Homemade Cherry Pie made with fresh picked pie cherries. Making a homemade pie isn't difficult, but the results are impressive. Cherry pie is an all-time favorite recipe!
Homemade Cherry Pie is one of my favorite desserts, but I just don't get it very often. Last year was the first year we harvested cherries off our pie cherry tree.
I had just enough cherries to make a cherry cobbler. This year we had just a few more cherries from that tree. I decided it was time to make a homemade cherry pie!!!
Pie cherries are different than most eating cherries. They are tart or sour and very, very juicy! I think they are perfect for making cherry pies - must be why they are called pie cherries! I also think they are pretty delicious in a cherry cake!
Don't worry if you only have access to regular eating cherries - like Bing or Rainier. I've got a Cherry Pie Filling Recipe and these Cherry Muffins just for you!
My mom told me last fall that I didn't have one single pie recipe on my blog! Well, I did have a plum galette, which is a rustic pie, but not a traditional pie so it doesn't really count!
I make pies from time to time, but just haven't captured one with pictures and a recipe yet. I think it's time! Mom, I've now got a pie recipe!
My mom is a master pie maker. Every time we go to her house for dinner she has a dessert. Often it's Chocolate Mayonnaise Cupcakes or it's one of her famous pies.
She mixes it up with other great desserts but pies and cupcakes are the most frequent. I'm hoping this cherry pie lives up to her standards. 🙂
What do I use to thicken cherry pie?
I use corn starch to thicken the pie. The corn starch is mixed with the sugar and the cherries and then baked. The corn starch will thicken the juices from the cherries as it bakes.
How do I make the crust?
To make the crust you will need flour, salt, shortening and ice cold water
- Mix together flour and salt.
-
With your fingertips or a pastry blender, mix in shortening until mixture is the size of small peas.
-
Sprinkle 6 Tablespoons of ice water over mixture. Gently toss with a fork or fingers. Sprinkle 1-2 additional Tablespoons of water over mixture. Gently toss again. Press mixture together to form 2 equal balls. Roll out one crust right away and gently place in a 8 inch pie plate. Cover remaining ball and set aside.
How do I shape the top crust?
To get the fancy cut lattice strips, I used a pastry wheel. You could also use a pizza cutter and have even edged strips.
If you don't want to tackle a lattice top you can put a solid crust on top. Just be certain to cut a few vent holes in the middle. For step by step directions for creating the lattice crust, check out this raspberry rhubarb pie recipe.
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If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my delicious dessert recipes!
Cherry Pie
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- Pie Plate
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
Crust
- 2 ½ cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup shortening
- 7-8 Tablespoons ice water
Pie Filling
- 3 cups Sour Pie Cherries (pitted)
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ¾ cup sugar
Egg Wash
- 1 egg
- 1 Tablespoon milk
Instructions
Crust
- Mix together flour and salt.2 ½ cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt
- With your fingertips or a pastry blender, mix in shortening until mixture is the size of small peas.¾ cup shortening
- Sprinkle 6 Tablespoons of ice water over mixture. Gently toss with a fork or fingers. Sprinkle 1-2 additional Tablespoons of water over mixture. Gently toss again. Press mixture together to form 2 equal balls. Roll out one crust right away and gently place in a 8 inch pie plate. Cover remaining ball and set aside.7-8 Tablespoons ice water
Pie Filling
- In a bowl, combine cherries (and their juices), corn starch and sugar. Mix lightly.3 cups Sour Pie Cherries, ¼ cup corn starch, ¾ cup sugar
- Pour pie filling in pie plate.
- Roll out remaining pie crust. Cut crust into thin strips and form a lattice crust on top of filling. You can leave pie crust whole and place entire crust on cherry filling. Cut vents in pie crust (if left whole)
Egg Wash and Bake
- Mix one egg and milk together with a fork. Lightly brush egg wash over top of pie crust.1 egg, 1 Tablespoon milk
- Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Lower the temperature to 350 and bake for another 30 - 35 minutes until juices are bubbling and crust is nicely browned.
- Remove from oven and cool on a baking rack
Video
Notes
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
Marissa says
What a beautiful Cherry Pie! Sounds absolutely delicious and I love how vibrant your cherries are!
Kathy says
Thanks, Marissa! 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia says
Such a beautiful pie! Cherry is definitely my favorite pie. So exciting making it from your own tree!
Kathy says
I just wish my tree would produce more than one pie's worth of cherries! Maybe next year!!!
Adina says
I love baking with sour cherries myself, but unfortunately I don't get them very often, you cannot buy them anywhere around here and we only have a sweet cherry tree in our rather small garden. This pie looks absolutely gorgeous, I can just imagine the taste.
Mary Ann | The Beach House Kitchen says
So lucky you have your own cheery tree Kathy! This pie looks gorgeous and I bet it tastes just as delicious!
Nicoletta Sugarlovespices says
Yes! We just went sour cherries picking and I have a pie recipe coming up soon! Love yours, very pretty and so so delicious!!
Kathy says
It's the season for pie cherries! I can't wait to see your pie! 🙂
Mimi says
Beautiful. Your cherries almost look fake they're so pretty!
Kathy says
They are very real! The colors are so vibrant and unless you can pick your own, they are hard to find.
Dawn - Girl Heart Food says
That's one GORGEOUS pie, my friend! That lattice work! Perfection! We tried to grow a cherry tree, but it didn't work out. Every time I see them at the grocery I always buy a bunch. Lucky you with the tree...and talk about fresh! I'd love a slice of this right now with a big ol scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Kathy says
It has taken several years for this tree to start producing. I'm hoping we can get a huge crop in the next couple of years. Once that happens, I'll freeze a bunch so I can have cherry pie all year long!
Judy says
Perfect. Great job Kathy.
Love Mom
Kathy says
Thanks! 🙂
David @ Spiced says
And now you have a pie on the blog! And wow, what a pie! A good classic cherry pie is always up there on my list, and this one sounds delicious, Kathy. I'd be curious to hear how you keep the animals from eating all of the cherries on your tree. We have a nice cherry tree in our backyard, but we might get lucky to get 1-2 cherries from said tree. Stupid squirrels...