This homemade cherry pie recipe works beautifully with sweet or sour cherries, and it’s easy! All you need to do is mix, fill, and bake!
My family loves this fresh cherry pie! When cherries come into season, we jump at the chance to make this pie.
While you can use your favorite store-bought crust, our recipe below shows you how to make the very best cherry pie from scratch with a thick and saucy cherry filling and the most delicious, flaky pie crust.
Key Ingredients
- Pie crust: You can use homemade or store-bought pastry. I use my favorite homemade pie crust recipe to make this cherry pie. It’s made with butter and hasn’t failed me yet, which is why I use it for most of the pie recipes on Inspired Taste.
- Cherries: I love fresh cherries for this pie. You can use sweet or tart cherries. If you use sour cherries, consider increasing the sugar in the filling. To use frozen or canned cherries, see my tips below the recipe.
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar in this pie filling, but brown sugar would be fine. If you have tart cherries, you may need to increase the sugar (check my tips in the recipe below).
- Lemon, Vanilla, and Almond Extract: I love the combination of flavors in this cherry pie! Cherry and vanilla are such a delicious combination, and when you add the almond and lemon, it gets even better! I use these to make my favorite blueberry pie, too!
- Cornstarch: This thickens our pie filling. Although some recipes call for flour, cornstarch worked best in our testing.
- Butter: A tiny bit of butter makes the filling glossy and extra delicious.
- Egg Wash: I love using a rich egg wash made with egg yolk and cream, which you will brush over the crust. As the pie bakes, the egg and cream make the crust turn golden and shiny.
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
My Tips for Making the Best Cherry Pie
Tip 1: How to pit the cherries. We use fresh cherries in this pie, which means you’ll need to remove the pits. Here are three options:
- Use a cherry pitter. The easiest, but it’s a single-use tool.
- Use a chopstick. Using the thicker end, push the pit out of each cherry.
- Use a small piping tip. Place it on the work surface, then push the cherry down onto the tip (the pit pops right out).
Tip 2: Keep the filling simple. When it comes to fresh fruit pies, we’ve found that keeping the filling simple is always best. You don’t want anything to overpower the cherries. In this pie, you’ll toss cherries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Then set it aside and give the sugar some time to pull excess liquid from the cherries.
Tip 3: Leave some liquid behind. When it’s time to add your filling to the pie crust, spoon the cherries into the pie crust, leaving most of the liquid pooled at the bottom of the bowl. This might seem strange, but for a perfect, non-soggy pie, you need to spoon the cherries into the crust and leave most of the liquid in the bowl. This simple trick guarantees your filling sets beautifully after baking.
Tip 4: Let your pie cool completely. Just before baking, cut a few vents in the top crust so steam can escape. Bake your pie until the filling is thick, bubbly, and a gorgeous dark color. The hard part is waiting, but your pie must cool completely before you slice it. If you cut into it too early, the filling will be runny.
Tip 5: Make an even thicker filling (optional). As written, the filling in this cherry pie bakes and cools to be slightly set (not super thick and set). If you’d like an even thicker filling, reduce the strained liquid on the stovetop before pouring it into the pie. This is an extra step, but it’s worth it for a firm, set filling. Details are provided in the recipe below.
More Fresh Fruit Desserts
Best Homemade Cherry Pie
- PREP
- COOK
- TOTAL
My favorite cherry pie recipe is easy! You need a little patience when pitting the cherries, but I promise it’s worth it. You can use sweet cherries, sour cherries, or a combination of both. Don’t skip cooking this pie, as this is what helps your filling to set properly. A slice of this pie is wonderful with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or freshly whipped cream.
Watch Us Make the Recipe
You Will Need
1 (9-inch) double-crust homemade butter pie crust
2 ½ pounds whole fresh cherries, about 5 cups pitted (1300g)
⅔ cup granulated sugar, plus more for the top (130g)
¼ cup cornstarch (30g)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon almond extract
⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cut into small squares
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
Directions
1Roll out the bottom crust: Roll out half of the pie dough to fit a 9-inch pie dish. To prevent sticking, sprinkle flour on your work surface and rolling pin. Roll from the center outwards for even thickness, lifting and rotating the dough by a quarter turn as you go. Check the size by inverting the pie dish over the dough (it should be 1 ½ to 2 inches larger).
