Chestnut 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 deeply golden, flaky all-butter crust wrapped around a glossy, bubbling tart cherry filling that's sweet, bright, and just a little tangy from fresh lemon juice. The crust comes together with nothing but flour, sugar, salt, butter, and ice water, so every bite is pure, clean flavor with that satisfying shatter you just can't get from shortening. Keeping the butter cold and working it in until you have pea-sized pieces is the real secret to those beautiful, layered flakes. The filling gets cooked down on the stovetop with cornstarch until it thickens into a glossy, jammy consistency, which means no sad, soupy slices when you cut into it after cooling. A touch of almond extract in the filling is a classic move that makes the cherries taste even more intensely of themselves without being obvious. For anyone navigating tree nut concerns, this recipe is completely straightforward ā every ingredient is a familiar pantry staple with no hidden surprises to worry about. Let it cool the full two hours before slicing and you'll be rewarded with clean, picture-perfect wedges worth every minute of the wait.
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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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