This is the best cherry pie recipe period if you want to use canned tart cherries. As a baker and cherry pie lover, I’ve fiddled with various recipes and modifications over time.
There were a lot of yeses for my cherry pie recipe, so here it is!
Cherry pie is my all-time favorite dessert.
Chocolate is up there but doesn’t surpass a good homemade cherry pie in my mind. I used to request cherry pie instead of cake for my birthdays when I was growing up and still make it whenever I get the craving for the sweet-tart fruity goodness. Mmm…
We still make this for birthdays, but also make it regularly for parties and almost all holidays. Maybe not Easter or Halloween, but we’ve made it for the 4th of July, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve.
I’ve fiddled with various recipes over the years and have finally settled on a version that is THE BEST CHERRY PIE RECIPE ever. Period. It is adapted from a combination of others—primarily from the recipes in The Pie and Pastry Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum and The Best Recipe by the Cook’s Illustrated folks.
It’s a canned cherry pie recipe, as canned cherries are readily available year round and I don’t have a cherry tree in my backyard (even though I tried!). However, please note that this cherry pie recipe uses cherries canned in water NOT that dreadful canned cherry pie filling.
Cherry Pie Video Tutorial
Here’s a brief video tutorial showing how to make the cherry pie. It might be helpful to watch before you get started.
Doesn’t that make it totally doable?! Now here are the step by step instructions. (Or jump down to the printable recipe at the bottom of the post.)
How to Cook The Best Cherry Pie
First, make your pie crust
(I’ll forgive you if you want to buy yours premade, but it’s really not hard to make.)
Note: I used to use butter and Crisco (because that’s what my Grandma taught me for making the flakiest crust) and then I used Earth Balance in place of Crisco just because it’s so much better for you (I bought it in sticks, like butter, from the natural foods store and kept them in the freezer). But now I just make my pie crust with all butter and it still turns out really well.
Next, make your cherry pie filling
Make the pie filling by mixing the sour cherries plus juice from 1 1/2 cans with sugar, cornstarch, salt, and almond extract in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, or until the liquid is thick and bubbly (partially jelled).
Set aside to cool completely. You can do this step a day ahead if you want to pace yourself. I often do.
Making a lattice crust on cherry pie with help from the kids
Now, assemble a beautiful cherry pie
Roll out the bottom pie crust and arrange in pie pan. Pour your cooled pie filling in the pan.
Next, roll out the top crust. Use a sharp knife to cut the top crust into strips for a lattice crust or use a cookie cutter to make other designs.
Either drape your top crust over the pie, if you used a cookie cutter design, or weave your traditional lattice crust (if you need instructions for weaving the lattice, here’s a YouTube video).
Getting close!
Finally, bake your pie
The house is smelling delicious now!
But wait! Don’t eat it yet!
You really want to let your fresh-baked cherry pie cool for a few hours, until it’s totally cool and the filling has set.
It’s okay if you don’t. We’ve been known to eat it while still warm more than once.
But think of it as an opportunity to admire the pie on the table, take a few photos, and let the anticipation build.
And then… finally… Eat and enjoy! This sour cherry pie is especially delicious with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Here’s the complete recipe! I hope you love it as much as I do!
This cherry pie recipe uses tart or sour cherries and is the BEST. Seriously. Plus, by using canned cherries, you can make it anytime of the year rather than waiting for fresh cherries.
Ingredients
Scale
Pie Crust Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
8 tablespoons Earth Balance, or comparable vegetable shortening, chilled (or simply use all butter)
8 tablespoons ice water
Ingredients for Cherry Pie Filling
3 cans tart cherries in water (I buy Oregon Fruit Products Red Tart Cherries which are often with the canned fruit rather than in the baking aisle of the grocery store; you can also order them online)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
scant 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
How to Make the Pie Crust
Mix the flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor. Cut butter into smaller pieces and add to food processor. Pulse a few times. Cut Earth Balance into smaller pieces and add to food processor. Pulse a few more times, until butter and Earth Balance are the size of peas or smaller. Transfer to a large bowl. (Note: You can do all this with a pastry blender instead if you don’t have a food processor.)
Sprinkle 3-4 tablespoons of ice water over the dough mixture at a time, mixing and pressing with a sturdy rubber spatula until the dough comes together. Divide into two and wrap each half in plastic wrap. (I usually dump the semi-formed dough onto plastic, wrap it up, then knead it with my hands a bit until it forms a ball, then flatten it somewhat into a disk.) Refrigerate until ready to use.
How to Make the Cherry Pie Filling and Assemble the Pie
Make the pie filling by mixing the 3 cans of cherries plus the juice from 1 1/2 cans with sugar, cornstarch, salt, and almond extract in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring regularly, or until the liquid is thick and bubbly (partially jelled). Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees fahrenheit. Cover a cookie sheet with foil and place on a lower rack (to catch any potential drips).
Sprinkle the counter with flour and roll out the bottom pie crust. Arrange in pie pan. Pour your cooled pie filling in the pan.
Roll out the top crust. Use a sharp knife to cut the top crust into strips for a lattice crust or use a cookie cutter to make other designs. Either drape your top crust over the pie, if you used a cookie cutter design, or weave your traditional lattice crust.
Trim the edges of the top and bottom crust to 1/2 – 1 inch beyond the pie pan and then fold under. Either press around the perimeter with the tines of a fork or crimp it with your fingers.
