There’s nothing like a fresh Cherry Pie bubbling through a rich, flaky crust. Learn how to make the best cherry pie from scratch with our easy, go-to Pie Crust and fresh or frozen cherries.

Homemade pies are easy to make and so satisfying to eat. We change up the fruit with the seasons and make Apple Pie in the cooler months, then Blueberry Pie, juicy Peach Pie and of course this sweet cherry pie in Summer.

Baked Homemade Cherry Pie with Lattice crust

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy.

Homemade Cherry Pie

Memories are made around homemade pies and there’s something so satisfying about creating a pie from scratch. The only downside to a homemade pie is in waiting for it to cool before enjoying it. For easier serving, let the pie cool almost to room temperature so the juices thicken. If you slice into a hot pie, the filling will slide out.

Don’t forget to top each slice with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. It will melt slightly into the slice, making it irresistibly good.

Watch How to Make Cherry Pie

If you enjoyed this Cherry Pie video tutorial, you can check out all of our video recipes on our Youtube Channel. I hope you’re pumped and inspired to bake your own cherry pie while cherries are in season, or you can use frozen when the craving strikes (see instructions below).

Homemade Cherry Pie Slice on a plate topped with vanilla ice cream

Ingredients for Cherry Pie

  • Cherries – we love sweet red cherries here but you can use a variety of cherries and even a combination of different cherries.
  • Lemon juice – balances the sweetness and adds some juiciness to the filling
  • Sugar – amps up the natural sweetness of the cherries. You can adjust sugar to taste depending on the sweetness of your cherries.
  • Corn Starch – helps to thicken the cherry pie filling
  • Butter – we use unsalted butter to dot the cherry pie filling before applying the crust.
  • Pie Crust – you will need two disks or 1 recipe for Pie Dough, to make the base and lattice top.
Ingredients for sweet cherry pie, sour cherry pie or frozen cherry pie

Variations

  • Frozen Cherries – cherries from the freezer work great since they are already pitted. Make sure frozen cherries are well thawed. Lightly rinse them and let them sit in a colander to drain well. Use 2 1/2 lbs of frozen cherries for this recipe.
  • For a Sour Cherry Pie – Since sour cherries are generally smaller, you will need about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs (or 6 cups, pitted) sour cherries. Since sour cherries are more tart, use 1 cup of sugar.

How to Transfer a Pie Crust to the Pan

Transferring pie crust to a pie pan is easy. Flour your work surface before rolling out the dough to prevent sticking.

  1. Roll the first pie crust to a 13″ diameter circle
  2. Roll the crust onto your rolling pin
  3. Unroll crust over your deep dish pie pan
Step by step how to transfer a pie crust to the pan

The Best Cherry Pie Filling

A homemade cherry pie filling is easy to make and takes just a few ingredients. The cornstarch creates a thick bubbly cherry filling while the cinnamon and lemon juice amplifies the flavor of the cherries. The resulting filling is bubbly and saucy like our Cherry Sauce.

  1. Stir together cherries and lemon juice.
  2. Whisk together cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon and combine with cherries.
Making cherry pie filling by whisking dry ingredients then stirring into pitted cherries

How to Make a Lattice Crust

Here’s a quick visual reference for making a lattice pie crust for cherry pie. I still use this visual reference when making pie because I can move through the steps at my own pace.

  1. Place 5 strips of dough horizontally over the pie filling, with the longer strips in the center and shorter strips towards the edges.
  2. Fold back the 2nd and 4th strips halfway and place a long vertical strip of dough in the center.
  3. Fold the strips back over the new line then fold back the alternate strips (1st, 3rd, and 5th). Continue adding and alternating strips then switch to the other side of the pie, until the lattice is complete.
Step by step photos of how to make a lattice pie crust

How to Crimp Pie Crust

Your fingers are all you need to make a beautiful crimped or scalloped pie crust.

  1. Tuck in excess dough behind the bottom pie crust.
  2. Crimp the crust edges by pushing the dough out with your index finger and at the same time pushing/pinching the dough around it with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand
  3. Repeat all the way around the edge.
How to crimp a pie crust for cherry pie

Pro Tips for the Best Cherry Pie

  • Freeze the unbaked pie 10-15 minutes while the oven preheats (keeps crust from browning too fast).
  • Brush the pie crust with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp milk or water) and sprinkle with coarse sugar just before baking.
  • Arrange oven rack to the lower third of the oven.
  • For easier cleanup: place a sheet of foil (or slide a sheet pan) under the pie once you turn the heat down to 350˚F.
Pie ready for the oven and where to bake a cherry pie in the oven on lower third rack

I hope you take full advantage of cherry season with your own homemade cherry pie. Cherries have to be my favorite stone fruit and I’ve always loved them fresh and especially baked into desserts. From the flaky buttery crust to the juicy cherries that burst with every bite – this pie has your name written all over it!

