Celery Free Classic Cherry Pie
Few desserts hit quite like a homemade cherry pie with a buttery, flaky crust and a filling that bubbles up through the vents in the oven. The tart cherries cook down with sugar, cornstarch, and a splash of lemon juice until thick and glossy, while a hint of almond extract gives the whole thing a warm, almost nostalgic depth. The double-crust pastry is built from just flour, butter, salt, and ice water — straightforward ingredients that come together into something genuinely impressive. Chilling the dough before rolling is the quiet secret to those satisfying, shatteringly crisp layers that hold up under a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. For anyone navigating a celery-free lifestyle, this recipe is a natural fit — every single component is exactly what it says it is, with no hidden vegetable fillers or seasoning blends that could sneak in unwanted ingredients. The egg wash gives the top crust a deep golden finish and a slight crunch, and the coarse sugar sprinkle adds just enough sparkle to make it look like it came from a proper bakery. Let it cool fully before slicing and you'll be rewarded with clean, glossy slices that hold their shape beautifully on the plate.
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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
- 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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