There’s nothing like a fresh Cherry Pie bubbling through a rich, flaky crust. Learn how to make the best cherry pie from scratch with our easy, go-to Pie Crust and fresh or frozen cherries.
Homemade pies are easy to make and so satisfying to eat. We change up the fruit with the seasons and make Apple Pie in the cooler months, then Blueberry Pie, juicy Peach Pie and of course this sweet cherry pie in Summer.
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (1) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (1)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie-5.jpg)
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Homemade Cherry Pie
Memories are made around homemade pies and there’s something so satisfying about creating a pie from scratch. The only downside to a homemade pie is in waiting for it to cool before enjoying it. For easier serving, let the pie cool almost to room temperature so the juices thicken. If you slice into a hot pie, the filling will slide out.
Don’t forget to top each slice with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream. It will melt slightly into the slice, making it irresistibly good.
Watch How to Make Cherry Pie
If you enjoyed this Cherry Pie video tutorial, you can check out all of our video recipes on our Youtube Channel. I hope you’re pumped and inspired to bake your own cherry pie while cherries are in season, or you can use frozen when the craving strikes (see instructions below).
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (2) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (2)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie-3.jpg)
Ingredients for Cherry Pie
- Cherries – we love sweet red cherries here but you can use a variety of cherries and even a combination of different cherries.
- Lemon juice – balances the sweetness and adds some juiciness to the filling
- Sugar – amps up the natural sweetness of the cherries. You can adjust sugar to taste depending on the sweetness of your cherries.
- Corn Starch – helps to thicken the cherry pie filling
- Butter – we use unsalted butter to dot the cherry pie filling before applying the crust.
- Pie Crust – you will need two disks or 1 recipe for Pie Dough, to make the base and lattice top.
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (3) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (3)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie.jpg)
Variations
- Frozen Cherries – cherries from the freezer work great since they are already pitted. Make sure frozen cherries are well thawed. Lightly rinse them and let them sit in a colander to drain well. Use 2 1/2 lbs of frozen cherries for this recipe.
- For a Sour Cherry Pie – Since sour cherries are generally smaller, you will need about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs (or 6 cups, pitted) sour cherries. Since sour cherries are more tart, use 1 cup of sugar.
How to Transfer a Pie Crust to the Pan
Transferring pie crust to a pie pan is easy. Flour your work surface before rolling out the dough to prevent sticking.
- Roll the first pie crust to a 13″ diameter circle
- Roll the crust onto your rolling pin
- Unroll crust over your deep dish pie pan
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (4) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (4)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie-8.jpg)
The Best Cherry Pie Filling
A homemade cherry pie filling is easy to make and takes just a few ingredients. The cornstarch creates a thick bubbly cherry filling while the cinnamon and lemon juice amplifies the flavor of the cherries. The resulting filling is bubbly and saucy like our Cherry Sauce.
- Stir together cherries and lemon juice.
- Whisk together cornstarch, sugar, and cinnamon and combine with cherries.
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (5) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (5)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie-7.jpg)
How to Make a Lattice Crust
Here’s a quick visual reference for making a lattice pie crust for cherry pie. I still use this visual reference when making pie because I can move through the steps at my own pace.
- Place 5 strips of dough horizontally over the pie filling, with the longer strips in the center and shorter strips towards the edges.
- Fold back the 2nd and 4th strips halfway and place a long vertical strip of dough in the center.
- Fold the strips back over the new line then fold back the alternate strips (1st, 3rd, and 5th). Continue adding and alternating strips then switch to the other side of the pie, until the lattice is complete.
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (6) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (6)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie-9.jpg)
How to Crimp Pie Crust
Your fingers are all you need to make a beautiful crimped or scalloped pie crust.
- Tuck in excess dough behind the bottom pie crust.
- Crimp the crust edges by pushing the dough out with your index finger and at the same time pushing/pinching the dough around it with the thumb and forefinger of your other hand
- Repeat all the way around the edge.
