Looking for a taste of summer? You can’t do much better than a cherry pie. For many of us, fresh cherries remind us of family vacations, tr...
How to Make a Cherry Pie That Tastes Like Summer
Looking for a taste of summer? You can’t do much better than a cherry pie. For many of us, fresh cherries remind us of family vacations, trips to the orchard and the delicious, messy affair of pitting and eating these stone fruits. When you fold those into a delicious pie crust, well that’s just pure nostalgia (and a phenomenal treat).
While making your own cherry pie takes a little time with the picking and the pitting, the recipe itself is straightforward. So grab a pal to help you prep the cherries and get to work making a cherry pie from scratch.
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How to Make Cherry Pie from Scratch
To make a great fresh cherry pie—no canned filling here—you need a good recipe like one for juicy cherry pie from reader Karen Berner of Connecticut. To make this five-star pie, you’ll need some baking basics and some good cherries.
For the crust:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold butter, cubed
1/3 cup shortening
8-10 tablespoons ice-cold water
For the filling:
5 cups tart cherries, pitted
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
For the topping:
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon sugar
Step 1: Make the Pie Crust
For this pie, you can use your go-to crust recipe (just be sure to make enough for the top and bottom crusts). However, our Test Kitchen recommends the pie crust right in this recipe. It uses a mix of butter and shortening so you get that flaky, buttery flavor with the tenderness that shortening provides.
To make this crust, you’re going to follow standard pie pastry procedure. Start by mixing the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl. Then cut in the butter and shortening with a pastry blender (just one of a few pie baking tools to stock in your kitchen) until the mix is crumbly—the butter and shortening should be pea-sized. Then add in the water a tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together when pressed. Cold water and cold butter are absolutely crucial here—they will help produce a flaky crust.
When you’re satisfied with your pastry, divide it into two, shape each half into a disk and wrap. Stash the pastry in the fridge for at least an hour. You can prep it a day ahead and let it rest overnight, too.
Editor’s tip: If you want your pie crust-making to go quickly, break out your food processor. Add the dry ingredients, butter and shortening together and pulse with quick bursts (don’t keep the machine running—it’ll heat up and melt the butter). Then when the butter is in small pieces, add in the water a bit at a time and pulse.
Step 2: Make the Cherry Filling
While your pie pastry is chilling, get to work on the pie filling. This recipe calls for fresh, pitted cherries. You’ll want to use tart cherries for this recipe, which is the most popular variety for pie. If you can’t find fresh cherries, frozen works fine here. If you use frozen, be sure to measure them while frozen to get the proper volume.
Editor’s tip: If you’re pitting the cherries yourself, invest in a cherry pitter. There are some shortcuts, but when you’re working with a lot of cherries, there’s no substitute for the right tool for the job.
Pop the pitted cherries in a large mixing bowl and drizzle the lemon juice and almond extract over the top. In another dish, whisk the flour, cinnamon and sugar together just to combine them. Then sprinkle this mix over the cherries and toss to coat. Set aside and get back to work on the crust.
Step 3: Roll Out the Crust
After letting the pastry rest, it’s time to roll out your pie crust. Dust your work surface and rolling pin with a bit of flour and roll out the pastry, turning a quarter turn every so often to keep the shape round. Roll until the crust is an eighth-inch thick. The crust should be large enough to fit into a nine-inch pie plate with some overhang.
If you need help moving the pie pastry from the worktop to the pan, drape the crust over the rolling pin and transfer to the pie plate. You can also fold your crust into quarters and unfold it once it’s in the pan. Work quickly but mindfully.
Once the crust is in place, patch any holes (it’s OK—we all get them) and trim the excess with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors. Leave about a half-inch overhang of pastry to form the crimped edge.
Step 4: Fill and Add the Top Crust
Next, roll out the top crust of the pie. There are lots of ways to finish a double-crusted pie. You can go for a traditional lattice pie crust or a single round of pastry (just be sure to add some slits to vent). For this cherry pie, our Test Kitchen got creative with cookie cutters.
To make this starry top crust, roll out the second disk of dough. Again, you’ll want it about an eight-inch-thick and large enough to drape over the whole pie with a bit of room around the edge to spare. Use a cookie cutter—simpler shapes work best, just check out this version—to cut out designs. Make sure to leave enough pastry between your cutouts so the crust doesn’t tear as you transfer it to the pie dish.
When the pie crust is in place, trim the edges again (leave some extra around the border) using a sharp knife or kitchen shears.
