The best classic, simple, and easy cherry pie recipe (2024)

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This easy cherry pie recipe takes about three minutes to assemble and then 45 minutes to bake. There is no easier and more delicious cherry pie out there. You're going to love it!

The best classic, simple, and easy cherry pie recipe (1)Pin

I make 3 pies for Thanksgiving dinner. It doesn't matter how many guests are coming, nor who they are.

Thanksgiving isn't Thanksgiving without a slice of cherry pie.

And a slice of pumpkin pie.

And a slice of pecan pie.

It just isn't.

And I make all 3 of them myself, usually on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

Are you impressed?

Everyone always raves about all that work I did to make three pies, but all three are so easy that it's embarrassing.

See, I buy two boxes of pre-made pie crusts. It doesn't matter whether they're Pillsbury or the store brand; they're all flaky and delicious. So I buy the crusts, roll them out into my pretty pie pans, and then I cook the pies. It does take a bit of work, but one evening after work, I take care of it and then it's done.

To contrast, I make a chocolate cherry cheesecake for Christmas dinner, and I think that is more work than the three pies.

This cherry pie is by far the easiest of the three pies I bake, and it's a great place for my young daughter to feel like she's helping.

What makes this cherry pie so easy?

The secret to this cherry pie is that everything is pre-made, and I don't mean that you make it ahead of time. I mean that you buy it.

Is that cheating? Maybe it is, but who cares? The pie will be baked, and it will taste good.

So you take two refrigerated pie crusts and two cans of cherry pie filling, and you plop it all in a pie plate and bake it. Voilà, you've got an impressive cherry pie with all the flavor you love, and it took you 5 minutes to prep.

What you'll need to make an easy cherry pie

Equipment

The equipment for this pie is standard to any pie. You'll need a 9-inch pie dish (preferably a deep one), a rolling pin, and a pie shield.

A mini cookie cutter makes it easier to cut vent holes in the top crust of the pie, but if you don't have one, you can just cut diamonds or even plain slits in the top crust.

Ingredients

  • 2prepared pie crusts- I always buy pie dough in the dairy case pre-made. I am normally a make-it-from-scratch kind of girl, but on Thanksgiving, there's so much to do already, without making homemade pastry dough. I have gotten the store brand and the Pillsbury, and both come out very nicely.
  • 2canscherry pie filling- I have used both the regular and the lower sugar. These days I use either 2 cans of regular or one of each. Two cans of lower sugar with Splenda makes the pie come out tasting odd. Also, try to find cherry pie filling that has extra cherries and fewer juices/syrup. If you look, you can usually find some labeled "30% more cherries!" or something like that. Go for that stuff; it's better.
  • 1 teaspoon almond extract - You don't have to add this, but I think it makes an ordinary cheater cherry pie go over the top of the delicious scale.
  • Milk
  • Granulated white sugar

How to make this easy homemade cherry pie recipe

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF.
  2. Roll one pie crust out to an 11-inch circle. Place that dough circle in a deep dish pie plate. Use your fingers to press it into the bottom, sides, and especially the corners of the plate. (Yes, pie plates are round and don't have corners. I mean the place where the sides connect to the bottom. That's kind of a corner.)
  3. Open the cans of pie filling and scrape it into the pie plate. Add the almond extract and mix it with the cherries and juice. Smooth it all out with a spatula.
  4. Lay the remaining pie crust on a large cutting board (or directly on the counter). Roll it out to about 10 inches. Make four cut outs (these will allow the steam to leak out of the pie; without them, the top crust will have big air bubbles trapped under it). If you don't have a cookie cutter, you could cut a couple of Xs or even a couple of slits with a sharp knife after you've put the top crust on the pie.
    Alternately, if you're feeling fancy and have a few extra minutes, you could cut the pie crust into strips and make a lattice on top of the pie. You just lay a few strips on direction, and lift up the strips to weave in a few strips going the other direction. Here's a YouTube video explaining the lattice crust process.
  5. Carefully lay the second pie crust on top of the pie filling, and press the edges together. You may need to use a bit of water or egg to get them to stick together nicely. Cut the top crust so that it's even with the bottom crust, and finish the edge however you want. The easiest way is to crimp the top and bottom crusts together with your fingers, squishing them together as you go around.
  6. Brush the top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. This is just to make it pretty and not at all necessary. Place pie in the oven on top of a baking sheet, just in case there are drips.
  7. Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, about 40-45 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, cover the outer edge of the pie with aluminum foil or a pie shield to make sure it doesn't get too brown. (See link in notes for a pie shield.)
  8. Cool at least an hour before serving. The filling will set up as the pie cools.
  9. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and serve.
The best classic, simple, and easy cherry pie recipe (2)Pin

What is a pie shield and why should you use one to bake a homemade cherry pie?