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (7) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (7)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie-2.jpg)
Pro Tips for the Best Cherry Pie
- Freeze the unbaked pie 10-15 minutes while the oven preheats (keeps crust from browning too fast).
- Brush the pie crust with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tbsp milk or water) and sprinkle with coarse sugar just before baking.
- Arrange oven rack to the lower third of the oven.
- For easier cleanup: place a sheet of foil (or slide a sheet pan) under the pie once you turn the heat down to 350˚F.
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (8) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (8)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie-10.jpg)
I hope you take full advantage of cherry season with your own homemade cherry pie. Cherries have to be my favorite stone fruit and I’ve always loved them fresh and especially baked into desserts. From the flaky buttery crust to the juicy cherries that burst with every bite – this pie has your name written all over it!
![Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (9) Classic Cherry Pie Recipe (VIDEO) (9)](https://i0.wp.com/natashaskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Cherry-Pie-4.jpg)
More Cherry Recipes
We are wild about cherry recipes and take full advantage of those juicy sweet cherries in Summer. These are a must-try:
- Black Forest Cake
- Cherry Smoothies
- Chocolate Cherry Cake
- Cherry Upside-Down Cake
- Cherry Crumble
- Sparkling Cherry Lemonade
Classic Cherry Pie Recipe
4.97 from 152 votes
Author: Natasha Kravchuk
There's nothing like a homemade Cherry Pie bubbling through a rich, flaky crust. Learn how to make the best cherry pie from scratch with our easy, go-to Pie Crust and fresh or frozen cherries.
Prep Time: 30 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr
Dough Cooling Time: 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 2 hours hrs 45 minutes mins
Ingredients
Servings: 8 people
Cherry Pie Ingredients:
Egg Wash:
- 1 egg
- 1 Tbsp milk, or water
- 1 Tbsp coarse sugar
Instructions
Make pie crusts and refrigerate 1 hour before using. Arrange oven rack in the lower third of the oven.
In a small bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup sugar, 5 Tbsp corn starch and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
Pit cherries and transfer to a large bowl. Stir in 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Sprinkle on sugar/cornstarch mixture and stir together until evenly moist.
Roll the first pie crust disk into a 13" circle and transfer to a 9" wide, deep pie pan. The edges should hang a little over the edge of the pan. Pour the cherry mixture over the bottom crust along with any accumulated juices. Dot with Butter.
Roll the second crust into a 12" circle and use a pizza cutter to slice into ten 1-inch strips. Using the 10 strips of dough, create a lattice crust over the top (see photo tutorial on Natasha's Kitchen). Tuck in the excess dough at edges then pinch the edges to seal or crimp edges if desired. Refrigerate pie 30 minutes (or freeze 15 minutes) while preheating oven to 425˚F.
Beat together 1 egg and 1 Tbsp milk or water and brush the egg wash over the lattice crust and edges. Sprinkle the top with 1 Tbsp coarse sugar. Bake in the lower third of the oven at 425 ˚F for 25 minutes.
Place a sheet of foil or baking sheet beneath the pie, reduce oven temperature to 350˚F, and bake additional 30-35 minutes, or until crust is golden and cherry juice is bubbling through the lattice top.
Nutrition Per Serving
317kcal Calories55g Carbs3g Protein10g Fat3g Saturated Fat24mg Cholesterol122mg Sodium263mg Potassium3g Fiber34g Sugar140IU Vitamin A8mg Vitamin C26mg Calcium1.1mg Iron
- Full Nutrition Label
- Nutrition Disclosure
Nutrition Facts
Classic Cherry Pie Recipe
Amount per Serving
Calories
317
% Daily Value*
Fat
10
g
15
%
Saturated Fat
3
g
19
%
Cholesterol
24
mg
8
%
Sodium
122
mg
Potassium
263
mg
8
%
Carbohydrates
55
g
18
%
Fiber
3
g
13
%
Sugar
34
g
38
%
Protein
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
140
IU
3
%
Vitamin C
8
mg
10
%
Calcium
26
mg
3
%
Iron
1.1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cherry pie
Skill Level: Easy/Medium
Cost to Make: $$
Calories: 317