Sweet & Tart Cherry Pie
•Posted on June 10 2025
This pie brings serious summer vibes with a perfect balance of sweet and tangy cherries wrapped in a golden, buttery crust. It’s homemade comfort with just the right amount of flair—vanilla, almond, and a glossy cherry glaze make every bite pop. Whether you go for a classic top or a pretty lattice, this pie is all about that cozy, from-scratch charm (with a little sugar sparkle on top).
Ingredients
- 5 cups cherries, pitted (mix tart + sweet)
- ¾–1 cup granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- ¼ cup cornstarch (or tapioca starch)
- 1 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced
- Pie crust: cold all‑butter dough (add ¼ cup shortening for extra lift)
- Egg wash: 1 egg + 1 tbsp cream, beaten
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Macerate & Prep Filling: In bowl, toss cherries + ½ cup sugar + salt + lemon + extracts. Let sit 10 min; drain juice.
- Stovetop Glaze: In saucepan, simmer drained juice with remaining sugar + starch until glossy; cool slightly.
- Gently fold cherries into glaze and dot with butter.
- Chill Crust: Roll out bottom crust into a 9″ pan and refrigerate 15 min.
- Assemble Pie: Spoon filling into chilled shell. Add top crust (solid or lattice), seal edges, flute, brush with egg wash, sprinkle sugar.
- Chill Pie: Refrigerate assembled pie for 30 min.
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Bake:
- Place on preheated baking sheet.
- Bake at 425 °F for 20 min.
- Reduce to 375 °F, bake another 40–45 min until golden and bubbling.
- Tent foil if crust browns too fast.
- Cool & Serve: Let set at room temp for 2–4 hrs for clean slices. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Why It Works
- Layered flavor: maceration + stovetop cooking ensures no runny filling, only bold glossy flavor.
- Flaky crust: cold butter ± shortening and chilling steps give you that dreamy, buttery flake.
- Perfect bake: high‑then-medium baking temps, foil tenting, and preheated baking sheet = crisp bottom & golden top.
- Clean slicing: patient cooling prevents juice escape—beautiful presentation guaranteed.
Pro Tips
- Use a mix: tart cherries give zip, sweet cherries add natural sweetness.
- Reserve and use the juice—this gives the filling shine and avoids dry fruit.
- Chill at every stage: before baking and after assembly—for best flake and shape.
If you'd like lattice-joining videos, extra crust designs, or customizing this as mini-tarts—just say the word!
Happy baking,