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Slice of homemade cherry pie topped with a scoop of ice cream with remaining pie in the background.

Sour Cherry Pie

This tart cherry pie works well with fresh or frozen cherries. It takes the guess work out of whether or not the filling is going to set up because you cook it on the stove for a bit first. That way you have a chance to adjust as needed before it ever hits the pie pan!
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 Servings
Author: Carlee

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds pitted sour cherries
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1½ cup granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract optional
  • 1 recipe for double crust pie pie crust
  • Optional: milk or egg for wash and additional sugar

Instructions

  • Put cold cherries, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch in large saucepan. Stir until combined.
  • Bring the cherry mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring frequently. Keep boiling and stirring until it thickens to cherry pie filling consistency.
    Spoon lifting cooked cherry pie filling out of saucepan showing how the juices are thickened up.
  • Remove from the heat and stir in almond extract if desired.
  • Allow the cherry pie filling to cool completely before assembling the pie.
  • Preheat the oven to 425℉. Preheat a baking steel or sheet pan on the bottom rack.
  • Roll out pie crusts and place bottom pie crust in 9-inch deep dish pie plate.
  • Spoon cooled pie filling into the bottom crust. Place the top crust and crimp the edges to seal. Cute vents in the top crust. If desired, brush with egg wash or a bit of milk and sprinkle with a little bit of granulated sugar.
    Cherry pie filling in bottom pie crust, ready for the top crust.
  • Place pan on preheated baking steel or sheet pan and bake at 425°F for 20 minutes. Cover the edges with a pie shield or aluminum foil to prevent over browning and drop the oven to 375°F and continue to bake for about 30-40 minutes. Crust should be golden and the filling should be bubbling.
    Cherry pie sitting on preheated cast iron pan in oven, ready to bake.
  • Remove from oven and let coo before slicing and servingl. Delicious on it’s own, but really good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!

Notes

As written, the tartness of the cherries shines through in the filling. Taste it after it is thickened to see if it sweet enough for you. If not, add a little bit more sugar and stir it in to make sure it is dissolved while the filling is hot. 
Baking the pie on the bottom rack and placing it on a preheated surface helps to ensure the bottom crust gets fully cooked. 
According to the USDA, cherry pie can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to a week.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Slice | Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 67mg | Potassium: 187mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 48IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg
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