2Add the crust to the pie dish: Carefully place the dough into the pie dish without stretching it, and trim the edges to within 1 inch of the dish. Place in the refrigerator until needed.
3Roll out the top crust: Roll out the second half of the dough to a similar size as before and transfer it to a large parchment-lined baking sheet. Keep the second sheet of pie dough in the refrigerator until needed.
4Prepare the oven: Position an oven rack towards the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Set aside a baking sheet and line it with foil or parchment paper (you will bake the pie on this).
5Prepare cherries: Pit the cherries and cut them in half. Then, cut half of the mixture into quarters (the variation of sizes makes a better filling).
6Make the filling: Add pitted cherries to a large bowl, then add the sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, almond extract, lemon juice, and salt. Gently toss to combine. Set aside.
7Assemble the pie: Spoon the filling into the prepared pie crust, but leave most of the liquid pooled at the bottom of the bowl (it makes the pie soggy). Scatter the little squares of cold butter over the filling.
8Add top crust and crimp: Carefully place the top round of dough over the filling. Fold the overhanging dough underneath itself, forming a thick rim. Press it together or crimp it with your fingers (or use a fork).
9Add the egg wash: Whisk the egg yolk and cream to create an egg wash, then brush it over the crust. Sprinkle with extra sugar and refrigerate the pie for 10 minutes before baking.
10Bake the pie: Use a sharp knife to cut a few slits in the top of the crust to allow steam to vent. Place the pie on the hot baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and continue baking for another 35 to 45 minutes. Take the pie out when the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling enthusiastically.
11If you notice the crust edges browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil and continue baking until the pie is fully cooked.
12Cool the baked pie: Cool the pie without slicing it for at least 2 hours, preferably longer. Keep in mind that the pie filling does not fully thicken until it is completely cooled. Waiting to cut into the pie until it’s cool will prevent a soggy slice.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: Cherry pie lasts up to 2 days, covered on the counter at room temperature or in the fridge for up to 5 days. For the best results, wrap the pie with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. You can also freeze for up to 3 months, but make sure it is wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Cherries: I prefer this pie with fresh cherries. If you use frozen cherries, thaw them first and drain off extra liquid. I highly recommend using fresh cherries, but you can use 4 cups of canned or bottled cherries, drained, with about ⅓ cup of cherry juice reserved for adding to the cherry filling.
- No cherry pitter: Push the pit out with the blunt end of a chopstick, or press the cherry down onto a piping tip.
- Sugar: Feel free to add more sugar if your cherries are more tart. Use ⅔ cup (135g)for sweet cherries), and increase to ¾ cup (150g) or more for tart or sour cherries.
- Thicker filling: As written, our cherry pie filling is slightly loose (I love it this way). For a thicker filling, use a slotted spoon when adding the cherries to the pie crust, allowing excess liquid to remain in the bowl. Next, pour the leftover liquid into a small saucepan and cook over low heat for 3 to 4 minutes until reduced. Cool for 5 minutes, then pour over the cherries in your pie. Give them a gentle toss, then add the top crust and bake as directed in the recipe.
- Add a lattice crust: See how to lattice pie crust, or see our apple pie recipe that has a lattice crust on top.
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates.
I seldom made cherry pies because I didn’t like the canned fillings. Too sweet & too thick. When my adult food critic daughter tasted it, she said OMG it was the best cherry pie Ive ever tasted, I make it more often now. This is the only recipe I’ll ever use, along with the butter pie crust. I also made an apple pie with the crust when my sister visited me. I found out later she had gone into my recipe notebook to take a picture of the crust recipe. I got raves for a family celebration when I made it with frozen mixed berries, using the same flavoring recipe,
I’m hoping to bake for Christmas Eve tomorrow, is frozen fruit okay? There are no fresh cherries in my area unfortunately 🙁
I prefer this pie with fresh cherries. If you use frozen cherries, thaw them first and drain off extra liquid. I highly recommend using fresh cherries, but you can use 4 cups of canned or bottled cherries, drained, with about ⅓ cup of cherry juice reserved for adding to the cherry filling.
