Pescatarian Classic Cherry Pie
Few desserts hit the way a homemade cherry pie does ā that glossy, ruby filling bubbling up through a golden, shatteringly flaky crust is pure comfort on a plate. The filling gets its deep, jammy body from tart cherries cooked down with cornstarch, a splash of lemon juice, and just a hint of almond extract that makes the whole thing taste somehow more cherry than cherries alone. The crust is a classic all-butter double-crust situation, which means you're working cold butter into flour until it's shaggy and crumbly ā that's exactly what creates those irresistible flaky layers in the oven. A two-stage bake (starting hot, then dropping the temperature) ensures the bottom crust cooks through while the top turns a deep, burnished gold. This recipe fits naturally into a pescatarian lifestyle since every ingredient ā fruit, butter, eggs, flour ā is completely in bounds without any substitutions or workarounds needed. The hardest part is honestly waiting the full two hours for the filling to set before you cut into it, but that patience pays off in clean, gorgeous slices that hold their shape. Serve it as-is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the warm filling for a dessert that genuinely needs no introduction.
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Learn more āIngredients
8 servings
For the crust
- 2 Ā½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into Ā½-inch cubes and chilled
- 6ā8 tbsp ice water
For the filling
- 2 lbs (about 6 cups) fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries, thawed and drained if frozen
- Ā¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- Ā½ tsp almond extract
- Ā¼ 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 1ā2 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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