If desired (and I always do), brush the crust with a beaten egg white (or cream) and sprinkle sugar on top.
Bake for 20 minutes at 425 degrees F then lower the oven temperature to 375 F and add a pie crust shield (or a foil tent with the center cut out) to protect the outer edges of the crust from burning. Bake for another 30-40 minutes, until the crust looks nicely browned and the juices bubble up thickly.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 3 hours or so before eating. This is the hard part but it really helps to have the filling gel properly. Plus it looks and smells so nice sitting on the table!
Eat and enjoy… This cherry pie is delicious with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Keywords: cherry pie recipe, cherry pie, canned cherries, tart cherries, pie
Cherry pie wins in our house too. The almond extract is totally the key! I usually do my grandmothers crisco crust but will have to try your combination butter-shortening crust. Thanks.
From January 24, 2007, all Crisco shortening products were reformulated to contain less than one gram of trans fat per serving; the separately marketed trans fat-free version introduced in 2004 was consequently discontinued. I think it probably won’t kill you ….. duh
So, I made this pie yesterday for Pi(e) day. The filling was completely delicious and will definitely make it again. I added 1/2 tsp. Almond extract instead of 1/4 tsp, and I think I’ll try 3/4 tsp or even 1 tsp next time (I love cherry with almond, and anything almond really). But I’d never tried sour cherries and I’d never made a fruit filling this way with sugar and cornstarch and canned cherries w/half their juice added back. It was PERFECT!
But, I had to completely change the flour/butter ratio to save my crust. I followed her crust recipe but it was too much butter and shortening (and I’ve made a lot of pie crusts over the years using Joy of Cooking’s Flaky Pastry Dough, and my crust is great. I use a pastry blender and I always start by chopping the sticks of butter into small “diced” bits and sticking them in the freezer for 30 minutes before I blend them with flour/sugar/salt so they are easy to work with and don’t melt).
So, I also measure my flour by weight (125 g. = 1 cup) like European recipes provide, so I started with 315 g. (slight round up of 2 1/2 c.) and because of my experience with pie making, I could tell before I added the ice water that this would not come together. It was too oily and too wet already (butter and shortening, unlike oil had some water in them). So I added more flour, 50 g. at a time until I had added 125 g. more (1 whole cup). Also, I only used 2 Tbsp ice water. It worked out, I had the right amount of dough to make a bottom crust, a thick-stripped lattice on top, and a tiny bit left over. I always use 2 sheets of waxed paper to roll my crust and usually don’t have to use any flour to roll, but I did in this case need a sprinkle of flour, it was so buttery.
If I made this crust again, I would try starting with 450 g. flour.
I’m so glad I made this, the filling is very special (For just the filling I would give 5-star rating.) and I will use the filling recipe again. I think I might try a crisp/crumble “Dutch apple” type top crust next time. I like the tooth of oat crumbles and berries/cherries/stone fruits.
I’ve found them at both the whole foods stores and at the regular chain grocery stores. THey are generally with the canned fruit rather than in the baking aisle.
Do you think it would work with frozen cherries too? My dad often has a huge bucket of frozen cherries for the jam he makes. Also, due to my allergies (grr) I’d probably have to substitute something for the almond extract. I wonder if I could get away with imitation almond…
Yes, I’m sure it would work for fresh or frozen cherries. I’d probably thaw the cherries first (although I’ve never made a pie with frozen cherries — you might just need to experiment or talk to someone who has). I’d make sure there’s enough juice, but maybe fresh and frozen cherries would have more juice naturally that would cook out of them…
Cherry pie is still great without almond extract.
instead of almond extract i usually throw in a splash of almond or cherry liquor. it adds that dubious cherry-almond flavor without that perfumy tinge that can come from a little too much xtract.
your recipe looks great though. i think i will use it this christmas!
I got 2 full cups from 3 cans of the Oregon sour cherries in water, so for me it was more like 2/3 cup per can. I drained them really quickly using a fine mesh strainer we use for rinsing rice, I didn’t wait very long for every drop either.
Also, I wouldn’t just sub cherry juice, I drank the leftover sour cherry juice-water. It’s different than cherry juice, but still yummy if you like tart fruit flavors.
I can’t wait to make this cherry filling again. It’s sooooo tasty. But, I added a little extra almond extract.
i have two questions, as I have just put this pie in the oven. first, i was confused about the amount of canned juice. i had about a cup of liquid after draining two cans and measuring for one and a half of the total amount. then i mixed the filling and it sat for half an hour. i have a 9 1/2 inch pie dish. i had too much filling/liquid so used all the cherries and as much liquid as i could, but i am worried that the extra dissolved sugar and starch included in the waste should have gone into the pie. what did I do wrong? thanks, Jennifer
Did you cook the filling until it stated to firm up? you have to cook it in a pot, I stir to keep from sticking, and when the juice gets thick like a pie filling is, then you pull it off the heat and let it sit to cool. At least, the way you describe your steps done “then i mixed the filling and it sat for half an hour” That sounds like you skipped the cooking of the pie filling.
This is by the way THE BEST CHERRY PIE RECIPE EVER! I made it Thanksgiving and I am making it again Christmas 2018!
It had way too much liquid with the amount of juice from the cans written in the recipe. I had to drain most of it out as the liquid was overflowing the top of the pie.