Classic Cherry Pie recipe baked with a lattice top

More Cherry Recipes

We are wild about cherry recipes and take full advantage of those juicy sweet cherries in Summer. These are a must-try:

Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Classic Cherry Pie Recipe

4.97 from 154 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
Homemade cherry pie baked with lattice crust
There's nothing like a homemade Cherry Pie bubbling through a rich, flaky crust. Learn how to make the best cherry pie from scratch with our easy, go-to Pie Crust and fresh or frozen cherries.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour
Dough Cooling Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 8 people

Cherry Pie Ingredients:

Egg Wash:

Instructions

  • Make pie crusts and refrigerate 1 hour before using. Arrange oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 5 Tbsp corn starch and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
  • Pit cherries and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Sprinkle on sugar/cornstarch mixture and stir together until evenly moist.
  • Roll the first pie crust disk into a 13" circle and transfer to a 9" wide, deep pie pan. The edges should hang a little over the edge of the pan. Pour the cherry mixture over the bottom crust along with any accumulated juices. Dot with Butter.
  • Roll the second crust into a 12" circle and use a pizza cutter to slice into ten 1-inch strips. Using the 10 strips of dough, create a lattice crust over the top (see photo tutorial on Natasha's Kitchen). Tuck in the excess dough at edges then pinch the edges to seal or crimp edges if desired. Refrigerate pie 30 minutes (or freeze 15 minutes) while preheating oven to 425˚F.
  • Beat together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp milk or water and brush the egg wash over the lattice crust and edges. Sprinkle the top with 1 Tbsp coarse sugar. Bake in the lower third of the oven at 425 ˚F for 25 minutes.
  • Place a sheet of foil or baking sheet beneath the pie, reduce oven temperature to 350˚F, and bake additional 30-35 minutes, or until crust is golden and cherry juice is bubbling through the lattice top.

Nutrition Per Serving

317kcal Calories55g Carbs3g Protein10g Fat3g Saturated Fat24mg Cholesterol122mg Sodium263mg Potassium3g Fiber34g Sugar140IU Vitamin A8mg Vitamin C26mg Calcium1.1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Classic Cherry Pie Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
317
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
10
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Cholesterol
 
24
mg
8
%
Sodium
 
122
mg
5
%
Potassium
 
263
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
 
55
g
18
%
Fiber
 
3
g
13
%
Sugar
 
34
g
38
%
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
140
IU
3
%
Vitamin C
 
8
mg
10
%
Calcium
 
26
mg
3
%
Iron
 
1.1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cherry pie
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 317

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

Read more posts by Natasha

Leave a Comment

Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Samantha
    March 14, 2024

    Hi! For step 5 (refrigerate pie for 30 min) can it be longer than that? maybe a few hours? or would that affect the baking?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      March 14, 2024

      Hi Samantha! Yes, you can refrigerate it longer if you’d like. It may require a few additional minutes to bake the colder it is but keep an eye on it in the oven to check for doneness.

      Reply

  • Holly
    February 9, 2024

    When baking a frozen unbaked fruit pie, should you thaw the pie first or put in the oven frozen?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 9, 2024

      Hi Holly. I do not thaw it, I bake it from frozen.

      Reply

  • Penni Yager
    February 9, 2024

    Ugh! I added the sugar to the cherries before i whisked with the corn starch and cinnamon. Is that why my pie didn’t thicken? It’s runny cherry juice

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      February 9, 2024

      Hi Penni! Did you use frozen cherries? If so, be sure to fully thaw them and let them sit in a strainer to drain the extra juices. The cornstarch should still work. You’ll want to fully preheat the oven before you start baking the pie, it could have needed to bake longer. The filling needs to bubble so that it can thicken. It will also thicken more as it cools. I hope that helps. You can also add more cornstarch if needed next time.