Step 5: Crimp the Edges and Bake
Next, you’ll need to seal the edges of the pie crust. To do this, fold the top and bottom crusts together and pinch them using your fingers from one hand and the knuckle from another. This will form a crimped edge. You can check out other ways to finish a pie crust, too. Our Test Kitchen has lots of tips.
Pop the pie into a 375ºF oven and bake for 40 minutes. Carefully remove the pie from the oven and brush the top with milk and sprinkle with sugar. This will give it a nice crunch. You can use granulated sugar here, but a coarse sugar will give the pie more texture.
Place the pie back in the oven and bake another 15 to 20 minutes—until the crust is golden and the filling bubbly. Cool on a wire rack before cutting yourself a generous slice—topped with a scoop of ice cream, of course.
Once you take a bite, you’ll always want to make cherry pie from scratch. It’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet—plus the hint of lemon and cinnamon really add depth of flavor to one of our favorite stone fruits. Add in that flaky, tender crust and you’ve got a recipe all your loved ones will be asking for.
For my mother's birthday, I made this strawberry pie recipe instead of a cake. Since it was mid-May in Oklahoma, the berries were absolutely perfect. It was a memorable occasion for the whole family. —Josh Carter, Birmingham, Alabama
My grandmother used to make this pie when I was a small child. A Brooklyn woman gave her the recipe, but my grandmother could never remember the woman’s name or the name of the pie, comically dubbing it Lady from Brooklyn’s Pie. Feel free to use any flavored gelatin, or try walnuts or pecans instead of pistachios. I use a store-bought graham cracker crust, but you can also use a chocolate graham cracker crust. —Judy DeGrottole, New York, New York
This showstopping pie can be decorated to fit any season. I like to make stars for Independence Day, leaves for fall, hearts for Valentine's Day or even flowers for spring. Have fun with it! —Kerry Nakayama, New York, New York
This cool no-bake strawberry pretzel pie is the perfect antidote for your sweet tooth this summer. Made with pantry staples, and well, as easy as pie to make, it’s become one of my family’s most requested warm-weather treats. —Shauna Havey, Roy, Utah
This recipe is delicious with either fresh-picked or frozen raspberries. That means you can make it year-round. One bite of raspberry pie will instantly turn winter to summer. —Julie Price, Nashville, Tennessee
When you want to make an impression, make this pie! The recipe produces one of the flakiest crusts ever, and the combination of rhubarb and different berries in the filling is delicious. —Suzanne Alberts, Onalaska, Wisconsin
To us Idahoans, huckleberries are a treasure. My family enjoys this recipe a lot, and I serve it as a special treat when we have guests. —Pat Kuper, McCall, Idaho
I host an annual pie-making party before Labor Day. We host a pig roast on our farm every year, but the pies take center stage at the end of the meal. —Beth Howard, Donnellson, Iowa
Fresh berries and cream pie—it’s a simple, classic combination just like Grandma used to make. My version gets you out of the kitchen and into your lounge chair quickly. Enjoy! —Gina Nistico, Taste of Home Food Editor
I grew up on a farm, and we always picked fruits in early summer and used them to make desserts. This blackberry pie is a real stunner. —Gladys Gibbs, Brush Creek, Tennessee
We Northeasterners have been baking this pie since the 18th century. Settlers would’ve used little wild blueberries and topped it with cream. I do, too. —Nancy O'Connell, Biddeford, Maine
Making pie for a crowd may seem impossible, but not when you turn to this crowd-pleasing recipe! The sweet-tart raspberry filling pairs well with a flaky homemade pastry. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
This creamy pie gets dressed up with berries to make a showstopping display at any Fourth of July party or summer get-together. It's as pretty as it is tasty! —Kimberly McFarland, Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
Blackberries became my favorite fruit after I harvested them from my grandfather’s yard in Greece. I mix them with apricots to make the pie of my dreams. —Simone Bazos, Baltimore, Maryland
Pop one in a lunch box, share a batch at work or wait until dessert—these are sweet anytime, anywhere. Sometimes, I refrigerate prepared tarts overnight and bake them while making dinner the next day. Foolproof. —Carole Fraser, North York, Ontario
People rave about this luscious strawberry pie. Best of all, it’s a low-sugar sensation that you won’t feel guilty eating. —Lou Wright, Rockford, Illinois
I make this family favorite every year for a gathering at my sister's, where the recipe is known as "Uncle Mike's pie." I use only fresh berries, apples and rhubarb that I grow myself. —Michael Powers, New Baltimore, Virginia
This huckleberry pie has a cookielike press-in crust, a fluffy cream filling and a layer of luscious huckleberries on top. I think it really shows off the lovely dark glossy berries. —Dianne Doede, Trout Lake, Washington
