I’m excited to share my favorite cherry pie recipe made with homemade canned cherries in their juice. This classic dessert highlights the bright, tart flavor of sour cherries and a rich, flaky butter crust.
The Best Cherry Pie Recipe!
This cherry pie stands out because the filling is made from scratch with canned cherries and their juice, so you can balance sweet and tart exactly the way you like. A combination of flour and cornstarch yields a glossy, thick filling that slices cleanly and holds its shape.
The crust is equally important. This flaky crust uses cold butter, just enough flour, and gentle handling to create a tender, crisp shell that melts in your mouth and perfectly complements the cherry filling.
For an authentic cherry pie, sour (tart) cherries are ideal. They provide the bright tang that balances the sugar and create the classic flavor we expect from a cherry pie. Sweet cherries can become cloying when baked, while sour cherries break down predictably and contribute the right texture to the filling.
Cherry Pie Filling
This recipe celebrates canned cherries preserved in their own juice. Drain the cherries but reserve a cup of juice to cook into a syrupy filling. When combined with the buttery pie dough, the cherries shine—juicy, tangy, and perfectly sweetened.
Recipe Walkthrough
Baking a cherry pie from scratch is straightforward when you break it into three stages: make the crust, prepare the filling, and assemble and bake. Keep ingredients cold for a flaky crust, cook the cherry juice with sugar and starch to thicken, then assemble with a lattice top and bake until golden and bubbling.
Pro Tips & Tricks for Perfect Cherry Pie
Here are practical tips to improve your pie:
Keep Ingredients Cold: Cold butter and ice water help create a flaky crust. Avoid letting the butter melt into the flour.
Mix Gently: Combine dough ingredients just until they hold together; overmixing develops gluten and makes the crust tough.
Chill the Dough: Refrigerate the disks of dough for at least 30 minutes. This relaxes the gluten and firms the butter, making rolling easier and helping the crust keep its shape.
Control the Juice: If the filling is too thin after cooking, add an extra teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken.
Taste and Adjust: Taste the filling before assembling and adjust sugar or lemon juice to suit your preference; flavors concentrate slightly while baking.
Protect the Edges: If the rim browns too quickly, tent it with foil or use a crust shield.
Cool Completely: Let the pie cool 2–3 hours before slicing so the filling sets and slices neatly.
Serve Suggestions: Serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or a drizzle of caramel for an extra treat.
Ingredient Substitutions
Notes on common substitutions:
- All-Purpose Flour: Standard all-purpose flour works well; no pastry flour is required.
- Unsalted Butter: Using unsalted butter allows you to control salt levels. If using salted butter, reduce or omit added salt.
- White Vinegar in the Crust: A tablespoon of vinegar helps tenderize the crust by limiting gluten development. Apple cider vinegar works too and won’t affect the final flavor.
- Almond Extract: Almond extract complements cherries nicely. If you prefer, substitute equal parts vanilla extract or omit it entirely.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the filling. Tapioca starch is a 1:1 substitute and yields a clearer, glossier finish.
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Please leave a review if you make this pie!
The Best Cherry Pie from Canned Cherries with Flaky Crust
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Ingredients
- Pie Crust Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 large egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 4-5 tablespoons cold water
- Cherry Filling Ingredients:
- 1 quart or 2 cans of cherries in juice
- 1 cup cherry juice reserved from the canned cherries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- For Assembly
- 1 egg beaten (for egg wash)
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
How to Make Cherry Pie
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
1. Prepare the pie crust:
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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar.
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Cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
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Whisk the beaten egg and vinegar, then pour over the flour-butter mixture.
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Add cold water one tablespoon at a time until the dough just comes together.
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Divide into two disks, wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Prepare the cherry pie filling
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Drain the canned cherries, reserving 1 cup of cherry juice.
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In a pot, combine the cherry juice, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and almond extract.
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Cook over medium heat, stirring until the mixture thickens and becomes glossy.
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Stir in the drained cherries, remove from heat, and cool to room temperature.
Roll out the bottom crust
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Roll one disk on a floured surface into a circle to fit a 9-inch pie pan.
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Transfer to the pie dish, press into the sides, and trim excess dough.
Add the cherry filling and top crust
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Pour the cooled filling into the prepared shell and spread evenly.
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Roll out the second disk and cut into ½-inch strips to form a lattice.
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Weave the strips into a lattice, trim excess dough, and crimp the edges to seal.
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Brush the top and edges with beaten egg and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
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Bake at 375°F for 45–55 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling bubbles. Remove and cool before slicing.
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Serve warm or room temperature; excellent with vanilla ice cream.
Video
Nutrition
| Carbohydrates: 83g
| Protein: 7g
| Fat: 30g
| Sugar: 37g