A pie shield is a lightweight (aluminum) ring that sits on the outside edge of a pie crust, protecting it from the heat and preventing it from getting too brown.

The best way to use a pie shield is either to put it on right at the beginning or to bake the pie for 10-15 minutes and then put it on. If you wait until the edge of the crust is getting too brown, it will be too late. You can still use it, but it won't keep the crust from burning in that case.

If you don't have a pie shield, fold aluminum foil into a ring and place that over the edge of the pie.

How to store a cherry pie

You can leave this pie, fully cooked, at room temperature for a day or two. After cutting the pie, you should cover it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

If you prefer to eat your pie warm, unwrap the pie and place the whole pan in a 250ºF oven for about 20 minutes or until warm.

THE REST OF OUR THANKSGIVING MENU

We don't get creative with our Thanksgiving menu. We like routines. We like the comfort of the same old food.

  • Roast Turkey
  • Creamy Crockpot Mashed Potatoes
  • Candied Sweet Potatoes
  • Old-Fashioned Chestnut Stuffing Recipe
  • Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
  • Traditional Green Bean Casserole
  • Fluffy Cranberry Fruit Salad with Pineapple
  • Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce
  • Praline Pumpkin Pecan Pie
  • The Worlds' Best Pecan Pie
  • Couldn't Be Easier Cherry Pie
  • No Church Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

And for the leftovers, try one of these delights:

  • Turkey Enchilada Casserole
  • Turkey Salad
  • Turkey Quesadillas

You can read more about myeasy and traditional Thanksgiving menu.

Recipe

The best classic, simple, and easy cherry pie recipe (3)

Couldn't Be Easier Cherry Pie Recipe

This easy cherry pie recipe takes about three minutes to assemble and then 45 minutes to bake. There is no easier and more delicious cherry pie out there. You're going to love it!

4.75 from 77 votes

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 4 slices

Calories 732 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 unbaked pie crust I always buy these in the dairy case pre-made. I am normally a make-it-from-scratch kind of girl, but on Thanksgiving, there's so much to do already, without making homemade pastry dough. I have gotten the store brand and the Pillsbury, and both come out very nicely.
  • 2 cans cherry pie filling I have used both the regular and the lower sugar. These days I use either 2 cans of regular or one of each. (Two cans of lower sugar with Splenda makes the pie come out tasting odd.), with Splenda
  • 1 teaspoons almond extract
  • milk
  • sugar

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425.

  • Place one pie crust in a deep dish pie plate. Allow your little helper to use her fingers to press it into the bottom, sides, and especially the corners of the plate. (Yes, pie plates are round and don't have corners. I mean the place where the sides connect to the bottom. That's kind of a corner.)

  • Open the cans of pie filling and scrape it into the pie plate. Add the almond extract and mix it with the cherries and juice. Smooth it all out with a spatula.

  • Lay the remaining pie crust on a large cutting board (or directly on the counter). Help your helper to make four cutouts (these will allow the steam to leak out of the pie; without them, the top crust will have big air bubbles trapped under it). If you don't have a cookie cutter, you could cut a couple of Xs or even a couple of slits with a sharp knife after you've put the top crust on the pie.

    Alternately, if you're feeling fancy and have a few extra minutes, you could cut the pie crust into strips and make a lattice on top of the pie. You just lay a few strips on direction, and lift up the strips to weave in a few strips going the other direction. Here's a YouTube video explaining the lattice crust process.

  • Carefully lay the second pie crust on top of the pie filling, and press the edges together. You may need to use a bit of water or egg to get them to stick together nicely. Cut the top crust so that it's even with the bottom crust, and finish the edge however you want.

  • Brush the top crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar. This is just to make it pretty and not at all necessary.

  • Bake until the crust is golden brown, about 40-45 minutes. After the first 15 minutes, cover the outer edge of the pie with aluminum foil or a pie shield to make sure it doesn't get too brown. (See link in notes for a pie shield.)

  • Cool at least an hour before serving. The filling will set up as the pie cools.

Notes

If the crust gets too brown on the edges, use a ring of aluminum foil so that the center continues to brown while the edge is protected. Better yet, invest in a couple of pie shieldsbefore the holidays so that you’ll be prepared for that and don’t end up trying to make an aluminum foil ring while your pie crust is turning black.

