Homemade Cherry Pie

There’s nothing like a fresh Cherry Pie with juicy cherries bubbling through a rich, flaky crust. Watch the video tutorial and learn how to make the best cherry pie from scratch with our easy, homemade Pie Crust and fresh or frozen cherries. I’m also sharing my best tip to ensure you have a perfectly thickened and saucy cherry pie filling.

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Cherry Pie Video

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 Recipe

I love cherry season – I look forward to it every year and I take full advantage of cherry recipes, from Cherry Clafoutis to Cherry Sauce, and my absolute favorite has to be this sweet cherry pie. The cherries become jammy, coated in a sweet and thick sauce that makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Memories are made around homemade pies and there’s something so satisfying about creating a pie from scratch. We change up the fruit with the seasons and make Apple Pie in the cooler months, then Blueberry Pie and juicy Peach Pie as the summer stone fruits ripen in our yard.

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 (you’ll thank me later). This tried-and-true cherry pie recipe has been well-loved by beginner and expert bakers over the years, and I hope it becomes a favorite for you!

Ingredients

• Cherries: We love sweet red cherries here but you can use a variety of cherries and even a combination of different cherries.
• Lemon juice: Fresh lemon juice balances the sweetness and adds some juiciness to the filling. Use less or omit if you are using a tart cherry.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar amplifies the natural sweetness of the cherries. You can adjust sugar to taste depending on the sweetness of your cherries. Add more for tart cherries.
• Corn Starch: This helps to thicken the cherry pie filling to create a bubbly saucy center just like in our Cherry Sauce.
• 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 bottom crust and lattice top.

Can I use Frozen Cherries for Cherry Pie?

Cherries from the freezer work great when cherries aren’t in season. Using frozen cherries can be even easier 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.

Can I make a Sour Cherry Pie?

Since sour cherries are generally smaller, you will need about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs (or 6 cups, pitted) of 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.

• Roll the first pie crust to a 13″ diameter circle
• Roll the crust onto your rolling pin
• Unroll crust over your deep dish pie pan

How to Make Cherry Pie

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.

• Stir together cherries and lemon juice.
• Whisk together cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon and combine with cherries. Stir until the cherries are saucy and evenly coated.

How to Make a Lattice Pie 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.

• Place 5 strips of dough horizontally over the pie filling, with the longer strips in the center and shorter strips towards the edges.
• Fold back the 2nd and 4th strips halfway and place a long vertical strip of dough in the center.
• 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.

How to Crimp a Pie Crust

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

• Tuck in excess dough behind the bottom pie crust.
• 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. Repeat all the way around the edge.

Pro Tips for the Best Cherry Pie

• Freeze the unbaked pie for 10-15 minutes while the oven preheats (this keeps crust from sagging in the oven and 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 the oven rack to the lower third of the oven to keep the crust from getting too brown.
• For easier cleanup, place a sheet of foil under the pie once you turn the heat down to 350˚F.
• For cherry juices to thicken – once you see the juices bubbling through the lattice, let it bubble for at least 5 minutes – this is necessary to activate the corn starch and also for the fruit to release pectin, which helps thicken the filling.

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!

See those thick juices bubbling through the crust – that’s what I call a perfect cherry pie! Don’t forget to serve each slice with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. It will melt slightly into the slice, making it irresistibly good.

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:

• Black Forest Cake
• Cherry Smoothies
• Chocolate Cherry Cake
• Cherry Upside-Down Cake
• Cherry Crumble
• Sparkling Cherry Lemonade