Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Cherry Pie

Total time3 hr 35 min

Prep time40 min

Cook time55 min

Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Cherry Pie

Few desserts hit as hard as a bubbling cherry pie pulled fresh from the oven, and this one delivers that deep ruby filling and shatteringly flaky crust that makes the whole kitchen smell incredible. The vibrant color here comes entirely from real tart cherries — no dyes, no artificial shortcuts, just fruit doing exactly what fruit is supposed to do. That matters more than you might think, because many store-bought pie fillings and even some frozen fruit blends sneak in added colorants to punch up the visual appeal. Here, the filling is cooked down on the stovetop with sugar, cornstarch, and a splash of lemon juice until it thickens naturally into something glossy and jewel-bright. A touch of almond extract deepens the cherry flavor in a way that tastes almost bakery-level without any mystery additives. The all-butter crust is made from scratch with just flour, sugar, salt, butter, and ice water — nothing you can't pronounce, nothing you didn't put there yourself. Slice it after it's had time to fully set and you'll get clean, gorgeous wedges that look as good as they taste.

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Ingredients

8 servings

For the crust

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
King Arthur Baking Company Unbleached All-Purpose Flour Gold Medal Flour All-Purpose Unbleached - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill Organic All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Pillsbury Best Flour All Purpose - 5 Lb
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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

2 lbs (about 6 cups) fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed and drained if frozen
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp almond extract
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For the egg wash

1 large egg
1 tbsp whole milk
1 tbsp coarse sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Instructions

1
Make the crust: Whisk together the flour, 1 tbsp sugar, and 1 tsp salt in a large mixing bowl. Add the chilled butter cubes and work them into the flour using your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces remaining.
2
Drizzle in 6 tbsp of ice water and stir with a fork until the dough just begins to come together, adding the remaining 1–2 tbsp water a little at a time if needed. The dough should hold together when pressed but not feel wet or sticky. Divide the dough into two equal discs, wrap each in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

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