Description

This luscious Cherry Pie recipe combines a flaky homemade pie crust with a sweet and tangy cherry filling enhanced by almond extract and cinnamon. Topped with a crunchy browned butter almond streusel and served with a smooth lemon vanilla sweet cream, this pie offers a perfect balance of textures and flavors. Ideal for special occasions or any day you crave a classic homemade dessert.

Ingredients

Pie Crust

60 mL ice cold water
15 mL bourbon
150 grams all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
113 grams salted butter (cold, cubed)

Cherry Filling

2.5 lbs fresh sweet cherries (pitted)
1 large lemon, juice
100 grams granulated sugar (adjustable up to 200 grams for sweeter taste)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp almond extract
42 grams cornstarch (spooned and leveled)

Brown Sugar Streusel

113 grams salted butter (to be browned, melted to 93g)
180 grams all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
100 grams dark brown sugar (lightly packed)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
113 grams sliced almonds (lightly crushed)

Lemon Vanilla Sweet Cream

25 grams granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla bean paste or seeds from 1/2 vanilla pod
120 mL heavy cream

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Instructions

Prepare Pie Crust: Measure cold water and bourbon, combine and freeze briefly to chill. Add cubed cold butter to flour, chill mixture, then pulse in a food processor until pea-sized chunks form. Slowly stream in cold water mixture until dough barely holds together. Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Roll and Bake Crust: Roll chilled dough into a large 1/8 inch thick circle, place in pie dish, freeze 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line crust with parchment and pie weights, bake 20 minutes. Remove weights and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden. Cool.
Prepare Cherry Filling: Pit cherries; slice halves and quarters to vary texture. Combine cherries with sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, almond extract, and cinnamon. Puree one-third of mixture in food processor and mix back for a smooth yet chunky filling.
Make Browned Butter Streusel: Brown butter over medium-low heat until deep amber and aromatic. Pour into a bowl, stir in flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon until pea-sized chunks form. Add lightly crushed almonds and mix to combine evenly.
Assemble and Bake Pie: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Pour cherry filling into par-baked crust, evenly spread streusel on top without piling. Bake on bottom rack for about 75 minutes until streusel is dark golden and filling bubbles. Cover with foil if streusel browns too fast.
Cool and Serve: Allow pie to cool for several hours to set flavors and filling. Slice at room temperature or slightly warm for optimal texture.
Prepare Lemon Vanilla Sweet Cream: Rub lemon zest with sugar to release oils. Add vanilla and heavy cream, whisk vigorously or use an electric frother until thickened but not stiff. Serve cream alongside pie slices.

Notes

You can use frozen cherries but thaw and drain them well before use to avoid excess moisture.
The dough should be crumbly but just hold together when pressed; avoid adding too much water to keep the crust flaky.
Brown the butter carefully to prevent burning—look for a deep amber color and nutty aroma.
Cover the pie with foil partway through baking if the streusel browns too quickly.
For a sweeter filling, you may increase granulated sugar up to 200 grams depending on preference.

Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American