Cherry pie has a way of making the kitchen feel steady and familiar. This version is made with frozen pitted tart cherries, a glossy thickened filling, warm spice, almond extract, and a chilled pie crust woven into a lattice. It is the kind of pie that asks for patience, but not guesswork. The filling is cooked briefly before baking, so the cherries go into the crust coated in a sauce that is already thick, shiny, and full of flavor.
This cherry pie recipe makes one 9- or 9.5-inch pie and serves 8. The prep time is 2 hours, the cook time is 1 hour, and the total time listed for the recipe is 3 hours. One important note: the baked pie also needs about 4 hours to cool before slicing. That cooling time matters because the filling needs time to settle, so the slices come out cleaner instead of spilling across the plate.
Serve it with vanilla ice cream and you get the full contrast: flaky crust, tart cherry filling, and a cold creamy scoop on the side.
Cherry Pie Recipe Ingredients
This cherry pie keeps the ingredient list focused. Every ingredient has a job, from thickening the juices to warming the tart cherries just enough.
You will need 2 pounds of frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed, with the juices reserved. The reserved juice becomes the base of the thickened filling, so do not pour it away. If the thawed cherries do not give you a full cup of juice, microwave them for 15 seconds and let them release more. Repeat as needed until you can measure 1 cup.
Cornstarch thickens the cherry juice. It is mixed with ¼ cup water before it goes into the saucepan, which helps it blend smoothly instead of clumping. Cane sugar sweetens the tart cherries without flattening their flavor. Cinnamon and ground ginger bring gentle warmth, while almond extract gives the filling that classic cherry pie bakery note. A pinch of salt pulls the filling together.
The pie also uses 1 recipe of pie crust, chilled at least 2 hours. The chill time helps the dough stay easier to handle while you roll, trim, lattice, and crimp. One large egg is whisked with the remaining tablespoon of water for the egg wash. Coarse sugar is optional, but it gives the top crust a little sparkle and crunch.
How to Make Cherry Pie Filling
Good cherry pie filling starts with the thawed cherries and their juice. Set the cherries in a strainer over a bowl, then reserve the juices. Measure 1 cup of cherry juice and save any extra for another use. Transfer the drained cherries to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, stir the cornstarch with ¼ cup water until smooth. This step is small, but it makes a big difference. Adding dry cornstarch directly to hot juice can lead to lumps. Mixing it first gives you a smooth slurry that thickens the filling evenly.
Bring the reserved 1 cup cherry juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the cane sugar, stir, and bring it back to a boil. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the juice turns thick, clear, and glossy. That glossy look is your cue that the cornstarch has done its work.
Pour the thickened juice over the cherries. Stir in the cinnamon, ground ginger, almond extract, and salt. Let the filling cool completely before adding it to the crust. Warm filling can soften the dough too quickly, so this cooling step protects the texture of the crust.
How to Make a Golden Cherry Pie Step by Step
Roll out the bottom crust according to your pie crust recipe, leaving a ½-inch overhang on all sides of the pie plate. Cover it loosely and chill it for 30 minutes. Chilling after rolling gives the dough a chance to firm back up before filling.
Put an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place a baking sheet on that rack and preheat the oven to 425°F with the sheet inside. The hot baking sheet gives the bottom crust strong heat right away, which helps it bake through under the juicy fruit filling.
Roll out the top crust, place it on a baking sheet, cover loosely, and refrigerate until the bottom crust has chilled. Whisk the egg with the remaining 1 tablespoon water to make the egg wash.
Pour the cooled cherry filling into the bottom crust. Cut the top crust into 1-inch strips and weave 4 to 5 strips in each direction into a lattice over the pie. Trim the lattice edges, fold the bottom crust edge up over them, and crimp to seal.
Brush the lattice with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using. Place the pie on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F. Continue baking for 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling has bubbled for several minutes. If the edges brown too quickly, tent them with foil.
Cool the cherry pie completely before slicing, about 4 hours. This is the hardest part, but it is also the step that helps the filling hold.
Assembling the Pie
Assembling cherry pie is mostly about keeping the dough cool and the filling fully cooled. Start with the chilled bottom crust in the pie plate. Add the cooled filling and spread it gently so the cherries sit in an even layer.
For the lattice, cut the top crust into 1-inch strips. Lay several strips across the pie in one direction, then weave more strips through them in the other direction. You do not need the lattice to look perfect. The goal is to give steam a way to escape while still creating that classic homemade cherry pie top.
After weaving, trim any long edges. Fold the bottom crust up over the lattice edges and crimp firmly to seal. This helps keep the crust connected as the pie bakes and gives the edge a finished look.
The egg wash goes on just before baking. Brush it over the lattice, then add coarse sugar if you like a lightly crunchy top.
