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Close up photo of Perfect Cherry Pie

Perfect Cherry Pie

The Perfect Cherry Pie - an old fashioned recipe using an all butter crust and plenty of sweet cherries in the filling.
Course Dessert
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8 servings
Author Barry C. Parsons

Ingredients

For the Butter Pastry

  • 1 cup very cold butter cut in small cubes
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1/2 to 2/3 cup ice water Only enough to make a dough form.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Cherry Filling

  • 3 pounds of sweet cherries pitted
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar lightly packed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • pinch salt
  • 3 rounded tablespoons corn starch

For the egg wash

  • 1 beaten egg yolk
  • 1 to 2 tbsp water

Instructions

To prepare the Butter Pastry

  1. Using a food processor or a pastry blender cut cold butter into flour, brown sugar and salt until mixture resembles a coarse meal. Small pieces of butter should still be visible.
  2. Pour vanilla into cold water then pour over the mixture and work in by tossing with a fork until dough begins to form. Use your hands as little as possible and work the dough as little as possible.
  3. Divide dough into 2 balls, flatten into 2 rounds, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to rest for a minimum of 20 minutes.You can make your dough the previous day but make sure you take it out of the fridge for 10 minutes to warm slightly before rolling out.
  4. Roll the dough into a 12 inch round and place in the bottom of a deep 10 inch pie plate. Push the dough into the corners and ensure that it is not stretched at all or it will shrink from the edge. Trim dough to edge of plate.
  5. Roll the remaining dough round into 12 inch square-ish shape and cut that into 8 equal strips for the lattice crust top.

To Prepare the Cherry Filling

  1. Toss all the ingredients for the filling together until well combined and pour into prepared pie plate.
  2. Place the remaining pastry strips on top of the cherry mixture, interweaving them to form a simple lattice pattern. Tuck the ends of the strips under the edge of the bottom crust and crimp with a fork or your fingers to seal the pastry together.
  3. Brush the edges of the crust and the lattice top with an eggwash made by whisking together the egg yolk and water.
  4. Chill the pie in the fridge for about 20 minutes to a half hour before placing it on a cookie sheet (to catch any drips from the filling) in a preheated 400 degree F oven.
  5. Bake for 45 minutes at that temperature before covering the edges of the pie with strips of aluminum foil to prevent them from burning. Reduce heat to 375 degrees F and bake for an additional 30- 45 minutes or until the filling bubbles at the center.
  6. Allow to cool on a wire rack at room temperature for at least a couple of hours before serving.
  7. NOTE: If your lattice crust begins to get too brown after you have covered the edges with aluminum foil but before the filling is bubbling, you can place a sheet of aluminum foil over the top during the last of the baking time if needed.