One of the things I most look forward to in summer would have to be the making of pies with fresh summer fruit and berries! Today, I am sharing my recipe for a pie made with homemade cherry pie filling. A traditional double-crusted pie, this Cherry Pie calls for the large sweet cherries.
You will need to plan ahead to make this pie as the filling has to be cooked, cooled to room temperature, then refrigerated for at least a couple of hours before assembling the pie and the pastry has to be chilled as well.
Cherries
My recipe calls for the lovely large sweet cherries often found in farm markets and grocery stores in mid-summer. I recommend investing in a small inexpensive hand-held cherry pitter as it makes pitting the cherries quite easy (though you may still have some red fingers when you’re done!) Once the cherries are pitted, cut each in half.
Making the Cherry Pie Filling
Once the cherries have been pitted and halved, place them in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and let them stand with about half of the sugar and cornstarch along with the lemon juice to allow the juices from the split cherries to release and dissolve the sugar. About 5 minutes should do it then stir in the remaining sugar-cornstarch mixture and let the mixture stand for a further 10 minutes after which, heat the mixture over medium heat until it just barely comes to the boiling point, stirring constantly to prevent it from scorching. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook the filling, stirring frequently, until it thickens. This is intended to be a lovely thick filling and can be expected to take anywhere from approximately 6-9 minutes to thicken. Lower the heat if mixture starts to show signs of scorching.
Remove pan from heat and allow filling to cool completely to room temperature then place it, covered, in the refrigerator for at least 1½ – 2 hours to chill completely. This is necessary because, if warm pie filling is placed in the pie shell, it will start to break down the fat content of the pastry which will cause it to shrink. This pie filling will keep in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours and I suggest making it the day before you plan to make the pie.
Pie Pastry
You will need a deep dish 9” pie plate for this recipe as there is a substantial amount of filling. If you don’t have your own favorite double-crust pie pastry recipe, you can find my recipe by clicking here.
I won’t go into a lot of detail here about making the pastry as I have covered that in my tutorial on how to make pie pastry which can be found at the link above for the pastry recipe.
I will, however, stress the importance of chilling the pastry at every step, after it has been made and before it is rolled out, after it goes in the pie plate, and after the filling and top crust have been added. A totally chilled pie will prevent the pie pastry from drastic shrinkage. For best results, I do not recommend skipping these steps.
I chose to put a lattice top crust on the pie in the photographs in this post and it does look lovely on the whole pie; however, a full coverage top crust is lovely, too. If you wish to make a lattice top crust and are unfamiliar with the method for placing the pastry strips in lattice formation, there are any number of tutorials on the internet which you can find by googling it.
Baking the Pie
Position the oven rack in its lowest position and preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the chilled pie on a tinfoil-lined baking sheet for easy clean-up should the filling bubble out (it happens!) Bake the pie for 15 minutes at 425°F then reduce the temperature to 375°F and bake the pie for a further 40-45 minutes, or until crust is baked and golden brown and pie shows signs that filling is bubbling. Check the pie after it has been in the oven for 30-35 minutes and, if it is starting to brown too much, loosely tent a piece of tin foil over the pie.
After the pie comes out of the oven, place it on a wire rack to cool completely. I recommend waiting at least 4 hours (and longer is even better) to ensure the pie filling is set before cutting pie slices.
Serving the Pie
This Cherry Pie is lovely served plain but a scoop of fine vanilla ice cream never disappoints, either.
[Printable recipe follows at end of posting]
Cherry Pie
Ingredients:
Pastry for a two-crust pie to fit 9” pie plate
2 pounds (908g) fresh sweet cherries (e.g., Bing), stemmed, pitted, and halved
2/3 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
¼ cup cornstarch
pinch salt
1½ tbsp freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice
2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
½ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp pure almond extract
2 tbsp butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1½ – 2 tsp Turbinado/cane sugar (optional for sprinkling on top crust)
1½ – 2 tsp granulated sugar (optional for sprinkling on top crust)
Method:
Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside. Using a cherry pitter, remove and discard the stones from the cherries and cut each cherry in half. Place cherries in medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir in about half of the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Let mixture sit for about 5 minutes then stir in the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture. Let stand for about 10 minutes longer to allow cherries to release their juice and the sugar to dissolve.
Cook cherry filling over medium heat, stirring frequently, just until mixture barely comes to the boiling point then immediately reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 6-9 minutes in total.
Remove mixture from heat and stir in the lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla and almond extracts, and butter. Let filling cool completely to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 1½ – 2 hours.
