Cherry Almond Pie is an easy, homemade dessert with a bright fruit filling, subtle nutty flavor, and a crust topped with a delicate crunch.
When it comes to Fruit Pie Recipes, you can’t get more American than an Apple Pie, although a fresh Cherry Pie comes in a close second. Why not make both and take a vote at your next summer cookout?
Sabrina’s Cherry Almond Pie Recipe
Summer is the time of year when we all seem to get a bit more relaxed. Fancy holiday parties turn into backyard cookouts (shoes optional), and quick grilling is preferred to slow roasting heavy meals. And desserts transition from rich, heavy cakes to fresh summer fruit pies.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts
- 1 large egg , beaten
- 5 cups cherries , pitted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter , chopped
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar
- 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- Toss the cherries with the sugar, flour, almond extract, and lemon juice until no visible flour is left. Allow to sit while you make the lattice top crust. Then pour it in the pie crust and top with the butter.
- Place the first pie crust in the bottom of the pie plate and cut the second one into strips and brush the pie crust in the pie plate with the egg.
- Spoon the cherry filling into the bottom crust, careful not to add too much cherry juice.
- Scatter chopped butter pieces evenly over cherry filling.
- Top with the strips of pie crust in a lattice design, brush with the remaining amount of egg and sprinkle with almonds and sugar.
- Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes then reduce to 375 degrees and bake for an additional 25 minutes before cooling completely.
Notes
Nutrition
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Table of contents
About this Recipe
This Cherry Almond Pie is a twist on the American classic Cherry Pie, with a bit more flavor but still letting the sweet cherries be the star of the show. This pie uses fresh cherries and is especially tasty during the summer season when cherries are their ripest and easiest (cheapest) to find.
Can this be made ahead of time?
- You can make just the cherry pie filling ahead of time, instead of a whole pie. Simply mix the cherries with the flour, sugar, lemon juice, and almond extract, and then place them in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag. Freeze for 6-8 months, thawing overnight in the refrigerator before adding to the pie crust and baking.
- A wonderful thing about this pie is that it can be made at their peak season and then frozen for up to 6 months. You can enjoy this summery pie when the weather outside is cold and bleak.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- If you are a fan of cherry desserts like this recipe, you should definitely invest in a cherry pitter. They are a huge time saver and make the task so easy. If you have little helpers, you could even let them be in charge of prepping fresh cherries.
- No need to worry if you don’t have a cherry pitter. You can use a pairing knife by cutting around the pit like you would a peach, and then use the tip of the knife to pop out the pit.
- Another substitute for a cherry pitter is a chopstick shoved into one end of the cherry and pushing the pit out the other side.
What to Pair With
Top with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or a dollop of Whipped Cream for an extra summer cookout feel!
How to Store
- Serve: Store your pie in a cool, dry place at room temperature for up to 4 days. Cover tightly with plastic wrap.
- Store: Put your pie in an airtight container or cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freeze: Cool pie completely before tightly covering with plastic wrap and foil. Place in a freezer bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
Frequent Questions
You can use frozen cherries instead of fresh cherries for this recipe. You will need to thaw them and drain them completely first. It’s not recommended to use canned cherry filling, but if you do, drain all the syrup off and maybe give them a rinse. Taste the cherries for sweetness and adjust the sugar if needed.
Lay your top crust flat on a cutting board or floured counter. Using a pastry wheel or pizza cutter, slice pie crust into long even strips. Place half of the pie crust strips horizontally across top of pie about 1 inch apart. Carefully weave (like a basket) remaining strips vertically over the pie, lifting horizontal strips as needed.
Variations
- Flavoring: Instead of almond extract, try vanilla extract or a mixture of both. If you want to splurge a bit, use fresh vanilla bean in the filling.
- Stone Fruit: You can use this method to make any other stone fruit pie recipe, like plums, apricots, or peaches.
- White Chocolate: Melt white chocolate chips and drizzle over sliced cherry pie before serving for a little extra sweet creaminess.
- Amaretto: Instead of the almond extract in this recipe, use a tablespoon of Amaretto liquor to add a boozy, warm kick.
- Nuts: Give your pie more almond flavoring and a crunch by adding a ⅓ cup of toasted almonds to the pie filling. You could also use walnuts or pecans.
Related Recipes
More Delicious Fruit Pies
These photos were in a previous version of this post
Can frozen cherries be used in cherry almond oie
Hi Debbie,
You sure can! You can use frozen cherries instead of fresh cherries for this Cherry Almond Pie recipe. You will need to thaw them and drain them completely first. It’s not recommended to use canned cherry filling but if you do, drain all the syrup off and maybe give them a rinse. Taste the cherries for sweetness and adjust the sugar if needed.
Let us know if you try the Cherry Almond Pie recipe and let us know what you think!