Easy Cherry Pie Recipe

Enjoy the flavors of summer with this Easy Cherry Pie Recipe. It comes together easily and is made with ingredients like maple syrup, turbinado sugar, and heaps of cherries!

Learn how to make a delicious and simple cherry pie

The coldest winter months are finally behind us, and spring weather is trickling in! If there’s one thing that screams warm weather and sunshine, it’s a homemade pie. With this on my mind, I knew it was time for a new pie recipe, and this easy cherry number came to life!

Pies can be an intimidating choice to make at home, but this recipe keeps it simple. Sure, the crust and filling are all made from scratch, but both parts are simple to make and require only standard baking ingredients. Made with cherries, lemon juice, and maple syrup, the easy cherry pie filling is a total treat!

This is the perfect dish for enjoying with the family, serving up for friends after a dinner party, or simply enjoying with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, just because!

Ingredients in this easy cherry pie recipe

The ingredients for this pie are broken down into three parts: the bottom crust, the filling, and the top crust.

Crust

• Flour: The crust is made with a base consisting of 2 ½ cups of all-purpose flour.
• Salt: Add flavor with 1 tsp of salt.
• Butter: Next, you’ll need 1 cup of butter (2 sticks). The butter needs to be unsalted and cold, and it should be cut into 1/2 inch cubes.
• Maple syrup: To naturally sweeten the crust, use 2 tbsp of maple syrup.
• Ice water: Finally, you may need 4 to 8 tbsp of ice water depending on the consistency of your dough.

Filling

• Cherries: The cherry filling is made with 8 heaping cups of cherries for maximum flavor! You can use fresh or frozen.
• Lemon juice: Add a dash of zingy flavor with 2 tbsp of lemon juice.
• Maple syrup: Then, add 1/3 cup of maple syrup to naturally sweeten the filling and offset the slightly bitter flavor of the cherries.
• Arrowroot powder: 3 tbsp of arrowroot powder will provide just enough dryness to help the filling have a perfect consistency.
• Almond extract: 1/8 tsp of almond extract is an optional add-in. If used, it will provide a subtle nutty flavor.
• Vanilla: Finish off the filling with 2 tsp of vanilla!

Top Crust

• Egg: The top crust is simply made with 1 beaten egg, followed by some sugar.
• Turbinado sugar: Use turbinado sugar in the amount of 2 tbsp. This type of sugar contains molasses and is less refined than regular sugar.

Tools needed to make this recipe

To create your pie from scratch, you’ll need a few kitchen items. Here’s a complete list:

• 9-inch pie dish
• Nonstick spray or oil to grease the pan
• Food processor
• Spatula
• Large saucepan
• Medium mixing bowl

For measuring out ingredients, you will need the following sized measuring cups: 1/8 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 tbsp, 1/3 cup, 1/2 cup, and 1 cup.

How to make this easy cherry pie

Now that you’ve gathered your ingredients and tools, it’s time to bring this pie to life! We’ll start with the dough, and then we’ll prepare the filling while it chills. Finally, we’ll separate the dough into two parts, assemble the pie, and bake! Go step by step, and you’ll find this to be a smooth and simple recipe.

To begin, preheat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9-inch pie dish.

Then, add the flour, salt, and cubed butter to a food processor. Blend for 20-30 seconds or until a dough begins to form. Stop to scrape down the sides of the processor as needed.

Scrape down the sides of the processor again, and then add the maple syrup. Blend the syrup in for 10-15 seconds or until a ball begins to form. If the texture is still crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of cold water at a time. The dough should hold together when pinched.

Next, place the dough in a bowl and form it into a ball. Refrigerate.

In the meantime, prepare the filling. Start by adding the cherries to a large saucepan over medium-high heat, and then add the lemon juice. Cook for about 10 minutes, or until the liquid is expressed. Reduce the heat to medium.

In a separate bowl, mix together the maple syrup and arrowroot powder. Once combined, stir that mixture into the cherry mixture.

Let the cherries cook down and thicken for about 5 minutes. Once thick, turn off the heat. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a little bit of water. Let cool completely (about 1 hour).

Remove the dough from the fridge when the filling has about 15 minutes left to cool. Separate the dough into two even balls.

Roll one of the balls into a circle wide enough to fit the 9-inch pie dish. Place the dough into the bottom of the greased dish. Repeat with the remaining crust, but set it to the side for now.

Next, pour the cherry filling into the crust. Then, add the top crust. Pinch the edges together for a crimped look, and then add a few slits to the top to allow the steam to escape. Brush with an egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until golden brown. Let cool completely before serving, at least 3-4 hours. I transfer mine to the fridge after about two hours to let cool for another two.

Serve with whipped topping or vanilla ice cream.

Whether it’s your first or one-hundredth time preparing a pie from scratch, these tips should come in handy!

Chilling the dough is key
When it comes to making a pie crust, the step involving chill time is crucial. Do not remove the dough from the refrigerator early — give it time to sit and come together. Cold pie ingredients bake better. This is the same reason we use cold butter!

Rolling the dough
After you separate the dough into two halves and roll it out to flatten the crust, don’t overdo it with the flour. Too much can change the consistency of your crust. Aim to use only as much as is needed to successfully flatten the dough.

Don’t skip the arrowroot powder
The filling calls for a bit of arrowroot powder, and there’s a reason for this! The powder helps to thicken up the filling and prevents it from being too liquidy. Don’t skip it!

After your pie has been served, leftovers should be refrigerated. Because the pie contains eggs and butter, keeping it chilled will help keep it fresher for longer and prevent the ingredients from going bad. Simply cover the pie in aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge.

If you liked this recipe, you’ll want to try these!

Did you love how your pie turned out? Here are some more delicious pie recipes to choose from next!

• Paleo Chocolate Pecan Pie
• Gluten Free Key Lime Pie Recipe
• Healthy Paleo Pumpkin Pie
• Gluten Free Apple Pie

Recipe by Erin Morrissey and Photos by The Mindful Hapa