Chicken 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 flaky, golden all-butter crust wrapped around a bubbling, jewel-toned filling that smells incredible straight out of the oven. The crust comes together with just flour, sugar, salt, butter, and ice water, and keeping those butter pieces cold is the secret to those irresistible flaky layers. A touch of almond extract in the cherry filling adds a subtle depth that makes people wonder what your secret ingredient is. The filling gets cooked down on the stovetop first so it thickens beautifully and won't turn your bottom crust into a soggy mess ā a step that's absolutely worth the extra time. An egg wash brushed over the top gives the crust that deep, glossy golden-brown finish you see in bakery windows, and a sprinkle of coarse sugar adds just the right crunch. Letting the pie rest a full two hours before slicing is the hardest part, but it's what keeps every slice clean and perfectly set. This is the kind of pie that earns you serious compliments at any table.
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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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