Cherry Pie Recipe Tips
Cool the filling before assembling the pie. This is one of the most important steps in this cherry pie recipe. Hot filling can melt the butter or fat in the crust too early, which makes the dough harder to manage and can affect the final texture.
Use the hot baking sheet. Since the sheet preheats with the oven, it gives the pie a strong burst of heat from underneath. That is helpful for a fruit pie with a juicy filling.
Look for bubbling before pulling the pie from the oven. The recipe says the filling should bubble for several minutes. That bubbling tells you the filling is hot enough all the way through.
Tent the edges if needed. If the crimped crust browns faster than the center lattice, loosely cover the edges with foil while the pie finishes baking.
Cool before slicing. A cherry pie fresh from the oven smells amazing, but the filling needs time to set. Give it about 4 hours before cutting.
Should You Par-Bake the Crust of a Cherry Pie?
No, this cherry pie recipe does not call for par-baking the crust. Instead, it uses a chilled bottom crust, a cooled thickened filling, and a hot baking sheet placed in the lower third of the oven.
That method is built into the recipe for a reason. The pie starts at 425°F for 20 minutes, then finishes at 375°F for 40 to 50 minutes. The high initial heat helps the crust begin baking right away, while the longer second bake gives the filling time to bubble and the crust time to turn golden brown.
Par-baking would change the method and could make assembling the lattice trickier. For this recipe, follow the chilled crust and hot sheet method.
Storage and Make-Ahead Instructions
This cherry pie works well for planning ahead because both the pie dough and filling can be prepared ahead, according to the recipe card description. Keep the components chilled until you are ready to assemble and bake.
| Task | Best Approach |
|---|---|
| Prepare the crust | Chill the pie crust at least 2 hours before rolling. |
| Make the filling ahead | Cook the thickened cherry filling and cool it completely before assembling. |
| Slice cleanly | Cool the baked pie about 4 hours before cutting. |
Serving Cherry Pie
Serve cherry pie once it has cooled completely. The filling will still taste bright and rich, but it will hold together better on the plate. Vanilla ice cream is the listed serving suggestion, and it fits beautifully with the tart cherries and warm spices.
For clean slices, use a sharp pie server and cut all the way through the bottom crust. The first slice is always the least tidy, but after that, the pie should lift more cleanly if it has had enough time to cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the extra cherry juice?
Yes. The recipe only uses 1 cup of reserved cherry juice for the filling. Save any extra for another use.
What if my cherries do not release 1 cup of juice?
Microwave the cherries for 15 seconds so they release more juice. Repeat as needed until you have enough.
How do I know when the cherry pie is done?
The crust should be golden brown, and the filling should have bubbled for several minutes.
Why does the pie need to cool so long?
The filling needs time to set. If you slice too early, the filling may run instead of holding in the crust.
Cherry Pie
Equipment
- Strainer
- Large bowl
- Small bowl
- Small saucepan
- 9- or 9.5-inch pie plate
- Rolling Pin
- Baking sheet
- Pastry brush
- Oven
Ingredients
- 2 pounds frozen pitted tart cherries thawed, juices reserved
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon water
- ¾ cup cane sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch salt
- 1 recipe Pie Crust chilled at least 2 hours
- 1 large egg
- Coarse sugar optional
- Vanilla ice cream for serving
Instructions
- Set the cherries in a strainer over a bowl and reserve the juices. Measure 1 cup cherry juice, saving any extra for another use. Transfer the cherries to a large bowl.
- Stir the cornstarch with ¼ cup water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Bring the reserved 1 cup cherry juice to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the sugar, stir, and bring back to a boil. Once dissolved, add the cornstarch mixture and cook until thick, clear, and glossy.
- Pour the thickened juice over the cherries. Stir in cinnamon, ginger, almond extract, and salt. Let the filling cool completely.
- Roll out the bottom crust according to the pie crust recipe, leaving a ½-inch overhang on all sides of the pie plate. Cover loosely and chill for 30 minutes.
- Put an oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place a baking sheet on the rack and preheat the oven to 425°F with the sheet inside.
- Roll out the top crust, place it on a baking sheet, cover loosely, and refrigerate until the bottom crust has chilled.
- Whisk the egg with the remaining 1 tablespoon water.
- Pour the cooled filling into the bottom crust. Cut the top crust into 1-inch strips and weave 4 to 5 strips each direction into a lattice over the pie.
- Trim the lattice edges, fold the bottom crust edge up over them, and crimp to seal.
- Brush the lattice with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar, if using.
- Place the pie on the hot baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes at 425°F, then reduce the oven to 375°F and bake 40 to 50 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling has bubbled for several minutes. Tent edges with foil if they brown too quickly.
- Cool completely before slicing and serving, about 4 hours.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream.
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