Shellfish Free Classic Cherry Pie
Few desserts hit quite like a homemade cherry pie with a perfectly flaky, buttery crust and a jammy, ruby-red filling that bubbles up through the vents. The filling gets its deep, fruity punch from tart cherries cooked down with sugar, cornstarch, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and just a hint of almond extract ā that last touch is the secret that makes it taste like something from a serious bakery. Chilling the butter and working it in by hand creates those coveted pea-sized pockets that puff and shatter in the oven, giving you layers of crisp, golden pastry in every bite. Cooking the filling on the stovetop before it goes into the pie dish means the cornstarch is fully activated and you won't end up with a soupy, runny slice ā it sets up clean and sliceable after a proper rest on the cooling rack. The egg wash and coarse sugar finish give the top crust a gorgeous amber sheen and a satisfying crunch that makes the whole thing look as impressive as it tastes. Everything here is straightforward pantry and produce ā flour, butter, fresh or frozen cherries ā so there's nothing to second-guess about what's in it. This is the kind of pie that disappears fast, so consider yourself warned.
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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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