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Sour Cherry Pie Recipe

A slice of sour cherry pie with golden crust, filled with vibrant red cherries, topped with whipped cream and a cherry on a white plate.

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This Sour Cherry Pie is the ultimate summer dessert featuring a flaky all-butter crust and a sweet-tart cherry filling. Made with fresh, frozen, or canned sour cherries, it’s a delicious and nostalgic recipe perfect for any occasion.

  • Author: Emily
  • Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour
  • Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield: 10 servings
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

  • 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 20 tablespoons (285g) unsalted butter, chilled and cubed
  • ¼ to ½ cup ice water
  • 1 egg (for egg wash)
  • 2.2 pounds (1kg or about 6 cups) sour cherries, pitted
  • 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 3 tablespoons (25g) cornstarch
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 tablespoon (14g) unsalted butter, cubed
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (for topping)

Instructions

  1. In a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar to combine. Add cold butter and pulse until pea-sized crumbs form.
  2. Gradually add ice water, pulsing until dough forms clumps. Divide dough into 2 discs, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1 hour.
  3. In a saucepan, combine pitted sour cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until cherries release juice.
  4. Mix cornstarch with a few tablespoons of water, then stir into the cherry mixture. Cook until thickened, then remove from heat.
  5. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Let the filling cool completely.
  6. Roll out one dough disc and place into a 9-inch pie pan. Pour in cherry filling and dot with cubed butter.
  7. Roll out the second dough disc and cut into strips for lattice topping or use whole with steam vents. Seal edges and crimp.
  8. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
  9. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes. Reduce to 375°F and bake for 45–60 minutes until golden and bubbly.
  10. Let pie cool before slicing and serving.

Notes

  • Use frozen or canned sour cherries when fresh aren’t available.
  • Refrigerate all crust ingredients before use for best results.
  • Blind bake crust for extra crispiness if desired.
  • Adjust sugar and lemon juice if substituting sweet cherries.
  • Wrap and freeze fully cooled pie for up to 4 months.