While filling is chilling, prepare double crust pastry, according to pastry recipe directions, for 9” pie plate.
On a lightly floured work surface and using a little better than half the pastry dough, roll pastry into a circle approximately 12” – 13” round and about 1/16 – 1/8“ thick. Transfer pastry to a lightly greased 9” pie plate, fitting the dough over the bottom and sides of the plate, ensuring there are no air pockets. Trim pastry flush with edge of pie plate. Place pie shell in zippered plastic bag and transfer to refrigerator to chill until ready to assemble pie. Form remaining pie dough into a small disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, place in zippered plastic bag and place in refrigerator.
About 10-12 minutes before assembling pie, remove pie dough disk from refrigerator and let rest on counter for apx. 8-10 minutes to allow it to become pliable enough to roll out for top crust. Do not, however, bring the pastry back to room temperature.
Roll out pastry for top crust into a circle approximately 11” – 12” round (slightly larger than enough to cover top of pie to pie plate edge) and about 1/16 to 1/8“ thick. Alternatively, strips may be cut from the dough and placed over the pie filling in lattice formation, if desired.
Remove pie shell from refrigerator and, using a pastry brush, brush the bottom crust in the pie plate with a light coating of the beaten egg to keep the crust from getting soggy. Reserve the remainder of the egg.
Transfer the chilled cherry filling to the prepared pie plate fitted with the pastry dough.
To make a full cover top pie crust, lightly moisten the bottom crust edge all around the pie plate rim edge with a wee bit of water. Place top pie crust over cherry pie filling. Trim excess pastry from the pie plate around the pie plate edge. Press the edge of the pastry all around the pie plate rim with tines of a fork to adhere the top crust to bottom crust. Cut a “X” (or 2-3 slits) about 1½“ – 2” long in center of top crust to allow steam to escape as the pie bakes. For additional venting, prick the pie in several places with the tines of the fork.
Place pie in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or in freezer for 15-20 minutes) to allow filling to settle and to chill pastry to reduce shrinkage while it bakes.
While pie is chilling, place oven rack on bottom rung position of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Remove pie from refrigerator. Add 1 teaspoon milk to remaining reserved beaten egg. Lightly brush egg wash over top crust of pie. If desired, mix turbinado/cane sugar and granulated sugar together in small bowl and sprinkle on top of pie crust.
Place pie on tinfoil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips should filling bubble out as pie bakes. Transfer pie to oven. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until crust is baked and golden brown and pie shows signs that filling is bubbling. Check pie after it has been in the oven for about 30-35 minutes – if top crust is browning too quickly, loosely tent pie with tin foil.
Remove pie from the oven and transfer to wire rack to cool completely (minimum of 4 hours for the filling to set; longer is better) before cutting and serving plain or with a scoop of fine vanilla ice cream.
Yield: 1 – 9” double-crusted pie
If you have made this recipe and enjoyed it and/or wish to share it with your friends and family, please do so on social media but be sure to share the direct link to this posting from my website.
Connect with My Island Bistro Kitchen on Social Media
Join the Facebook page for My Island Bistro Kitchen: https://www.facebook.com/MyIslandBistroKitchen/
Follow “the Bistro” on “X” (formerly Twitter): https://twitter.com/PEIBistro/
See the drool-worthy gallery of mouth-watering food photos from My Island Bistro Kitchen on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peibistro/
Follow “the Bistro” on Pinterest at https://www.pinterest.ca/peibistro/ and pin the Pinterest-ready photo at the end of this posting to your favorite Pinterest boards!
PIN ME TO PINTEREST!
You may also enjoy these other pie recipes from My Island Bistro Kitchen:
Springtime Pies
Rustic Rhubarb Pie
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Summer Pies
Glazed Strawberry Pie
Glazed Strawberry Pie for Two
Classic Peach Pie
Perfect Peach Blackberry Pie
Raspberry Pie
Autumn and Winter Pies
Classic Pumpkin Pie
Rustic Apple Pie
Squash Pie
Mock Cherry Pie
Raisin Pie
Sweet Potato, Eggnog, and Bourbon Pie
Cream-style Pies
Coconut Cream Pie
Raspberry Cream Cheese Pie
Blueberry Cream Cheese Pie
Gluten-free Pie
Classic Homemade Cherry Pie
Ingredients
- Pastry for a two-crust pie to fit 9” pie plate
- 2 pounds (908g) fresh sweet cherries (e.g., Bing), stemmed, pitted, and halved
- 2/3 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- pinch salt
- 1½ tbsp freshly squeezed and strained lemon juice
- 2 tsp finely grated lemon zest
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp pure almond extract
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1½ - 2 tsp Turbinado/cane sugar (optional for sprinkling on top crust)
- 1½ - 2 tsp granulated sugar (optional for sprinkling on top crust)
Instructions
- Mix sugar, cornstarch, and salt together in a small bowl. Set aside. Using a cherry pitter, remove and discard the stones from the cherries and cut each cherry in half. Place cherries in medium-sized heavy-bottomed saucepan and stir in about half of the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Let mixture sit for about 5 minutes then stir in the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture. Let stand for about 10 minutes longer to allow cherries to release their juice and the sugar to dissolve.
