Paraben Free Cherry Pie with All-Butter Crust
Few things hit quite like a homemade cherry pie with a crust that shatters into buttery, flaky layers — and this one delivers exactly that. The all-butter crust is built from scratch using just flour, sugar, salt, real unsalted butter, and ice water, so you know exactly what's going into every bite without having to decode a single ingredient label. Many store-bought pie crusts and canned fillings sneak in preservatives and synthetic additives that can be a real concern for anyone keeping their kitchen clean, but here everything is straightforward and whole. The tart cherry filling gets cooked down with cornstarch, fresh lemon juice, and a touch of almond extract until it's glossy, jammy, and deeply fragrant — nothing artificial, just real fruit doing its thing. Chilling the dough before rolling is the move that keeps those butter pieces cold and intact, which is what creates that irresistible flaky texture once it hits a hot oven. The two-temperature bake — starting high and finishing lower — gives you a deep golden crust and a filling that bubbles up through the vents just the way it should. Let it cool fully before slicing and you'll be rewarded with clean, gorgeous slices that taste like the best version of a classic.
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Learn more →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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