Fresh Cherry Pie

This Fresh Cherry Pie starts with homemade pie dough made from grated frozen butter for a flaky crust, then fills it with fresh cherries cooked on the stovetop before baking. The filling thickens before it reaches the oven, giving the pie a head start and helping it slice neatly once cooled.

Course Dessert, Pie

Cuisine American

Keyword best cherry dessert, cherry dessert, cherry pie, cherry pie recipe, cherry pie with lattice crust, classic cherry pie, fresh cherry dessert, fresh cherry pie, fresh cherry pie filling, homemade cherry pie, lattice cherry pie, summer cherry pie

Prep Time 1 25

Cook Time 55

Chilling + Cooling: 1 45

Total Time 4 5

Servings

Calories 515kcal

Author Cathy Pollak

Equipment

mixing bowls (large). For mixing the pie dough.
measuring cups and spoons For ingredient accuracy.
box grater To grate the frozen butter.
Saucepan (medium). For cooking the cherry filling.
cherry pitter (optional) or metal straw. Speeds up pitting the cherries.
pastry brush To brush the egg wash on the lattice crust.
9-inch pie plate (23 cm) For baking the pie.
pastry wheel (optional) or knife. Makes the lattice crust strips.
pie shield (optional) or foil. To keep your pie crust edges from burning.

Ingredients

Pie Dough:

2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp (6 g) table salt
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter frozen
¼ cup (60 ml) ice water plus 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) more if needed

Cherry Filling:

4½ cups fresh cherries pitted and roughly chopped (about 1 ½ pounds / 680 g pitted, or about 3 pounds / 1.4 kg whole cherries before pitting)
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch
⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar
½ tsp (3 g) table salt
1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract

Topping:

1 large egg
1 tbsp (15 ml) water
2 tbsps (24 g) turbinado sugar (optional, for sprinkling after egg wash)

Instructions

Whisk together the flour, sugar, and salt in a large mixing bowl.
2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar, 1 tsp (6 g) table salt
Grate the frozen butter directly into the flour, tossing it every so often so the shreds stay coated instead of clumping together.
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter
Pour in the ice water and use your hands to bring the dough together. If the dough still looks dry, add another tablespoon or two (15-30 ml) of ice water until it holds together when squeezed. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
¼ cup (60 ml) ice water
Pit the fresh cherries. If you don't have a cherry pitter, place a cherry on the neck of a small bottle and push a metal straw through the center to remove the pit. Roughly chop the cherries so they distribute more evenly throughout the filling.
4½ cups fresh cherries
Combine the chopped cherries, lemon juice, cornstarch, sugar, salt, vanilla, and almond extract in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring frequently. Continue cooking for about 5 minutes, until the filling has thickened and the cornstarch is fully cooked. Remove from the heat and let the filling cool until warm or completely cool before assembling the pie.
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice, ⅓ cup (40 g) cornstarch, ⅔ cup (135 g) granulated sugar, ½ tsp (3 g) table salt, 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract, ¼ tsp (1 ml) almond extract
Roll one disc of dough into a circle about ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick. Fit it into a 9-inch (23 cm) pie dish, leaving a little overhang around the edges. Spoon the cooled cherry filling into the crust.
Roll out the second disc of dough and cut it into strips about ½ inch (1.25 cm) wide. Arrange half of the strips across the pie, then weave the remaining strips over and under to form a lattice top. Trim away the excess dough, then crimp the edges to seal.
Whisk together the egg and water. Brush the lattice with the egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar, if using.
1 large egg , 2 tbsps (24 g) turbinado sugar, 1 tbsp (15 ml) water
Refrigerate the assembled pie for about 45 minutes while the oven preheats to 400°F (200°C). Chilling the pie helps the butter firm up again before baking.
Bake for 15 minutes at 400°F (200°C). Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for about 35 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbling through the lattice. If the crust begins browning too quickly, loosely cover the edges with foil or a pie shield.
Transfer the pie to a wire rack and let it cool completely before slicing. The filling continues to set as the pie cools, making neater slices.

Notes

European-style butter, such as Kerrygold, has a higher butterfat content and makes an especially flavorful pie crust.
Cooking the filling before assembling the pie gives the cornstarch time to fully thicken the cherry juices before baking.
Let the filling cool before adding it to the crust to help prevent a soft bottom crust.
A lattice top allows steam to escape while the pie bakes, but a solid top crust with a few vents also works well.
The pie slices best after cooling completely, and I think it's even better the next day.

If you’re making this Fresh Cherry Pie, check out the full post. That’s where I keep extra tips, FAQs, and details that don’t always make it into the recipe card.

Nutrition info is an estimate and will vary depending on the brands you use.

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Nutrition