Nutmeg Free Classic Cherry Pie
Few desserts hit quite like a homemade cherry pie with a shatteringly flaky, buttery crust and a jammy, ruby-red filling that bubbles up through the vents. The filling here leans on tart cherries, a touch of lemon juice, and a hint of almond extract for a flavor that's bright, fruity, and just complex enough to feel special. Cornstarch does the thickening work, so every slice holds its shape cleanly without turning gummy or starchy. What makes this recipe so easy to trust is how straightforward the ingredient list is — flour, butter, sugar, cherries, and a handful of pantry staples, with absolutely no warm spices like nutmeg sneaking in to muddy those clean, fresh fruit flavors. That matters more than you'd think, because plenty of classic pie recipes reach for nutmeg out of habit, even when it isn't needed. Here, the cherries get to be the star, and the result is a pie that tastes genuinely vibrant rather than muddled. Let it cool the full two hours before slicing — it's worth every minute of the wait.
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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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