But if you have access to fresh sweet cherries when they are in season (or even frozen out of season), you can easily make a pie with them, too! What makes the recipe work is to not add too much sugar. The cherries are already naturally sweet. We also add some almond extract to the filling. There’s something magical about the flavors combination of cherries and almonds (see our cherry clafouti), and they work great in the pie. Make sure your cherries are firm and plump. Avoid cherries that look shriveled or blemished. Frozen cherries can also be used to make pie. Just let them thaw completely in a colander before making your pie.
How to Pit Your Cherries
As Elise says, “It does help to have a good cherry pitter. Those pits can be rather time consuming to remove.” If you don’t have a cherry pitter try one of these options:
Hit the cherry with the flat of a knife and remove the pitUse a bamboo chopstick to poke out the pitUse a paperclip to snag the pitPush the pits out using a pastry tip.
The Best Pie Crust for Cherry Pie
Elise likes an all-butter pie crust for her Cherry Pie, but any favorite pie crust will work for this recipe (even a store-bought one). Want to make a lattice top crust for your pie? Follow the steps and photos laid out in this post.
Make Ahead Instructions for Cherry Pie
Good news! Cherry pie is best made ahead and cooled completely to room temperature before serving. As tempting as it is to slice into the pie fresh out of the oven, you’ll get cleaner slices if you wait. Your baked pie will keep at room temperature covered with plastic wrap for about three days. You can also store it in the fridge for up to 5 days, but the crust tends to stale more quickly. You can also freeze the entire pie. Let it cool completely, then wrap tightly in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months, then thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Love Cherries? Try These Recipes!
Cherry Clafoutis Cherry Hand Pies Sweet Cherry Cobbler Cherry Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips Cherry Frozen Yogurt
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temp to 350°F and cook for 45 to 55 minutes longer, or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is thick and bubbly.