- Cook cherry filling over medium heat, stirring frequently, just until mixture barely comes to the boiling point then immediately reduce the heat to medium low and cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about 6-9 minutes in total.
- Remove mixture from heat and stir in the lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla and almond extracts, and butter. Let filling cool completely to room temperature then refrigerate for at least 1½ – 2 hours.
- While filling is chilling, prepare double crust pastry, according to pastry recipe directions, for 9” pie plate.
- On a lightly floured work surface and using a little better than half the pastry dough, roll pastry into a circle approximately 12” – 13” round and about 1/16 - 1/8“ thick. Transfer pastry to a lightly greased 9” pie plate, fitting the dough over the bottom and sides of the plate, ensuring there are no air pockets. Trim pastry flush with edge of pie plate. Place pie shell in zippered plastic bag and transfer to refrigerator to chill until ready to assemble pie. Form remaining pie dough into a small disk shape, wrap in plastic wrap, place in zippered plastic bag and place in refrigerator.
- About 10-12 minutes before assembling pie, remove pie dough disk from refrigerator and let rest on counter for apx. 8-10 minutes to allow it to become pliable enough to roll out for top crust. Do not, however, bring the pastry back to room temperature.
- Roll out pastry for top crust into a circle approximately 11” – 12” round (slightly larger than enough to cover top of pie to pie plate edge) and about 1/16 to 1/8“ thick. Alternatively, strips may be cut from the dough and placed over the pie filling in lattice formation, if desired.
- Remove pie shell from refrigerator and, using a pastry brush, brush the bottom crust in the pie plate with a light coating of the beaten egg to keep the crust from getting soggy. Reserve the remainder of the egg.
- Transfer the chilled cherry filling to the prepared pie plate fitted with the pastry dough.
To make a full cover top pie crust, lightly moisten the bottom crust edge all around the pie plate rim edge with a wee bit of water. Place top pie crust over cherry pie filling. Trim excess pastry from the pie plate around the pie plate edge. Press the edge of the pastry all around the pie plate rim with tines of a fork to adhere the top crust to bottom crust. Cut a “X” (or 2-3 slits) about 1½“ - 2” long in center of top crust to allow steam to escape as the pie bakes. For additional venting, prick the pie in several places with the tines of the fork. (For lattice-topped pie crust, see Note 1 below)
- Place pie in refrigerator for 30 minutes (or in freezer for 15-20 minutes) to allow filling to settle and to chill pastry to reduce shrinkage while it bakes.
- While pie is chilling, place oven rack on bottom rung position of oven and preheat oven to 425°F. Remove pie from refrigerator. Add 1 teaspoon milk to remaining reserved beaten egg. Lightly brush egg wash over top crust of pie. If desired, mix turbinado/cane sugar and granulated sugar together in small bowl and sprinkle on top of pie crust.
- Place pie on tinfoil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips should filling bubble out as pie bakes. Transfer pie to oven. Bake for 15 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake for about 40-45 minutes or until crust is baked and golden brown and pie shows signs that filling is bubbling. Check pie after it has been in the oven for about 30-35 minutes – if top crust is browning too quickly, loosely tent pie with tin foil.
- Remove pie from the oven and transfer to wire rack to cool completely (minimum of 4 hours for the filling to set; longer is better) before cutting and serving plain or with a scoop of fine vanilla ice cream.
Recipe Notes
Yield: 1 – 9” double-crusted pie
NOTE 1: If you wish to make a lattice top crust instead of a full cover crust and are unfamiliar with the method for placing the pastry strips in lattice formation, there are any number of tutorials and how-to videos on the subject on the internet which you can find by googling.
[Copyright My Island Bistro Kitchen]
