Homestyle Cherry Pie

Homestyle cherry pie is a double-crust pie filled with tart cherries, sugar, and a touch of almond extract, baked until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles at the edges. The crust is buttery and flaky, the filling is jammy but not gluey, and the whole pie slices cleanly once it has cooled.

Ingredients for Homestyle Cherry Pie

All-purpose flour and cold butter form a flaky crust, while salt and ice water bring it together without toughening it. Sour cherry juice or water keeps the filling from being too thick. Tart cherries (fresh or frozen, pitted) are the star, giving sharp flavor and a beautiful color. Granulated sugar sweetens the filling and helps it gel. Cornstarch thickens the cherry liquid so the filling stays in the pie instead of running out when you cut it. Almond extract deepens the cherry flavor without making it taste like almonds. A pinch of salt rounds out the sweetness. Egg yolk mixed with water makes the crust brown and shine.

Why This Homestyle Cherry Pie Works

The crust is made by rubbing cold butter into flour until the mixture looks like coarse sand, then mixing in just enough ice water for the dough to hold together. This method leaves pockets of butter throughout the dough, which melt in the oven and create steam, making the crust flaky and crisp instead of dense and tough.

The filling combines fresh or frozen cherries with sugar and cornstarch. The cornstarch absorbs the cherry juice as it heats, thickening it into a syrup so the filling stays in the pie when you cut a slice. Without it, the cherries would release too much liquid and the pie would be soupy.

The pie bakes at 425°F (220°C) for the first 20 minutes to set the crust, then at 375°F (190°C) for another 25 to 30 minutes so the filling bubbles gently at the edges without the crust burning. Cooling the pie for at least 3 hours before slicing allows the filling to set completely, so each slice comes out clean instead of falling apart.

Mistakes To Avoid

Warm or room-temperature butter will make the crust greasy instead of flaky. The butter needs to stay cold and separate so it creates steam pockets when the crust bakes. Cut the butter into cubes and keep it in the freezer until you are ready to rub it into the flour.

Skipping the cornstarch or using too little will leave you with a runny, soupy filling that leaks out of every slice. The cornstarch is not optional, even though the cherries release a lot of liquid on their own. Measure it carefully and mix it into the sugar before tossing it with the cherries.

Cutting into the pie while it is still warm will turn it into a falling-apart mess. The filling needs to cool and set completely so the cornstarch can do its job. Wait at least 3 hours before slicing, or the pie will fall apart on the plate.

Overworking the dough when you mix in the water will make the crust tough and chewy instead of tender and flaky. Mix just until the dough comes together and no dry flour remains, then stop. A few small streaks of flour are fine and will actually help the crust stay flaky.

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Ingredients

• 2 1/2 cups (312 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (226 grams) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon water
• 5 cups fresh or frozen pitted tart cherries
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup sour cherry juice or water
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• Pinch of salt

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and 1 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add 1 cup cold butter cubes and rub with your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse sand with some pea-sized pieces remaining.
2. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons ice water over the mixture and toss gently with a fork until the dough just comes together. Add more water 1 tablespoon at a time only if needed. Do not overwork.
3. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disk, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
4. Mix 3/4 cup sugar and 3 tablespoons cornstarch in a bowl. Add 5 cups cherries, 1/4 cup cherry juice or water, 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, and a pinch of salt. Toss gently to coat and let sit for 15 minutes.
5. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Roll one dough disk on a floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie pan. Lay it in the pan and trim the overhang to 1 inch.
6. Pour the cherry filling into the crust, discarding excess liquid if more than 1/2 cup has pooled. Roll the second dough disk to fit the top, place it over the filling, and seal the edges by pressing with a fork or crimping with your fingers. Cut 4 small vents in the top.
7. Whisk 1 egg yolk and 1 tablespoon water together. Brush the egg wash over the top crust only.
8. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 minutes until the crust is light golden. Reduce the heat to 375°F (190°C) and bake for another 25 to 30 minutes until the filling bubbles at the edges and the crust is deep golden brown.
9. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 3 hours before slicing. The filling will continue to set as it cools.