I followed the instructions to bring the filling ingredients to a simmer and then keep cooking on low until it’s somewhat of a gel and it baked really well, and my 9” pie dish fit all the filling no problem. However, I DID transfer the filling from my stock pot back to an aluminum pan using a silicon spatula, and then I put the aluminum bowl in a shallow ice water bath to get it from “hot melty candy lava” back to just a little warm before I put it in the prepared bottom crust dough in the pie pan. This filling was delicious! Thank you artfulparent for sharing!
I use all the liquid from one can of cherries and half of the liquid from the other can, Barbara. I add the liquid to the cherries and other ingredients in the saucepan and simmer everything together.
I’ve looked and perhaps missed it but I need to know if your best cherry pie is for a 9 1/2 or 10 inch pie pan. Deep dish? Exactly the recipe I have been looking for. To me, the almond extract does make all the difference!
Thanks so much for your reply
I use a regular 9 inch pie pan, Patty. Not deep dish. But there’s enough filling that I think a 10 inch would be fine if that’s what you have. The almond extract is key! I agree. But don’t overdo it. :) I’ve accidentally put too much and you only need a little bit or it can be a bit overwhelming.
I needed a cherry filling recipe that o could adapt for a sugar free pie, and oh my goodness this was fantastic. I used a sugar alternative and you couldn’t even tell, phenomenal filling!
I love this recipe. My mother always used almond extract in her cherry pies. Can you dehydrated dry cherries in the juice to use along with the other cherries?
I can only find the Dark Sweet Cherries here where I live. I like it more tart so I think I should cut the sugar down. Also can I add lemon juice to make the pie more tart?
When I want to make it a day ahead, I make the cherry pie filling and the pie crust and keep them both separate in the fridge. Then, the next day, I simply add the filling to the pie crust and bake. I haven’t tried freezing them together, but if you do, will you let me know how it works for you?
So first time making this filling with canned cherries. I got the exact kind you suggested, but they are so pale! How do yours looks so bright?? Does that just happen after it bakes?
I guess so. Or maybe that’s just how it appears when the cherries are in the pie. It always looks and tastes delicious to me. :) I don’t add food coloring or anything.
My Oregon canned sour cherries were an ugly pale pink out of the can too, but they got much redder cooking them on the stove top with the sugar, juice and cornstarch + almond extract. Once the pie was baked and cooled and cut, the filling was a nice dark red. Beautiful just like the author’s pictures (maybe a tiny bit darker than hers).
Also, I’ve used the Oregon brand dark sweet cherries in water too (for a Black Forest cake). Same thing: ugly until you cook them with some of their juice and some sugar, and then gorgeous (but those kind are darker when cooked).
This pie was fantastic! I made it on Thanksgiving and because it was so good and I was dreaming about it, I’m making it again for Christmas. I didn’t have almond extract so I used double the amount of vanilla and it was still excellent. This time I accidentally bought tart cherries in light syrup because they didn’t have the Oregon canned ones I found last time. I’m going to taste the syrup and if it’s too sweet I’ll probably just mix some of it with water and use a little less sugar.
Hi I’m hoping to make this pie for my class for pi day and was wondering how many people does it serve? -also love how this was posted almost 6 years ago and people are still loving it!!!
Hi Sara. This is Melissa, the Artful Parent Project Manager. Jean hasn’t tried it with a vanilla substitution, but the extract is just for flavor, so it shouldn’t affect the overall consistency of the pie. I bet it will be scrumptious with vanilla! If you try it, let us know how it turns out :)
My mother made a pie with the same cherries when I was a kid. She didn’t have her recipe wrote down. I made your recipe for Christmas and all my siblings were so excited to try it. It got ate before dinner. It was so nostalgic for all 4 of us. Almost made some cry. Thank you so much for taking us back to the good old days.
Any sour cherry that is canned in water/juice would work. You could also try fresh or frozen sour Montmorency cherries and pre-cook them with water instead of the juice from the can.
I made the pie today and it was very runny,I rechecked the recipe and it says one and a half can of juice.I only had one can so I added a half can of water,is that what did it.
Did you use the cornstarch as a thickener? And did the cherry mixture thicken when you pre-cooked it? Also, did you have enough cherries for the amount of liquid you used? (I’m just asking since you said you only had one can of the cherry juice.) Also, I always (usually) let my pie cool and set for a few hours before eating it. If you cut into it too soon, it’s runnier.
Hi. This is the 2nd time I’ve tried a US pastry recipe & they’ve both been a failure! This time I wonder whether there should have been more flour perhaps a confusion in measurements? Between Europe and US. I had 6oz butter and 4 oz shortening into the flour … I did have the proper cups for the flour. I had looked up the conversion for tablespoons of butter as 1tbs – 1/2 oz as shown on Pinterest. When mixed there was no way to use the water so I ended with a fatty mess that was impossible to work. Help.
Jean, I found this recipe right before Thanksgiving 2017 and I’ve made it several times since! Cherry pie is my favorite, and this one is fabulous! You will be impressed to know, I make it for a friend who is a culinary arts teacher (but who doesn’t enjoy baking) and she adores this pie! I really like your pie crust recipe so I now use it as my usual pie crust recipe for other pies. And I love your tip of protecting the crust by using a piece of foil and cutting-out the middle…in addition I also add a silicone pie crust shield and it turns out perfect, no burned pie crust edges! Thank you for a wonderful pie that I’ll continue to make again and again!