      Reply

  • Dean
    January 23, 2024

    This recipe did not work at all. All of the juices came out of the pie and stuck to the pan and foil. It did not thicken up at all while baking and took much longer than recipe said and none of the cherries cooked down.
    I have made a cherry pie before and have always cooked down the cherries and thickened them on the stove. I should have not taken the ‘easy’ recipe. Very disappointed in flavor and clean-up.

    Reply

    • Natasha
      January 23, 2024

      Hi Dean, I’m sorry to hear that. It sounds like maybe your pie pan was too small if all of the juices came out. This recipe needs a deep pie pan.

      Reply

    • Anna
      March 13, 2024

      I had the same experience except I used a deep pie pan, it didn’t run over, but the juice didn’t thicken at all and I ended up with a horrible scald on my hand from all of the liquid sloshing out when I removed it from the oven. This was supposed to be for a surprise party for a friend and was an enormous disappointment.

      Reply

      • Natasha
        March 13, 2024

        HI Anna, that sounds awful. I always recommend using oven mitts when transferring hot things in and out of the oven to keep your hands safe. Usually the pie thickens up as it cools and that is the case with most fruit pies, but I haven’t had it happen where it doesn’t thicken at all. I would suggest not removing the pie from the oven until you see thick juices bubbling out of the crust per the recipe instructions and make sure not to reduce the amount of corn starch which is the primary ingredient that thickens up the sauce. I hope that is helpful to you. Also, make sure to bake for the full time for a total of 55-60 minutes starting on the higher temperature then reducing and double check that your oven is heating properly.

        Reply

  • Matt
    December 23, 2023

    Please get rid of some of the ads. They pop up so fast and there are so many of them, I can’t navigate the page.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 23, 2023

      Thank you for sharing your concerns and feedback. The only way we can continue providing free recipes is by having ads on our site, so we are not able to remove those at this time. We find that most people would rather see the ads than pay to see the recipes. But we will definitely take note of your feedback and use it to improve our website.

      I appreciate your feedback, and I hope you love every recipe you try.

      Reply

  • Christina Hernandez
    December 21, 2023

    Hi! I used your apple pie recipe for Thanksgiving and it was a big hit! I really want to try this cherry pie recipe. Can I use canned cherries?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 21, 2023

      Hi Christina, we prefer this with fresh cherry and haven’t experimented with canned cherry to advise. If you experiment with canned, please let us know how you like it. For reference, we used 6 cups of fresh cherries pitted (2 1/4 to 2 1/2 lbs).

      Reply

  • Viraaj Suchde
    November 20, 2023

    Hi,I was wondering if this recipe is possible to make without egg and would it still taste the same since i dont eat egg. Thanks

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 20, 2023

      Hi Viraaj. I have heard some people use just milk or butter to do the wash on top of the pie crust eggless.

      Reply

  • Trista Curl
    November 18, 2023

    I’m going to try to make this for thanksgiving! My grandmother is allergic to cinnamon, but cherry pie is her favorite, so I was planning on omitting the cinnamon. Do you think that will drastically change the flavor?

    Thanks!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 18, 2023

      Hi Trista! That would be fine.

      Reply

  • Ann Paton
    November 17, 2023

    How long do I thaw the cherries before putting into the pie shell?

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      November 17, 2023

      Hi Ann! That can depend on the temperature in the room too. I don’t have an exact time. You’ll want them well thawed. Lightly rinse them and let them sit in a colander to drain well.

      Reply

  • Kathy Meyer
    November 6, 2023

    I Loved your apple pie! 1st time my pies weren’t too juicie. Can I use the same cooked butter sugar flour water mix for frozen cherry pie?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 7, 2023

      I haven’t tested that yet to advise, Kathy.

      Reply

  • Jaynie
    November 1, 2023

    Hi Natasha,
    I watched your video making cherry pie and then printed your recipe but totally missed reading if using frozen cherries, thaw and drain!!! The crust is the best ever but the bottom was completely soggy. I have the remake baking so hopefully they were drained enough! Maybe think about adding that part to your video when you talk about using frozen cherries. You are entertaining to watch and your recipes are delicious.Thank you!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 1, 2023

      Hi Jaynie, Thank you so much for sharing that with me. since we used fresh cherries we left that note out of the video, but I always recommend watching the video for a quick visual instruction, but the following the written recipe to make your pie. I hope that helps.

      Reply

As Featured On

Never Go "Hangry" Again!

Get weekly updates on new recipes, exclusive giveaways plus behind the scenes photos.