Soy Free Classic Cherry Pie

Total time3 hr 35 min

Prep time40 min

Cook time55 min

Few desserts hit the way a bubbling, golden-crusted cherry pie does fresh from the oven, and this one delivers that classic experience from scratch using nothing but straightforward pantry staples. The filling leans on tart cherries, a touch of lemon juice, and just a hint of almond extract — that last ingredient is the quiet secret that makes the whole thing taste deeply, unmistakably like cherry pie. Cornstarch thickens everything beautifully on the stovetop before it ever hits the oven, so you get clean, glossy slices instead of a soupy mess. The all-butter crust is made with flour, sugar, salt, and chilled unsalted butter worked into flaky, pea-sized crumbs — no shortening, no mystery fats, nothing that could sneak in unwanted ingredients. Every component here is naturally free of soy, which makes this a genuinely worry-free bake compared to store-bought crusts or pre-made fillings that often hide soybean oil or soy lecithin in the fine print. The two-stage bake — starting hot, then dropping the temperature — gives you that deep amber crust and a filling that bubbles through the vents like it means it. Let it cool the full two hours before you cut in, and you'll be rewarded with a slice that holds its shape and tastes like the best version of this dessert you've ever had.

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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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