Mine is currently in the oven. Smells so good! Can’t wait to try!! Quick question though, my canned cherries aren’t red they are more like pink. Seems from being in the water long but they aren’t expired. Is this okay?
I am in the midst of baking one right now! I’ve made it many times and each time it gets rave reviews. It is positively delicious! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
I don’t prebake the bottom crust and it works out well for me. But you could try it, if you wanted to. The problem with that is you wouldn’t be able to attach the top crust to the bottom crust properly when assembling the pie.
The cherry was delicious I wanted to try a few other berry pies could I use the same recipe and just change the canned berry? I wanted to try a Raspberry or boysenberry. Thanks in advance.
Great! First time I ever tried to make a pie. My only problem was rolling the dough. It became a square instead of a circle, but it didn’t crack or anything. Turned out a little ugly because I had to patch it in places, but it is good.
I’m not a huge cherry pie fan, but WOW! This is great, and not overly sweet like your typical cherry pie. Several members in my family love cherry pie, so I searched Pinterest of course and stumbled on this fantastic recipe. I made this for the first time for Thanksgiving last year, and then on Christmas, Easter, and getting ready to make this again for the Fourth of July. It has become a hit with my family there is no doubt about that. Thank you for posting this recipe and sharing it!
I made this last night using frozen cherries instead of canned. I’m a frugal shopper and $7 a can was just too much for me. Frozen cherries were on sale 2 for $6. I used 20oz of frozen cherries for a 9” crust. Put them in the pot frozen and added 1 cup apple juice, to replace the can liquid, since we didn’t have cherry. I followed the recipe of the instructions for the filling and it’s delicious!!! So much real cherry flavor and it’s nice and thick. I didn’t make the crust recipe as I have a gluten intolerance. I used the King Arthur gf pie crust mix and it was also delicious.
I would like to say good things about this, but there are too many basic errors. Do not cook the cherries before baking! Cook the juice, sugar and corn starch until thickened, take off heat, and gently fold in the cherries and almond extract. Otherwise the cherries will explode. I cut the sugar considerably, and it was still too sweet.
I have made this pie for Thanksgiving every year for the last 5 years and we are all addicted to it. Even family who look at it and say “I have never liked cherry pie” actually like this one! Sometimes my husband buys the canned cherries at the grocery store and casually leaves them on the counter as a hint. We love it!
My husband loves cherry pie and had it for his “groom’s cake” at our wedding. I have used your recipe to make it for him for a few of his birthdays/our anniversaries (same day) and holidays and he loves this pie. I don’t think I’ve ever made it perfectly yet, but he is never disappointed by this recipe. Thank you!
104 Comments
Melissa @ The Chocolate Muffin Tree
March 29, 2012 at 8:09 pmCan’t wait to try it! Thanks!
Bob
November 24, 2018 at 9:51 pmCrust is better with 2/3 crisco and 1/3 lard
KAREN
December 15, 2018 at 2:19 pmYES BUT EATING CRISCO WILL KILL YOU, IT IS BANNED IN MOST COUNTRIES!
ann
March 29, 2012 at 10:35 pmCherry pie wins in our house too. The almond extract is totally the key! I usually do my grandmothers crisco crust but will have to try your combination butter-shortening crust. Thanks.
craig
April 30, 2020 at 3:33 pmFrom January 24, 2007, all Crisco shortening products were reformulated to contain less than one gram of trans fat per serving; the separately marketed trans fat-free version introduced in 2004 was consequently discontinued. I think it probably won’t kill you ….. duh
Jean Van't Hul
March 29, 2012 at 8:35 pmYou’re welcome!
Gary
February 18, 2020 at 7:04 pmIn one part of the recipe you say to use 1.5 cans, and in the other part you say to use 3 cans. Which is it?
Kim
March 14, 2020 at 10:25 pm3 cans of cherries, but only the juice from 1.5 of those cans.
kate
March 30, 2012 at 2:15 pmIs that a typo or really 12 TBSP of butter and 8 TBSP of earth balance in one crust? Wowza, I suppose that would be tasty, but wow.
Kika
March 15, 2021 at 2:27 pmSo, I made this pie yesterday for Pi(e) day. The filling was completely delicious and will definitely make it again. I added 1/2 tsp. Almond extract instead of 1/4 tsp, and I think I’ll try 3/4 tsp or even 1 tsp next time (I love cherry with almond, and anything almond really). But I’d never tried sour cherries and I’d never made a fruit filling this way with sugar and cornstarch and canned cherries w/half their juice added back. It was PERFECT!
But, I had to completely change the flour/butter ratio to save my crust. I followed her crust recipe but it was too much butter and shortening (and I’ve made a lot of pie crusts over the years using Joy of Cooking’s Flaky Pastry Dough, and my crust is great. I use a pastry blender and I always start by chopping the sticks of butter into small “diced” bits and sticking them in the freezer for 30 minutes before I blend them with flour/sugar/salt so they are easy to work with and don’t melt).
So, I also measure my flour by weight (125 g. = 1 cup) like European recipes provide, so I started with 315 g. (slight round up of 2 1/2 c.) and because of my experience with pie making, I could tell before I added the ice water that this would not come together. It was too oily and too wet already (butter and shortening, unlike oil had some water in them). So I added more flour, 50 g. at a time until I had added 125 g. more (1 whole cup). Also, I only used 2 Tbsp ice water. It worked out, I had the right amount of dough to make a bottom crust, a thick-stripped lattice on top, and a tiny bit left over. I always use 2 sheets of waxed paper to roll my crust and usually don’t have to use any flour to roll, but I did in this case need a sprinkle of flour, it was so buttery.
