Homemade Cherry Pie
This Homemade Cherry Pie is made with a flaky pie crust and packed with a sweet cherry filling. The perfect dessert for cherry lovers or the holidays!
When it comes to pies, you can’t beat a homemade version. From my homemade pumpkin pie to my easy apple pie and our family’s favorite pecan pie, the flavor of store-bought pies doesn’t even compare. Since cherries are everywhere right now, I decided it was time to create a new one — this delicious fresh cherry pie!
This recipe took a few tries to get just right, but the end results were so worth it. This cherry pie is made completely from scratch and one of the best that I’ve ever tried! The crust is incredibly flaky and the filling is firm enough to slice into but still soft and delicious like you would expect with a cherry pie.
In fact, my husband — who has always told me he doesn’t like cherry pie — actually ate two slices of this one. I guarantee you’ll love this easy homemade recipe too!
Ingredients For This Recipe
To make this cherry pie, you’ll start out with two pie crusts. I used my homemade pie crust recipe, which makes two crusts so it’s perfect for this pie.
To make the homemade cherry pie filling, you’ll need some cherries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, and lemon juice. Let’s break down each ingredient for the filling:
- Cherries: I used dark sweet cherries (bing cherries) for this pie because I personally love sweeter cherries. You can use tart cherries, but if you do you’ll want to add an additional 1/4-1/3 cup of sugar. After you pit the cherries, you’ll slice them in half and then measure out 5 cups.
- Granulated Sugar: While the cherries are sweet, they still need some sugar to get that classic cherry pie sweetness. If you want your pie to be a little less sweet, you can reduce the sugar down to 1/2 cup.
- Cornstarch: This helps thicken the filling and keep it from being too runny.
- Lemon Juice & Vanilla: A little lemon juice helps to cut down the sweetness and the vanilla adds flavor. Feel free to add a little almond extract if you love that too!
How To Make Cherry Pie
You’ll start by rolling out both pie crusts, then place one in your pie dish and trim off any excess dough. I suggest placing the dish in the refrigerator so the pie crust stays cold and it will have time to relax and won’t shrink as it’s baking.
For the other pie crust, you can either cut out strips to make a lattice topping or just leave it whole and fully cover the filling. I have a full tutorial showing you how to make a lattice pie crust here (it’s easy, I promise!). Once you’ve prepped the pie crusts, you’ll move on to the filling.
To make the homemade cherry pie filling, simply combine everything in a large bowl until all of the cherries are well coated. Then, remove your pie crust from the refrigerator and scoop the filling into the pie crust that you placed in your dish earlier. I also like to cut up a tablespoon of butter and place the pieces on top of the filling for a little extra richness.
Once you’ve added the filling you can decorate the top however you choose. If you place a whole pie crust over the top, just make sure to cut some slits in it so that any steam can release as the pie is baking. I also like to add an egg wash on top to get the crust golden brown and a little coarse sugar for extra sweetness.
How Long Do You Bake It?
Once the sweet cherry pie is ready, you’ll place it in the oven and let it bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375°F and let it finish baking for another 30-35 minutes. The initial high temperature will help make the pie crust super flaky. You’ll know the pie is done with the top is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
FAQ’s
Can you freeze this pie?
This fresh cherry pie will freeze well! Once it’s cooled, wrap it tightly and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. The day before you plan to serve it, place it in the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
Does this pie need to be refrigerated?
You can cover it tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you need to store it any longer than that, I suggest covering it tightly and refrigerating it. The pie will keep well for up to 4 days in the refrigerator.
Can you use frozen cherries?
I haven’t tested this cherry pie recipe with frozen cherries, but I would suggest sticking with fresh cherries. Using frozen cherries could result in a filling that is too soupy and won’t firm up correctly.
Baking Tips
- If you want to make this recipe a little easier, feel free to use store-bought pie crusts.
- I used dark sweet cherries for the filling in this pie. If you prefer to use tart cherries, then you’ll want to increase the sugar by 1/4-1/3 cup (depending on your preference).
- Make sure to pit the cherries, cut them in half, then measure out the 5 cups needed in the recipe.