I served this recipe to my family while we were on vacation and they were all amazed! The best part: I didn't spend tons of time on it thanks to refrigerated pie crust. Watch your mini tarts around the 13-minute mark to make sure they don't brown too quickly. If you like, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar for a beautiful finishing touch.—Allison Bell, Hillsdale, New Jersey
Three simple ingredients mixed together and spread into a graham crust make magic while your freezer does the all the work. Make this pie ahead and freeze it overnight or even longer. Feel free to vary the fruit if you'd like! —Debbie Glasscock, Conway, Arkansas
When the rhubarb comes in, mix it with blueberries for a rustic and bubbly tart. Offer it to a friend with a warm cup of tea. —Jeanne Ambrose, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
"Slab pie" is a pastry baked in a jelly-roll pan and cut in slabs like a bar cookie—or a pie bar, if you will. My grandfather was a professional baker and served pieces of slab pie to his customers back in the day. Here is my spin, featuring rhubarb and gorgeous red raspberries. —Jeanne Ambrose, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
My dad would always stop the car on the side of the road in Maine and say, "I smell blueberries." He had a pail ready. Then Mom would bake the wild berries in a cornmeal crust to make this homey tart. —Priscilla Gilbert, Indian Harbour Beach, Florida
Every spring, we had strawberries and rhubarb on our farm outside Seattle. These fruity hand pies remind me of those times and of Grandma Winnie’s baking. —Shawn Carleton, San Diego, California
This pie is packed with jammy raspberry flavor and looks stunning. Have some fun with the top pie pastry and punch out star shapes for a festive look. — Karen Berner, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
I combined the tangy tastes of lime and cilantro with cream cheese for this unusual berry pie that showcases seasonal fruit. The ginger cookies add zip to the crust. —Anneliese Barz, Fort Mill, South Carolina
Family and friends say this patriotic pie is better than a local favorite from one of our best neighborhood restaurants. Sometimes, I switch things up and use gooseberries for half of the blueberries. —Nancy Barker, Silverton, Oregon
Here's a delectable dessert that all ages will enjoy. With its raspberries and Nutella-covered homemade pastry crust, you won't be able to get enough of this. —Christina Seremetis, Rockland, Massachusetts
My mother made this pie so often she could do it with her eyes closed! We picked the berries ourselves, and the apples came from the trees in our orchard. I can still taste the delicious combination of fruits encased in Mother's flaky pie crust.—Fran Stanfield, Wilmington , Ohio
This is a fresh, simple approach to making a company-worthy pie. The playful Cap’n Crunch cereal crust is fun to bite into, and it’s the perfect complement to a mixed berry no-bake filling. —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
I believe Oregon marionberries make about the best berry pie in the world. And when you add some cream cheese and flavorings, you'll be making the best even better! —Frances Benthin, Scio, Oregon
While being raised on a farm I often ate rhubarb, so it's natural for me to use it in a pie. I prefer to use lard for the flaky pie crust and thin, red rhubarb stalks for the filling. These two little secrets helped this recipe win top honors at the 2013 Iowa State Fair. —Marianne Carlson, Jefferson, Iowa
One of my favorite bakeries makes this scrumptious tart that uses fall and summer fruit, so I created my own version. I like to serve it warm with whipped cream or ice cream and with a cup of coffee on a cool autumn night. —Sarah Knoblock, Hyde Park, Indiana
This strawberry rhubarb pie with frozen fruit recipe has become a favorite with us. My husband never liked rhubarb until he tasted this pie...now he asks me to make it often! — Sandy Brown, Lake Worth, Florida
With a little chill time, my no-bake lemon pie turns into a potluck superstar. My kids like to arrange the berries in a star pattern. —Lauren Katz, Ashburn, Virginia
Next time you get a pint or two of perfectly ripe strawberries, make my favorite pie. It combines fresh berries and a lemony cream cheese layer. If you’re in a hurry, use a pre-made pie shell. —Janet Leach, Granger, Washington
Here's a delightful way to enjoy summertime fruits. If you're short on one of the berries, just make up the amount with one of the other fruits in the pie. —Elaine Moody, Clever, Missouri
You've had peach pie and strawberry pie, and maybe even peach-strawberry pie. But throw in some garden-fresh basil and you're in for a real treat. Try it. —Lindsay Sprunk, Noblesville, Indiana
To me, this colorful pie is the epitome of summer. Bright blueberries and raspberries sandwich a cream cheese layer in the pie that’s quite festive. I can’t imagine a holiday party without this tasty treat! —Cindy Zarnstorff, Anchorage, Alaska