If I made this crust again, I would try starting with 450 g. flour.
I’m so glad I made this, the filling is very special (For just the filling I would give 5-star rating.) and I will use the filling recipe again. I think I might try a crisp/crumble “Dutch apple” type top crust next time. I like the tooth of oat crumbles and berries/cherries/stone fruits.
★★★★
Jean Van't Hul
March 30, 2012 at 2:29 pmsorry about the “printable recipe” link not working. i’m traveling today but will look into it when i get home.
Jean Van't Hul
March 30, 2012 at 2:29 pmNot a typo. there’s a lot of butter in pie crust!
Lori N
March 30, 2012 at 8:03 pmYummy!
Jean Van't Hul
March 30, 2012 at 7:52 pmI love it with almond extract, too, but it can be easily overdone!
Jean Van't Hul
March 30, 2012 at 7:59 pmOkay, it should be working now! I set up a new one in Google Docs.
Monique
March 31, 2012 at 6:10 amWhere do you get canned cherries in water? I have never seen that in New England. Yum, I love cherry pie!!
Jean Van't Hul
March 31, 2012 at 8:03 amI’ve found them at both the whole foods stores and at the regular chain grocery stores. THey are generally with the canned fruit rather than in the baking aisle.
Jean Van't Hul
March 31, 2012 at 8:04 amI was able to find them when I lived in New England, but that was years ago now.
molly
April 2, 2012 at 5:49 pmDo you think it would work with frozen cherries too? My dad often has a huge bucket of frozen cherries for the jam he makes. Also, due to my allergies (grr) I’d probably have to substitute something for the almond extract. I wonder if I could get away with imitation almond…
Jean Van't Hul
April 3, 2012 at 7:23 amYes, I’m sure it would work for fresh or frozen cherries. I’d probably thaw the cherries first (although I’ve never made a pie with frozen cherries — you might just need to experiment or talk to someone who has). I’d make sure there’s enough juice, but maybe fresh and frozen cherries would have more juice naturally that would cook out of them…
Cherry pie is still great without almond extract.
may mcdonough
November 16, 2012 at 2:19 pminstead of almond extract i usually throw in a splash of almond or cherry liquor. it adds that dubious cherry-almond flavor without that perfumy tinge that can come from a little too much xtract.
your recipe looks great though. i think i will use it this christmas!
Rox
November 23, 2012 at 2:56 pmi like that u use oregon cherries.. i live in cherry country in oregon.. so i am sure u are using the cherries from my town.. and cherry pie yummmmmy
Courtney
April 2, 2013 at 9:32 amCan you freeze and reheat this pie?
Jean Van't Hul
April 2, 2013 at 3:27 pmNot sure, Courtney! Sorry. I’ve never tried it. I know people freeze pies all the time so I imagine this one freezes as well as the next one.
[email protected]
June 2, 2013 at 1:00 pmWhat are the measurements for the cherries and the liquid if you don’t use the Oregon 14 oz cans? Thank you, it looks delicious!!!
Jean Van't Hul
October 19, 2017 at 5:40 amI always use the Oregon 14 oz cans, so I can’t answer that. Sorry!
Suzanne Denison
November 20, 2017 at 7:38 pmCould you just measure the juice you end up with?
Wendy B
November 21, 2017 at 1:46 pm1/2 cup per can
Kika
March 15, 2021 at 2:41 pmI got 2 full cups from 3 cans of the Oregon sour cherries in water, so for me it was more like 2/3 cup per can. I drained them really quickly using a fine mesh strainer we use for rinsing rice, I didn’t wait very long for every drop either.
Also, I wouldn’t just sub cherry juice, I drank the leftover sour cherry juice-water. It’s different than cherry juice, but still yummy if you like tart fruit flavors.
I can’t wait to make this cherry filling again. It’s sooooo tasty. But, I added a little extra almond extract.
jennifer
August 20, 2013 at 2:53 pmi have two questions, as I have just put this pie in the oven. first, i was confused about the amount of canned juice. i had about a cup of liquid after draining two cans and measuring for one and a half of the total amount. then i mixed the filling and it sat for half an hour. i have a 9 1/2 inch pie dish. i had too much filling/liquid so used all the cherries and as much liquid as i could, but i am worried that the extra dissolved sugar and starch included in the waste should have gone into the pie. what did I do wrong? thanks, Jennifer
Katrina
December 21, 2018 at 3:31 pmDid you cook the filling until it stated to firm up? you have to cook it in a pot, I stir to keep from sticking, and when the juice gets thick like a pie filling is, then you pull it off the heat and let it sit to cool. At least, the way you describe your steps done “then i mixed the filling and it sat for half an hour” That sounds like you skipped the cooking of the pie filling.
This is by the way THE BEST CHERRY PIE RECIPE EVER! I made it Thanksgiving and I am making it again Christmas 2018!
[email protected]
August 21, 2013 at 12:07 pmIt had way too much liquid with the amount of juice from the cans written in the recipe. I had to drain most of it out as the liquid was overflowing the top of the pie.
