pie Crust - I use my homemade flaky pie crust for this cherry pie, but you can use whatever homemade pie crust you prefer.
- Cherries - I love using fresh cherries for the filling, but frozen work well too! If using fresh cherries, I highly recommend using a cherry pitter to remove the pits.
- Cornstarch - We use cornstarch to help thicken the crust, but you can also substitute flour or clear jel. This is a great guide for making those substitutions!
The complete list of ingredients and amounts is located in the recipe card below.
Tip: Pre-cook the filling!
I think we can all agree that runny, soggy fruit pies are the worst! My number one tip for making sure your cherry pie isn't runny, is to pre-cook the filling! It only takes about 15 minutes and makes all the difference! You can also make the filling a day or two ahead of time and just keep it in the fridge until you're ready to assemble.
This recipe was developed using fresh cherries, but you can also use frozen if that's all you can find. However, if you use frozen cherries, you definitely need to pre-cook the filling!
In a large pot over medium heat, combine the cherries, sugar, and cornstarch. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cherries begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Allow to cool completely to room temperature before filling the pie crust.
My most important note with pre-cooked filling however is that you want it to be completely room temperature before you assemble the pie! If it's too hot, it will melt the butter in the crust too soon and if it's too cold, it won't heat up all the way through in the oven.
How to make perfect pie crust every time!
I use my Perfect Pie Crust recipe for this cherry pie and it's jam-packed with tons of tips and photos! It's a long post but definitely worth checking out if you want to learn to make amazing pie crust every time!
Prepare the Pie Crust dough and place in the fridge to chill while you make the filling. You can also make it a day or two before and let it chill until it's time to bake the pie!
Let the pie chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes before baking. While the pie is chilling, preheat the oven to 425°F.
Before baking, lightly brush the top of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar if desired.
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350°F for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the edges of the crust start to get too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remainder of baking.
For best results, let the pie cool completely and then chill for 1-2 hours to let the filling fully set.
Serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream and enjoy!
Tips for the Best Pie!
For all my pie recipes, I like to use my classic flaky pie crust! I have a whole blog post with tons of tips and tricks for perfect pie crust, but the most important are listed below. Be sure to check out the rest of our pie recipes too!
Keep it cold! The secret to a super flaky pie crust is keeping the dough cold at every step. Use cold butter and cold water while making the dough, and try to keep the dough as cold as possible while working with it. I often refrigerate my pies for at least 10-20 minutes after each step so that the dough stays as cold as possible. You want very cold dough going into a very hot oven for the best results!
Use a metal pie pan! Not all pie pans are created equal! Most pie pans on the market are either metal, glass, or ceramic. Overall, metal pie pans are the best of the best because they keep the crust very crispy and they're also the most durable and affordable. A fun alternative to classic aluminum pie pans that yields the same results is a cast iron skillet! I know ceramic pie plates certainly are pretty, but unfortunately the bottom crust just never gets crispy so I just don't recommend them.
Brush the crust with egg wash before baking! Brushing the crust with an egg was (just a beaten whole egg) before baking, gives a beautiful, glossy, golden brown appearance! For savory pies I like to sprinkle with flaky sea salt and for dessert pies I like to sprinkle with sparkling sugar.
Par bake for extra crispy crust! For pies with more runny fillings (like a berry pie or custard based pie), par baking the crust before filling helps ensure a super crispy bottom! It also helps prevent overcooking the filling. Place a piece of parchment paper or heavy duty aluminum foil inside the pie crust and fill with pie weights. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Carefully lift the parchment paper and pie weights then return the pie crust to the oven to bake for another 5 minutes or until the bottom of the crust is just beginning to brown.
Let it rest! Letting the pie rest for a bit after removing from the oven helps the filling thicken up and prevents a runny pie. For pies that you want to eat immediately while they're still hot, it's still best to let it rest for 20-30 minutes before cutting so that the filling can thicken up slightly. But for fruit pies or custard pies, letting the pie rest for at least 4-6 hours is ideal!
Recipe FAQ's
This pie is best eaten the same day, but will keep covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.
This happens when the pie isn't cooked long enough, or there wasn't enough thickening agent added. But if you pre-cook the filling, you'll never have a runny pie again!
Tips for Success!
For best results I always recommend using weight measurements (especially when baking) because it's the most accurate. Kitchen scales are super affordable and also reduce the number of dishes you have to do! However, all my recipes also include US customary measurements for convince. Use this chart to convert measurements for common ingredients!
Substitutions: In all my recipes, I've included substitutions that I know will work, but I cannot guarantee results if you substitute ingredients that I have not recommended. [For example, granulated sugar and honey are indeed both sweeteners but they have very different properties so they can not always be swapped 1:1. Using honey in a cookie recipe that calls for granulated sugar will yield a giant mess.] In the recipe card you'll find links to the specific ingredients/brands that I use.
A note on salt: I almost exclusively use Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt because it's the best all-purpose salt for cooking and baking. If you're not using kosher salt, consult this handy guide for a conversion chart! When in doubt, if you're using table salt just reduce the amount by half for baked goods. When cooking, I prefer to under-salt because you can always add more! If you've over-salted, adding a little bit of acid (like lemon juice) can help.
More Recipes You Might Like!
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Recipe Card
Cherry Pie
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 homemade pie crust
- 5-6 cups fresh cherries, pitted (substitute frozen cherries)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 egg, beaten for egg wash
- sparkling sugar , optional
Instructions
- Prepare the pie crust dough and place in the fridge to chill while you make the filling.
- In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the cherries, sugar, salt, and cornstarch. Cook, stirring frequently, until the cherries begin to break down and the filling starts to simmer and thicken, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
- Allow to cool completely to room temperature before filling the pie crust. [My most important note with pre-cooked filling however is that you want it to be completely room temperature before you assemble the pie! If it's too hot, it will melt the butter in the crust too soon and if it's too cold, it won't heat up all the way through in the oven.]
- Lightly flour your counter-top and roll out half of the pie dough to ¼ inch thick and about 2 inches wider than your pie pan. Roll the pie crust into the pie pan and cut away any excess crust and crimp, curl, or decorate the edges however you like! Place the pie pan back in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- Roll out the top crust and cut into 2 inch wide strips (or keep it in one piece, you do you).
- Pour the cooled filling into the bottom crust and top with the strips in a lattice pattern. Place the pie back in the fridge to chill again while the oven is heating.
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Lightly brush the top of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle with sparkling sugar if desired.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350°F for 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly. If the edges of the crust start to get too brown, cover with aluminum foil for the remainder of baking.
- For best results, let the pie cool completely and then chill for 1-2 hours to let the filling fully set.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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