About 7 years ago, Chad and I bought my dad a sour cherry tree for Father’s Day because he loved cherry pie. They moved and were building a house and were renting in the meantime, so it ended up in our backyard because the tree needed a place to stay in the ground. The first several years, it did not produce much ... but now the tree is 10 years old and it’s producing more cherries than ever!

We have been picking the tree’s cherries all month, and it has produced more than enough to make a homemade cherry pie.

What is it about a classic dish? That no-frills, no surprises, genuineness about it. A humbleness of sorts. That comfort knowing exactly what to expect. And then, that satisfaction when it actually tastes even better than what you expected. This cherry pie recipe is one my mom and I have made for years. It’s a keeper!!!

We brought this pie recently to a family gathering and it did not last long! I really think this just may be the best cherry pie I have ever made and I owe it to using fresh sour cherries (pitted). But, you can buy frozen cherries and make this recipe, too!

Enjoy!

Classic Cherry Pie

(makes one 9 or 10-inch pie)

Pastry Dough for a double crust:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon white sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
6-8 tablespoons cold water

Cherry Pie Filling:

5 heaping cups of frozen sour pie cherries, slightly thawed (you can also use fresh sour cherries, pitted - you will need about 5 cups)
5 tablespoons cornstarch or all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar (plus extra for sprinkling over the top of the pie before baking)
zest and juice of 1/2 lemon (it’s okay if you don’t have a lemon, it’s still perfect when omitted, too!)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into very small pieces

Directions:

Make the pie dough: Pulse the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor to combine. Then, add in the butter and pulse to combine and butter is crumbly. Slowly add in the water and pulse. If the mixture is too dry and won't come together when you pinch it, add more ice cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Pour dough onto clean surface and form into two round discs. Wrap with plastic wrap and store in refrigerator for about 30 minutes. I make the pie filling while I am waiting.
Make pie filling: In a large bowl, combine the cherries, cornstarch/flour, sugar, salt, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. Toss to combine.
Roll out one of the discs of dough on a floured surface until it is about 1 inch larger than the pie pan. Take the rolling pin and roll up the dough and then unroll it into the pie dish. Press down the edges so it fits in the pan with overhang.
Pour the cherries into the pie dish (I used a 9 or 10-inch pie dish). Dot the top with the small pieces of butter.
Make the top crust: Take out the second disc of dough and either roll it out and place it over the cherries, or make a lattice top. Here, I rolled it out and then used a small lid to cut small circles all over the top.
Brush the top of the pie with a little water and then sprinkle the top of the unbaked pie with sugar or sanding sugar.
Bake at 375 degrees for about 45-minute to an hour. If you are using frozen cherries, it will be an hour or more for baking. If it is turning too brown too quickly, tent foil over the top. When done, the cherry juices will bubble and the top of the crust should be a light golden brown.
Let set at room temperature for at least 4 hours to let the juices set. You can let it set up to overnight. Then, it will keep at room temperature up to 1 day. After that, I will either refrigerator leftovers or freeze.

The Best Cherry Pie