Pie baking is a commitment. So there’s nothing sadder than when your crust comes out slumpy, soggy or burnt, or when your filling is so runny it looks like a swimming pool of sadness. Whether you’re making a warm cherry pie or a chocolate extravaganza for the holidays, success is in the details. Follow these tips and never apologize for mediocre pie again. Especially around the holidays!

Even the most novice baker can achieve success with this easy and delicious Cherry Pie recipe. It includes a homemade cherry pie filling made with fresh or canned cherries, baked inside a flaky pie crust. 

Winter Spice Cherry Pie

prep time: 15 MINUTES cook time: 1 HOUR additional time: 45 MINUTES total time: 2 HOURS

Ingredients

For the Crust

• 5 cups all purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 cup white granulated sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 4 sticks butter, cold and divided
• 6 tablespoons ice cold water
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice or 4 tablespoons vodka

For the Egg Wash

• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk

For Cherry Pie Filling

• 6 cups cherries (pitted if fresh)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2/3 cup white granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon *optional
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg *optional
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves *optional
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Topping

• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar

Instructions

Pie Dough in Large Bowl

1. If using same day, make pie crust 30 minutes in advance.
2. Add 2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 cup white granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to large bowl and combine.
3. Cut 2 sticks of cold butter into the flour mixture in tablespoon sizes.
4. With either your hands or pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until butter is broken into a range of pea-sized to peanut sized pieces.
5. Add in 3 tablespoons of ice cold water and mix dough. Continue to mix until you have a tousled looking dough.
6. Follow up with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice OR 2 tablespoons vodka as you continue to work your dough.
7. Kneed the dough 3-4 times in the bowl to help it come together. Flatten your pie dough into a 1-2 inch disc and cover in plastic wrap.
8. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour if using same day. If making in advance, pie dough will keep up to a week.Pie Dough in Food Processor
9. Add 2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 cup white granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the bowl of your processor and pulse to combine. 
10. Cut 2 sticks of cold butter into small cubes then add to the dry mixture and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces.
11. Add ice cold water in a tablespoon at a time (total of 3) along with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice OR 2 tablespoons vodka. while pulsing until the mixture comes together. You’ll know it’s ready when the dough rises and collapses together as you end a pulse. You can also squeeze a tablespoon or so of the dough in your hand, if it’s ready the clump will hold together.
12. Transfer to pastry mat or plastic and knead together 2-3 times then flatten into a disk, cover in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Pie Dough in Food Processor

1. Add 2 & 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/4 cup white granulated sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the bowl of your processor and pulse to combine. 
2. Cut 2 sticks of cold butter into small cubes then add to the dry mixture and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces.
3. Add ice cold water in a tablespoon at a time (total of 3) along with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice OR 2 tablespoons vodka. while pulsing until the mixture comes together. You’ll know it’s ready when the dough rises and collapses together as you end a pulse. You can also squeeze a tablespoon or so of the dough in your hand, if it’s ready the clump will hold together.
4. Transfer to pastry mat or plastic and knead together 2-3 times then flatten into a disk, cover in plastic and chill for at least 30 minutes.

Homemade Cherry Pie Filling

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, & vanilla extract. Bring to a boil.
2. Once at a boil, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.
3. After cooking, remove from heat and allow to cool before filling pie shell.

Baking Pie Crust

1. When ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and allow to warm to room temperature for a minute or two. This will help prevent cracking in the crust.
2. Roll out your pie crust to about 1/4 of an inch on a lightly floured surface and transfer to pie pan.
3. Add a layer of parchment paper on top of your pie crust followed by a layer of aluminum foil.
4. Fill with dry, uncooked rice. You can also use pie weights or beans.
5. If you’re using the pie crust for a no bake filling, bake at 425 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. Bake time will depend on what filling you will be using.
6. Remove pie pan from oven, remove the weights, aluminum foil, and parchment paper.
7. Whisk together egg and heavy cream in a small bowl.
8. Brush your pie crust with your egg wash and pierce the bottom of the crust with a fork. This is called docking and will allow steam to escape.
9. When ready, tent your pie by covering the edges so that they do not burn.
10. Place back in the oven and allow to bake for another 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Once baked, remove from oven and reduce the heat to 350 degrees.
11. Add you filling to the pie shell and smooth out the surface with your spatula. This will help prevent the lattice from sagging while in the oven.
12. Roll out your second chilled pie dough batch to about 1/4 inch thick.
13. Cut into strips. You can choose any thickness for them.
14. Construct your lattice top by placing one set of strips on the pie then fold every other strip over. Place a strip of dough perpendicular to the others just next to the place you folded the others. Fold down the strips and repeat the process with the alternating strips until the lattice is complete.
15. Trim the strips and fold under the bottom layer of pie dough. pinch together to bind the layers together.
16. Brush the lattice thoroughly with the egg wash. The egg wash will make a huge difference in the pie’s appearance giving a golden shiny finish.
17. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake until golden brown in the center, about 45-50 minutes. I would recommend tenting your pie half way through this final bake. This means protecting the edge with a long sheet of foil folded in half. This way the pie’s edge stays golden when the center bakes instead of burning.