Sweet Cherry Pie
For some people—er, me—apple pie is a favorite. For others, it’s unquestionably cherry that rocks their world. I get asked every weekend at the Pitchfork Pie Stand if I have cherry pie. My response is a quick one: “Who’s going to pit all those cherries?!” But cherry pie is bred deeply in the American DNA, and for that, and its bright and cheery appearance, there is a place for it when offering gifts of healing to others.
- Prep time
- 1 hr
- Cook time
- 1 hr
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- Pastry dough for double-crust pie
- 5 to 6 cups pitted cherries ((any variety, fresh or thawed frozen))
- 1/2 to 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons instant tapioca or 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- Pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon (1/2 oz) unsalted butter (cut into small pieces)
- 1 large egg (lightly beaten)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the pie dough and carefully fit it into a 9-inch pie plate.
- 2
In a large bowl, toss together the cherries, sugar, tapioca or cornstarch, and salt. (If your cherries are quite sweet, use 1/2 cup sugar; if your cherries are quite tart, use 1 cup sugar; if your cherries are just right, use 3/4 cup sugar, and if in doubt, use 3/4 cup sugar.)
- 3
If using fresh cherries, let the pie filling sit for about 20 minutes. If using thawed frozen cherries, let the cherry pie filling sit for about 60 minutes.
- 4
If your cherries released a lot of juices, dump the pie filling into a saucepan and gently simmer, stirring almost constantly, until the juices have thickened considerably, about 7 minutes.
- 5
Dump the cherry filling into the crust-lined pie plate. Sprinkle the butter evenly over the filling.
- 6
Carefully drape the top crust over the top or make a lattice pie crust* (see Leite's Culinaria Note). Trim and crimp the pastry edges.
- 7
Lightly brush the entire surface of the crust with beaten egg. If not using a lattice crust, poke several vent holes in the top crust. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper.
- 8
Bake the cherry pie at 425°F (220°C) for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 375°F (190°C) and bake until bubbling, at least another 30 minutes (and perhaps a little longer if you’re using frozen cherries). If the crust appears to be turning dark before the filling is done, loosely cover the pie with foil.
- 9
Let the pie cool slightly before slicing and serving.