Barley Free Cherry Pie with All-Butter Crust
Few desserts hit quite like a homemade cherry pie, and this one delivers on every level ā a shatteringly flaky all-butter crust wrapped around a bubbling, ruby-red filling that smells incredible straight out of the oven. The filling leans on tart cherries, a touch of lemon juice, and just a hint of almond extract, which gives it that classic, nostalgic depth without any fuss. Cornstarch does the thickening work here, keeping the whole recipe naturally free of grain-based additives that can sneak into store-bought pie fillings or pre-made crusts. Making the crust from scratch with just flour, butter, sugar, salt, and ice water means you have full control over every ingredient that goes into it ā no mystery stabilizers, no hidden grains. The two-stage bake (starting hot, then dropping the temperature) ensures the bottom crust cooks through while the top turns a gorgeous, deep golden brown. Letting the pie cool fully before slicing is the hardest part, but it's what gives you those clean, glossy slices that actually hold their shape. This is the kind of pie worth clearing your afternoon for.
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Learn more āIngredients
8 servings
For the crust
- 2 Ā½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into Ā½-inch cubes and chilled
- 6ā8 tbsp ice water
For the filling
- 5 cups pitted tart cherries, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained if frozen)
- Ā¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Ā¼ tsp almond extract
- Ā¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
For assembly
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tbsp coarse sugar (optional)
Instructions
- 1
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and 1 tsp salt. Add the chilled butter cubes and work them into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
- 2
Drizzle in ice water 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork after each addition, until the dough just holds together when pressed ā it should not be sticky or wet. You will likely need 6ā8 tablespoons total.
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