Gut Friendly Cherry Pie with All-Butter Crust

Total time3 hr 40 min

Prep time45 min

Cook time55 min

5.0

(5)

Gut Friendly Cherry Pie with All-Butter Crust

Few things hit quite like a homemade cherry pie built entirely from scratch, and this one delivers that deep, jammy filling tucked inside a shatteringly flaky all-butter crust. Tart cherries are the real star here — naturally rich in antioxidants and easier on the gut than many sweetened, processed fruit fillings you'd find in a store-bought version. The filling is cooked down on the stovetop with cornstarch and a splash of fresh lemon juice, so you know exactly what's going into it — no mystery thickeners, artificial colors, or preservatives. Real butter in the crust means clean, recognizable fat rather than the hydrogenated oils or shortening blends that can be harder for sensitive systems to process. Chilling the dough and letting the filling cool before assembly are the two steps that make the biggest difference, giving you clean slices and a crust that stays crisp rather than soggy. A full two-hour rest after baking lets everything set properly, so you're not fighting a runny filling when it's time to serve. This is the kind of pie that feels indulgent and wholesome at the same time — the sort of thing worth making on a slow weekend afternoon.

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the crust

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
6–8 tbsp ice water

For the filling

5 cups pitted tart cherries, fresh or frozen (thawed and drained if frozen)
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp almond extract
¼ 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 — it should not be sticky or wet. You will likely need 6–8 tablespoons total.

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