Goooooood pie! We picked the cherries fresh from a grower in out area. The pie turn out great
Do I have to pre cook the cherries?
Hi Anne, We do not pre-cook the cherries for this pie.
Just mage it and it is perfect, wish I could share a picture. If you quarter the cheeries you need 5 cups
Geez….looks like I’m the only one using canned pie filling I was trying to find out how much sugar to use with canned filling, but guess that I am the only one…..the lazy one
If your like ,me you have no access to fresh cherries and they’re bad at the store in Feb. I’m trying it with cans now and her pie crust recipe which is the best. Tell ya how it turned out.
When you say you prefer fresh cherries, are you saying fresh picked or cherries that were fresh and home canned?
Fresh cherries (not canned).
Gonna try it with canned. I’ll post the outcome.
My daughter was craving cherry pie and since I loved it I tried this recipe. Her first bite she made a face n wanted to know what was wrong with it. I tasted it and realized it was the almond extract. It didn’t ruin it but no one else wanted theirs after the 1st bite. I ate almost the whole thing but, u can tell it’s there.
Hi Kim, Almond extract is pretty strong (which is why we only add a little bit). That said, it sounds like your family would just prefer it without. The great news is that you can easily make this pie without it! Hope you try it again soon 🙂
My daughter requested cherry pie for her birthday and this is the recipe we used. It was so delicious!! It was also super easy. I have never made cherry pie but wow, I will again!
I made this pie for Xmas with sour cherries from our own tree, so I added some sugar as suggested. I also thickened the juice to add to the fruit in the pie. I froze the pie before baking. It was excellent and everyone enjoyed my pie. I’ll make it again next year — when we have cherries again.
I had dried cherries so i boiled to rehydrate. I dont know if it needed more sugar or if the dried cherries madebit more tart. But it was still good with some vanilla ice cream!
Can I freeze it? If yes, cooked or uncooked? How would you wrap for the freezer?
Hi Elisa, Yes, you can freeze this pie, either as a whole pie wrapped in foil or as individual slices. Thaw them overnight in the fridge before reheating. Note that the crust may soak up extra moisture as it thaws so it will not be as flaky on the bottom as it would be fresh.
I made a lot of mistakes when making this pie. Like using an aluminum pan that was to big, using canned cherries, and I accidentally put the egg yolk and cream in the pie before realizing it just went on top lol! But it still turned out INCREDIBLE!!! Such a great pie!!!!!
lol…love that it still worked out 🙂
Your baking instructions differ from video. In video, you do not put pie on hot baking sheet in oven, or on bottom oven rack.
Hi Dave, this recipe has been updated with extra tips for success.
I made Cherry pie along with your basic pie crust butter recipe. The crust was delicious. The cherries where delicious. I followed the recipe to a tee. When I cut a piece of the pie I had a whole lot of cherries roll out. The cherries did not gel. I did not cut it until the next day. Why did the cherries not gel together?
Hi there, it is really important that the filling cooks until it is bubbling inside. Did this happen? Some cherries always fall out for me, too, but the filling should still thicken nicely.
Abosolutely wonderful recipe. I used sour cherries. Didn’t use almond extract because several people in my family have allergies. DELICIOUS!!!!!
Thank you so much for coming back to leave such a kind review 🙂
Very good pie. Used my own pie crust, 4 cups frozen cherries, thawed, forgot to add the 1/3 c juice, and didn’t refrigerate pie before baking. Still came out great.
Thanks for coming back, Gail!
i made this for christmas it tastes so good
So happy you enjoyed it!
I’m so excited to make this recipe. Thank you