What is the best thing to put in a pie? Your teeth. But some people think it’s cherries…including Tom, who just so happens to have a birthday this month and has been known to request cherry pie for the occasion. Tart cherries make especially good pies, but sweet cherries work too, and you can use reduce the sugar to compensate.
A couple years ago, we found something else to put in cherry pies. Whether using tart or sweet cherries, cranberries make an excellent addition. You can use fresh cranberries or frozen, straight from the freezer. Tuck in a few, or add a cup of cranberries to suit your taste. Tom, and some of my other cherry pie aficionados, might even prefer this combination!
Weaving strips of top crust into a lattice design not only allows the steam to vent from the pie in the oven, but it gives cherry pie its iconic look.
This pie is full of summer flavor, so it’s perfect to make now. But who knows, maybe it will make the cut for your holiday table!
Cherry Pie
Ingredients
- 2 pints pie cherries or 2 cans
- 1 cup sugar divided
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 3/4 cup cherry juice
- 3 drops almond extract
- 1 double pie crust
Instructions
- Combine 1/2 cup sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in cherry juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, almond extract and cherries. Pour filling into a pie pan lined with pie crust. Add the top crust, crimp the edges, and make slits in the top crust to vent the pie. Brush the top crust with egg white and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
- Bake at 425°F for 25 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F and bake for 20 minutes. Let cool before serving.