Jean Van't Hul
October 19, 2017 at 5:41 amI’ve adjusted the recipe to pre-jel the liquid with the cherries before baking. Good luck!
Kika
March 15, 2021 at 3:16 pmI followed the instructions to bring the filling ingredients to a simmer and then keep cooking on low until it’s somewhat of a gel and it baked really well, and my 9” pie dish fit all the filling no problem. However, I DID transfer the filling from my stock pot back to an aluminum pan using a silicon spatula, and then I put the aluminum bowl in a shallow ice water bath to get it from “hot melty candy lava” back to just a little warm before I put it in the prepared bottom crust dough in the pie pan. This filling was delicious! Thank you artfulparent for sharing!
Barbara
October 18, 2017 at 9:43 amMy question is about the juice. Do you pour out one can of juice in a container, then add 1/2 of that it to the other can of juice? Thank you.
Jean Van't Hul
October 19, 2017 at 5:39 amI use all the liquid from one can of cherries and half of the liquid from the other can, Barbara. I add the liquid to the cherries and other ingredients in the saucepan and simmer everything together.
I hope you like the pie!
Patty
October 20, 2017 at 10:32 amI’ve looked and perhaps missed it but I need to know if your best cherry pie is for a 9 1/2 or 10 inch pie pan. Deep dish? Exactly the recipe I have been looking for. To me, the almond extract does make all the difference!
Thanks so much for your reply
Jean Van't Hul
October 23, 2017 at 5:43 amI use a regular 9 inch pie pan, Patty. Not deep dish. But there’s enough filling that I think a 10 inch would be fine if that’s what you have. The almond extract is key! I agree. But don’t overdo it. :) I’ve accidentally put too much and you only need a little bit or it can be a bit overwhelming.
Diane Phelps
October 24, 2017 at 1:44 pmThe next time you make this would you measure the exact amount of juice that you use for those of us using frozen cherries? thank you
Jean Van't Hul
October 25, 2017 at 5:16 amYes, I will. I’ll let you know…
Em
November 21, 2017 at 10:07 pmMy cans had 2/3 cup of liquid, but it sounds like others have had 1/2 cup. I would think anywhere from 3/4 to 1 cup would work. Emilu
Brooke Nunnaley
November 15, 2017 at 3:19 pmI needed a cherry filling recipe that o could adapt for a sugar free pie, and oh my goodness this was fantastic. I used a sugar alternative and you couldn’t even tell, phenomenal filling!
Jean Van't Hul
November 16, 2017 at 3:01 amI’m SO glad, Brooke! Just out of curiosity, what kind of sugar alternative did you use?
Phyllis A nussmeyer
November 18, 2017 at 12:20 pmI love this recipe. My mother always used almond extract in her cherry pies. Can you dehydrated dry cherries in the juice to use along with the other cherries?
Carolyn Martin
November 19, 2017 at 3:28 pmTrying out your recipe today. I didn’t have Almond extract but a splash of Frangelico was a nice substitute.
Stephanie Mc
November 20, 2017 at 1:44 pmI can only find the Dark Sweet Cherries here where I live. I like it more tart so I think I should cut the sugar down. Also can I add lemon juice to make the pie more tart?
Jean Van't Hul
November 25, 2017 at 5:30 amIt will definitely taste different, but you can also order the tart cherries online (Amazon sells them) if you want them.
Dee
November 20, 2017 at 6:17 pmI’ve made this pie the last two Thanksgivings and it has been requested yet again. It’s delicious and so easy.
Jean Van't Hul
November 25, 2017 at 5:30 amAwesome! So glad!
Kelly
November 21, 2017 at 5:02 pmWould it work to make up the pie a day before Thanksgiving, then freeze the pie and then bake the pie on Thanksgiving?
Jean Van't Hul
November 25, 2017 at 5:29 amWhen I want to make it a day ahead, I make the cherry pie filling and the pie crust and keep them both separate in the fridge. Then, the next day, I simply add the filling to the pie crust and bake. I haven’t tried freezing them together, but if you do, will you let me know how it works for you?
Tracey
November 21, 2017 at 8:14 pmThank you so much for this recipe- one quick question.. does the filling need to be completely cooled before adding it to the pie crust?
Jean Van't Hul
November 25, 2017 at 5:25 amMaybe not completely, but I cool it so it doesn’t melt the butter in the crust prematurely.
Em
November 21, 2017 at 10:12 pmSo first time making this filling with canned cherries. I got the exact kind you suggested, but they are so pale! How do yours looks so bright?? Does that just happen after it bakes?
Sarah
November 22, 2017 at 9:56 pmI was wondering the same thing about the color.
Christina V.
July 17, 2018 at 5:32 pmI just wrote a comment today that my cherries aren’t red but they are like a blush pink. Thankful it wasn’t only mine.
Jean Van't Hul
November 25, 2017 at 5:27 amI guess so. Or maybe that’s just how it appears when the cherries are in the pie. It always looks and tastes delicious to me. :) I don’t add food coloring or anything.
Kika
March 15, 2021 at 3:45 pmMy Oregon canned sour cherries were an ugly pale pink out of the can too, but they got much redder cooking them on the stove top with the sugar, juice and cornstarch + almond extract. Once the pie was baked and cooled and cut, the filling was a nice dark red. Beautiful just like the author’s pictures (maybe a tiny bit darker than hers).
