High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Classic Cherry Pie

Total time3 hr 35 min

Prep time40 min

Cook time55 min

High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Classic Cherry Pie

Few desserts hit as hard as a bubbling cherry pie pulled fresh from the oven, and this from-scratch version delivers that deep, jammy filling and shatteringly flaky crust that store-bought simply cannot touch. The problem with most commercial cherry pies and pie fillings is that high fructose corn syrup sneaks in as a sweetener and thickener — here, plain granulated sugar and cornstarch do all that work cleanly and honestly. Tart cherries are the star, brightened with fresh lemon juice and just a whisper of almond extract that makes the whole thing taste like it came from a serious bakery. The butter-based crust is built the old-fashioned way, with chilled cubes worked into flour until you get those essential pea-sized pockets that puff into flaky layers in the oven. Cooking the filling down on the stovetop before it goes into the shell is the move that guarantees a set, sliceable pie rather than a soupy mess. The two-stage bake — starting hot, then dropping the temperature — gives you a deeply golden top crust without scorching the edges. Let it cool the full two hours and you'll be rewarded with clean, glossy slices that hold their shape beautifully on the plate.

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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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