- If the edges of the crust start to brown too much, place a pie crust shield over the pie. I like to cover the edges at the 20-minute mark. If the top of the pie begins to brown too much before it’s finished baking, simply place a piece of foil over the top until it’s done.
More Homemade Pie Recipes to Try!
Homemade Cherry Pie
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts , homemade or store-bought
- 5 cups (725 grams) pitted and halved fresh dark sweet cherries
- 2/3 cup (135 grams) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (21 grams) cornstarch (or cornflour)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) butter , cut into small pieces
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) milk
- Coarse sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to the lower third position. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C).
- Roll out one of the pie crusts, transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, gently fit it in the dish, and trim any excess dough from the edges, then place in the refrigerator. Roll out the second pie crust and either cut out lattice strips, decorations, or leave whole.
- Add the halved cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and mix until all of the cherries are well coated.
- Remove the pie plate with the pie crust from the refrigerator and scoop the cherry pie filling into the pie crust. Place the pieces of butter on top of the filling.
- Next, use the second pie crust to decorate the top (if leaving it whole, make sure to cut some slits in the top), and decorate the edges.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and milk until fully combined. Brush the top and edges of the pie crust with the egg wash. Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
- Place in the oven and bake at 425°F (218°C) for 20 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (180°C) and continue baking for an additional 30-35 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling. If the edges of the pie crust begin to brown too much, use a pie crust shield or foil to cover them.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely, then slice into pieces, and enjoy!
I am having the hardest time believing that this pie comes out as solid as the pictures show without cooking the filling first. Only one way to find out lol
Not sure what’s so hard to believe? There’s plenty of cornstarch in the filling and it thickens up just fine in the oven, there’s no need to cook the filling on the stove first.
I only said that because I see so many recipes that require cooking down the filling first and they include cornstarch and/or pectin. So many people still complain about it not working with other recipes. I’ve never made a fresh fruit pie before out of fear of letting so much fruit go to waste, so this was a first for me, but I liked that your recipe didn’t have a bunch of extra ingredients.
I tried it out and it worked super well! I did add about an extra TBSP cornstarch since my cherries were super ripe. I also let the pie cool in the fridge for 24 hours after it cooled on the counter too! I’ll be making this again for sure
Hi, where can I find pitted cherries? Do I need to buy a pitter?
You would need to use something to remove the pits. If you don’t have one you can use a sturdy straw or something similar. There’s a lot of tutorials online for ways to pit cherries without a pitter.
Hi Danielle,
You are my go-to for baked dessert treats! Thank you so much for the great recipes. I made this for my husband for Father’s Day. The taste was great but it was runny. I followed recipe exactly and used 5 cups (liquid measuring cup) for the cherries. Do you think that could be what went wrong? Will definitely plan to make this again! Thanks, ~Toby
Hi, Toby! If you cut into it while it’s still warm it will be a bit runny, it should set up as it cools. If you waited for it to cool and it was still runny, you can try adding another tablespoon of cornstarch. I hope that helps!
This looks fantastic! Can I use frozen cherries? Thanks.
I wouldn’t recommend it for this recipe, the filling may not set up properly if you do.
Can I use canned pie filling?
You can, but I’d follow the directions on the can since it will be different than this recipe.
Hi Danielle,
I have made several of your recipes…all were a success..but this cherry pie was over the top fantastic! Thanks so much for sharing! I tried your home made flaky pie crust for the first time and my son is still talking about it. I was a little concerned about how it was going to turn out, as the dough was very sticky. I thought maybe my measuring was off, so I’ve purchased a kitchen scale. I want to make it again, but I will weigh the flour this time. Since I’m new to “weighing the flour”‘ is it still wise to spoon the flour or does that not matter when weighing? Thanks! I can use all the help I can get!
Verna
So glad you liked the pie, Verna! The pie dough shouldn’t be too sticky, so it may have needed less water. Next time you make the crust, try using 1-2 tablespoons less water and see if that helps. If you’re just weighing the flour, there’s no need to spoon and level it as well.
This looks absolutely scrumptious! Beautiful pictures too!
Thank you, Abbey!