Also, I’ve used the Oregon brand dark sweet cherries in water too (for a Black Forest cake). Same thing: ugly until you cook them with some of their juice and some sugar, and then gorgeous (but those kind are darker when cooked).
★★★★
dom
November 23, 2017 at 11:08 pmI tried it… There is none left…. They loved it!!!!!
Jean Van't Hul
November 25, 2017 at 5:24 amAwesome! I’m so glad!
Lisa G
December 23, 2017 at 7:58 pmThis pie was fantastic! I made it on Thanksgiving and because it was so good and I was dreaming about it, I’m making it again for Christmas. I didn’t have almond extract so I used double the amount of vanilla and it was still excellent. This time I accidentally bought tart cherries in light syrup because they didn’t have the Oregon canned ones I found last time. I’m going to taste the syrup and if it’s too sweet I’ll probably just mix some of it with water and use a little less sugar.
Elisabeth Sharp
March 2, 2018 at 2:27 pmHi I’m hoping to make this pie for my class for pi day and was wondering how many people does it serve? -also love how this was posted almost 6 years ago and people are still loving it!!!
Jean Van't Hul
March 4, 2018 at 5:14 amI generally cut 12 pieces from this for a party or 8 for a family event.
Jean Van't Hul
March 4, 2018 at 5:14 amIt’s a tasty pie! :)
Sara
March 21, 2018 at 10:36 pmCan you sub vanilla for the almond extract? We have a tree nut allergy in the family.
Thanks!
Melissa Garrett
March 22, 2018 at 11:02 amHi Sara. This is Melissa, the Artful Parent Project Manager. Jean hasn’t tried it with a vanilla substitution, but the extract is just for flavor, so it shouldn’t affect the overall consistency of the pie. I bet it will be scrumptious with vanilla! If you try it, let us know how it turns out :)
Kandy
March 28, 2018 at 10:33 amMy mother made a pie with the same cherries when I was a kid. She didn’t have her recipe wrote down. I made your recipe for Christmas and all my siblings were so excited to try it. It got ate before dinner. It was so nostalgic for all 4 of us. Almost made some cry. Thank you so much for taking us back to the good old days.
Jean Van't Hul
March 29, 2018 at 5:26 amOh my goodness! Thanks for sharing, Kandy! It’s amazing how food can bring back such memories!
Dj
April 15, 2019 at 10:37 amMy cherries I think jelled to much when cooled. The jell did not liquify upon cooking . Can I save it?
Lindsey
April 7, 2018 at 6:00 pmAny suggestions as an alternative to the Oregon cherries? I can’t find them at my local store and not enough time to order them!
Jean Van't Hul
April 8, 2018 at 5:10 amAny sour cherry that is canned in water/juice would work. You could also try fresh or frozen sour Montmorency cherries and pre-cook them with water instead of the juice from the can.
Ruth Heilman
April 7, 2018 at 10:32 pmI made the pie today and it was very runny,I rechecked the recipe and it says one and a half can of juice.I only had one can so I added a half can of water,is that what did it.
Jean Van't Hul
April 8, 2018 at 5:08 amDid you use the cornstarch as a thickener? And did the cherry mixture thicken when you pre-cooked it? Also, did you have enough cherries for the amount of liquid you used? (I’m just asking since you said you only had one can of the cherry juice.) Also, I always (usually) let my pie cool and set for a few hours before eating it. If you cut into it too soon, it’s runnier.
Melody
April 11, 2018 at 6:59 pmThanks for the printable version! Can’t wait to try it.
Heather
May 27, 2018 at 4:19 amHi. This is the 2nd time I’ve tried a US pastry recipe & they’ve both been a failure! This time I wonder whether there should have been more flour perhaps a confusion in measurements? Between Europe and US. I had 6oz butter and 4 oz shortening into the flour … I did have the proper cups for the flour. I had looked up the conversion for tablespoons of butter as 1tbs – 1/2 oz as shown on Pinterest. When mixed there was no way to use the water so I ended with a fatty mess that was impossible to work. Help.
LeAnne
June 17, 2018 at 1:17 amJean, I found this recipe right before Thanksgiving 2017 and I’ve made it several times since! Cherry pie is my favorite, and this one is fabulous! You will be impressed to know, I make it for a friend who is a culinary arts teacher (but who doesn’t enjoy baking) and she adores this pie! I really like your pie crust recipe so I now use it as my usual pie crust recipe for other pies. And I love your tip of protecting the crust by using a piece of foil and cutting-out the middle…in addition I also add a silicone pie crust shield and it turns out perfect, no burned pie crust edges! Thank you for a wonderful pie that I’ll continue to make again and again!
Christina V.
July 17, 2018 at 3:36 pmMine is currently in the oven. Smells so good! Can’t wait to try!! Quick question though, my canned cherries aren’t red they are more like pink. Seems from being in the water long but they aren’t expired. Is this okay?
Mike Scoles
October 8, 2018 at 6:02 pmI am in the midst of baking one right now! I’ve made it many times and each time it gets rave reviews. It is positively delicious! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe.
Jean Hallam
October 15, 2018 at 6:03 pmI live in southwest Florida and I am having difficulty finding cherries. No canned or frozen available! Any suggestions?