Nutrition

Calories: 732kcal | Carbohydrates: 124g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Sodium: 401mg | Potassium: 395mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 608IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 3mg

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The best classic, simple, and easy cherry pie recipe (2024)

FAQs

Should you Prebake the bottom crust of a cherry pie? ›

But the one surefire way to make certain your pie's crust will be golden brown, crisp, and delicious — just as appealing as its filling — is to prebake it. That's right: bake the bottom crust first, before adding the filling.

What is the best pie cherry? ›

Best Cherries to Use for Cherry Pie

I usually choose a mix of rainier cherries and dark sweet cherries, but opted for all dark sweet cherries in the pictured pie. You can use all Rainier or all dark sweet. If using sour cherries, add a little more sugar as referenced in the recipe note below.

What are the 5 tips for pie perfection? ›

Follow these steps and you'll impress your friends and family this season with tantalizing mile-high pies!
  1. 1 - Cold dough equals flaky crust. ...
  2. 2 - Overfill your pies on purpose ... ...
  3. 3 - Bake on the low rack. ...
  4. 4 - Hold down your pre-baked crusts. ...
  5. 5 - Hold off on slicing your pie.
Oct 30, 2017

Why won t my cherry pie filling thicken? ›

Not enough starches in the filling. You can use pectin, corn starch, or even flour to thicken your filling.

How do you keep the bottom crust of a cherry pie from getting soggy? ›

Crust dust is a 1:1 mixture of flour and granulated sugar. When baking a pie, especially a fruit pie, a couple of teaspoons of crust dust sprinkled into the bottom of the crust will help prevent the crust from becoming saturated with juicy filling as it bakes.

Why is my cherry pie soggy? ›

This is particularly problematic with both fruit pie and custard fillings because they have high moisture content. To prevent it, you need to either create a barrier between the wet filling and raw pie dough, or ensure the pie dough browns and sets before the filling has a chance to soak it.

Which cherry is the sweetest? ›

Rainier. Let's start with a classic. One thing you should note: Rainier cherries have some of the highest sugar levels of any other sweet cherry ranging from 17-23 Brix.

Can I use canned cherries instead of fresh? ›

If you are substituting canned cherries for fresh, you may need to drain or rinse off the syrup before proceeding. Dried cherries, usually made from sour cherries, are called for in recipes for cookies, savory, cold weather meaty dishes, and fall and winter salads.

What is the best temperature to bake pies? ›

1. Preheat the oven to the temperature that your recipe recommends. Most fruit pies bake at a temperature between 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and 450 degrees F (230 degrees C). Some recipes call for baking the pie in a 450 degree F oven to begin with, then turning down the oven to about 350 degrees F.

What is the cardinal rule of pie dough making? ›

The cardinal rules of pie dough: Keep it cold, work fast, and don't overwork your dough.

Should I chill my pie before baking? ›

Once the dough is shaped and crimped, the last thing you want to do bake it right away. Chilling the shaped pie allows the aforementioned gluten to relax and the butter to get nice and cold again, both of which help your pie hold its shape better once it's in the oven.

How do you know when a cherry pie is done? ›

Tip: What's the best way to tell if your pie is done? For fruit pie, the top crust will be golden brown, and you'll be able to see filling bubbling around the edges and/or through the vents. For best results, let the filling bubble for at least 5 minutes before removing the pie from the oven.

What can I use instead of cornstarch in cherry pie filling? ›

All-purpose flour is an easy substitute for cornstarch; in fact you may see recipes for thickening pie fillings or soups with either. You'll need 2 tablespoons of flour for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a recipe.

Is cornstarch or flour better for pie filling? ›

Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish. You'll need to use twice as much as you would with cornstarch.

How do you cook a bottom pie crust? ›

If you need a fully baked pie crust, bake until the bottom crust is golden brown, about 14–15 minutes longer. For a partially baked pie crust (if you're baking the pie once it is filled, like a quiche), bake until the bottom crust is just beginning to brown, about 7–8 minutes.

How do you cook the bottom pastry for a pie? ›

They recommend lining the pan with a defrosted, lightly rolled sheet of puff pastry and pricking it with a fork before blind baking covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes at 400F (~200C). Don't use pie weights, that will interfere with the 'puff'.

Should pie be baked on the bottom? ›

A pie's place in the oven is on the bottom rack. The worst mistake you can make with your pie is under-baking the bottom crust—it makes for a soggy, doughy mess.

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