New and Improved Cherry Pie Recipe

I was never happy with my original cherry pie recipe.  The cherries did not cook down enough for me- and you can still see the cherry shaped lumps through the pie crust.  I decided to modify the recipe.  I precooked the cherry filling so they would be more like a compote but with nice pieces of cherry to chew on as well, and I added some vanilla bean paste along with some kirch, instead of using almond extract.  The sugar crusted lattice crust was the key to adding a lightness to the pie that was to die for.

The results were fantastic!

You MUST make this pie before cherry season ends.  It is a sweet Bing cherry pie and it was gone in two nights in my house.

Here is my new and improved cherry pie recipe:

Cherry Pie Filling

2 Tbsp Kirsch

2 Tbsp Lemon Juice

4 Tbsp Corn Starch

3 lbs pitted, halved bing cherries

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup splenda

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1. mix all ingredients but the cherries and dissolve all of the cornstarch.

2. pour wet ingredients on the cherries.

3. Pour cherry mixture into a saucepan and heat on medium  high until bubbling.  

4. Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.

5. Cool cherry filling before placing in pie or your top crust will be too soft to lattice.

Pie Crust

1 medium egg, beaten

Course sugar crystals

Shortening or butter to limit sticking

Use your favorite crust recipe, or do what I do and buy Trader Joe's frozen pie crust- people will assume you made it yourself!  If using a frozen crust, remember to leave it on the counter for 1.5 hours to defrost before use.

Pie Assembly

1. Rub shortening or butter all over 9 inch pie plate.

2. Put one layer of pie dough in pie plate and trim edges with kitchen shears, leaving about 1 inch overhanging.

3. Pour cooled cherry pie filling on top of the pie dough.

4. Cut strips of the pie dough and layer to create lattice crust.  

5.  Brush with egg wash (one beaten egg and a Tbsp lukewarm water).

6. Sprinkle generously with course sugar crystals.

7. Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 1 hour.

8. 30 minutes into baking, cover crust edges with a pie shield or you can use aluminum foil.  Make sure to brush some butter or shortening on the shield first so it won't stick to the crust while baking.

9. Remove pie after an hour of baking or when the pie crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.

10. Cool and let pie solidify for at least an hour or two before cutting, or the filling will not stay in the pie slice.

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