Jean Hallam
Cape Coral, Fl
Rhonda K Sleezer
October 19, 2018 at 12:04 pmYou can order them thru Walmart and have them shipped to the store, saving you shipping charges. Rhonda Sleezer, Naples, Florida
Dina
November 5, 2018 at 9:28 amBeing from Cape Coral and fort myers, I can assure you, there is Oregon tart cherries available. Publix and Walmart carry these.
Hannah
October 17, 2018 at 5:57 pmThe link to the lattice crust just reopens this page?
Rhonda K Sleezer
October 19, 2018 at 12:02 pmThis is my absolute go to recipe for pie. It is wonderful. The cherries taste like they have just been picked off the tree.
Abigayle
November 7, 2018 at 7:25 amSo do you need to pre bake pie crust so the bottom doesn’t get soggy?
Jean Van't Hul
November 9, 2018 at 5:44 amI don’t prebake the bottom crust and it works out well for me. But you could try it, if you wanted to. The problem with that is you wouldn’t be able to attach the top crust to the bottom crust properly when assembling the pie.
Jovana
November 8, 2018 at 12:22 pmSo if I decide to use all butter is it still 20 Tbsp?
Jean Van't Hul
November 9, 2018 at 5:41 amHi Jovana – Yes, I almost always use just butter now when making this pie crust and the quantity is the same.
Lori
December 2, 2018 at 11:15 amThe cherry was delicious I wanted to try a few other berry pies could I use the same recipe and just change the canned berry? I wanted to try a Raspberry or boysenberry. Thanks in advance.
David Farr
December 24, 2018 at 9:49 pmGreat! First time I ever tried to make a pie. My only problem was rolling the dough. It became a square instead of a circle, but it didn’t crack or anything. Turned out a little ugly because I had to patch it in places, but it is good.
ALex
July 2, 2019 at 4:21 amMade it today. Absolutely delicious. Very first attempt at Piemaking. Will definitely do again.
★★★★★
Jean Van't Hul
July 3, 2019 at 5:15 amYay! I’m so glad you like the cherry pie! And happy piemaking, Alex!
Mandi
July 3, 2019 at 5:48 pmI’m not a huge cherry pie fan, but WOW! This is great, and not overly sweet like your typical cherry pie. Several members in my family love cherry pie, so I searched Pinterest of course and stumbled on this fantastic recipe. I made this for the first time for Thanksgiving last year, and then on Christmas, Easter, and getting ready to make this again for the Fourth of July. It has become a hit with my family there is no doubt about that. Thank you for posting this recipe and sharing it!
★★★★★
Jean Van't Hul
July 4, 2019 at 10:30 amYou’re so welcome, Mandi! I’m glad you and your family like it so well! (It’s my all-time favorite pie!)
Kayte
November 25, 2019 at 8:10 amI made this last night using frozen cherries instead of canned. I’m a frugal shopper and $7 a can was just too much for me. Frozen cherries were on sale 2 for $6. I used 20oz of frozen cherries for a 9” crust. Put them in the pot frozen and added 1 cup apple juice, to replace the can liquid, since we didn’t have cherry. I followed the recipe of the instructions for the filling and it’s delicious!!! So much real cherry flavor and it’s nice and thick. I didn’t make the crust recipe as I have a gluten intolerance. I used the King Arthur gf pie crust mix and it was also delicious.
Don
December 14, 2019 at 9:15 pmI would like to say good things about this, but there are too many basic errors. Do not cook the cherries before baking! Cook the juice, sugar and corn starch until thickened, take off heat, and gently fold in the cherries and almond extract. Otherwise the cherries will explode. I cut the sugar considerably, and it was still too sweet.
★★
Gary
February 18, 2020 at 7:05 pmIs it 1.5 cans of cherries or 3 cans? I don’t know how much to buy.
Martha Woody
March 15, 2020 at 7:09 pmI have one can of red tart pitted cherries how can I make a pie with it.already have pie crust made
Jean Van't Hul
March 16, 2020 at 4:28 pmHi Martha! Just reduce the quantities of everything else proportionally and make a mini pie!
Or, combine the cherries with another kind of fruit, and make a regular sized pie.
Good luck experimenting!
Jeff Boy-r-dee
March 28, 2020 at 3:47 amI prefer the “dreaded pie filling”. In fact, you can use any pie filling with this recipe, and it’s fine!
Marianne Rohbock
November 21, 2020 at 2:46 pmI have made this pie for Thanksgiving every year for the last 5 years and we are all addicted to it. Even family who look at it and say “I have never liked cherry pie” actually like this one! Sometimes my husband buys the canned cherries at the grocery store and casually leaves them on the counter as a hint. We love it!
Rachel Withers
November 24, 2020 at 1:04 pmThat’s wonderful Marianne! I’m so glad it has become a family tradition. :) I know my husband and I love the recipe too!
Rachel, Editorial Manager for The Artful Parent
Jean Van't Hul
March 9, 2021 at 8:19 pmI love that your husband buys the cherries and just leaves them on the counter as a hint! :)
Michele
March 9, 2021 at 4:33 pmMy husband loves cherry pie and had it for his “groom’s cake” at our wedding. I have used your recipe to make it for him for a few of his birthdays/our anniversaries (same day) and holidays and he loves this pie. I don’t think I’ve ever made it perfectly yet, but he is never disappointed by this recipe. Thank you!
Jean Van't Hul
March 9, 2021 at 8:18 pmI’m so glad that your husband loves this cherry pie, Michele! Thanks so much for sharing! And you’re welcome!