Joy the Baker

Double Crust Cherry Pie

by 132 Comments

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Whoa, you guys.  Everyone is talking about the last few days of summer.  Everyone is squeezing in their last beach days and weekend vacations in the sun.  No no.  Please no.  I’m just not ready to say goodbye yet.

In honor of summer.  In honor of the fact that I’m not ready to say goodbye, I’ve made a homemade, double-crusted, buttermilk-having, almond-hinted CHERRY PIE.  It’s the epitome of summer.  It’s me, kicking and screaming, and holding on for dear life.

Bright side:  I can eat all the cherry pie I want while daydreaming about deep green nail polish, ruby red lip stains, and the ridiculously huge scarves I’m going to wear this Fall.  Other bright side:  peace out jean shorts!

I paired up with Nordstrom Beauty Spot to bring you this pie, and a few other beauty inspired recipes (including the Dark and Stormy cocktail I currently can’t get enough of).  Beauty picks, style tips, and all sorts of sweet goodness (no jean shorts, you’re welcome).

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Let’s talk about cherry pie!  We’ve got to get at it while the gettin’ is good!

This pie is surprisingly simple.  The cherries do much of the work (aside from pitting themselves).

To boost the cherry flavor we’re adding a bit of sugar, a pinch of salt, a good dose of fresh lemon juice, almond extract for flavor, and cornstarch for thickening.

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Cherry pitting is finger-staining, apron-staining good times.  I use this simple cherry pitter to get the job done.

It’s messy, but we’ll miss it in winter.

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I love the splatter.

I’m forever standing on a stool.

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We’ve talked about pie crust before.  I didn’t want to bore you with the buttery details yet again.

For a pie crust refresher, here’s How To Make Pie Crust.

If you are looking for a way out of this whole pie making business… how about a Peanut Butter and Pickle Sandwich.  It’s divisive.

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After some quality time in the oven, this pie is the stuff dreams are made out of.

It’s warm and bubbling,  Cherries are softened and sweet.

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This pie is an ode to summer. I’m just not ready to say goodbye yet. This pie is simple in its beauty.  Big baked cherries are sweetened and enhanced with a bit of lemon and almond.  The flakey buttermilk crust is the perfect house.  The crust is big and buttery.  Double is best.

This pie is best made several hours before it is served.  It needs some time for the juices to mellow and thicken.  Even then, this pie is on the juicy side. Serve it with melty vanilla ice cream and a big spoon.  Embrace it all!

Brought to you by Nordstrom.

Double Crust Cherry Pie

makes 1 9-inch pie

Print this Recipe!

For the Crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon buttermilk

For the Filling:
4 cups pitted fresh cherries
5 tablespoons cornstarch
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Juice of half a lemon
Dash of almond extract
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 egg, beaten with 2 tablespoons water
Granulated sugar for topping

To make the crust:
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and salt. Add cold, cubed butter and, using your fingers, work the butter into the flour mixture. Quickly break the butter down into the flour mixture. Some butter pieces will be the size of oat flakes; some will be the size of peas. Create a well in the mixture and pour in the cold buttermilk. Use a fork to bring the dough together. Try to moisten all of the flour bits. On a lightly floured work surface, dump out the dough mixture. It will be moist and shaggy. That’s perfect. Divide the dough in two and gently knead into two disks. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Allowing the dough to rest in the refrigerator will help rechill the butter and distribute the moisture.

To make the filling:
Gently stir together the cherries, cornstarch, sugar, salt, lemon and almond extract in a large bowl.

To roll out the pie crust:
On a well-floured surface, roll the bottom crust 1/8″ thick and about 12″ in diameter. Transfer it to a pie pan. Trim the edge almost even with the edge of the pan.
Roll out the top crust in the same manner.
Use a small heart-shape cookie cutter to cut a vent hole in the top crust.
Spoon filling into piecrust. Dot the filling with the bits of cold butter.
Top with crust. Fold both layers of pie dough under and crimp with a fork or your finger.

To finish:
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400o F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Brush the egg wash over pie crust, then sprinkle with sugar.
Place pie on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake the pie for 40 to 45 minutes more, or until the crust is golden and the cherry filling is bubbling. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before serving.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Rebecca

    I made this pie and it came out like cherry soup! I used 5 tablespoons corn starch, but it just didn’t thicken sadly it was super watery :(

    Reply

  2. Eunyoung

    I baked this awesome pie today and just finished devouring a slice. Only one slice because there were none left over! I’ve never baked a pie before this, and it was so easy and fun!!! Thank you so much~

    Reply

  8. Kasey

    You are too dang cute. Also, I love how hard you are rocking that lip color, girl. high fives.

    I’d paint my nails too, but my right hand always looks jacked since I’m not left handed. first world problems.

    hope you’re having a beautiful sunday!

    Reply

  11. Lisa

    I love love love this!!!! I am going to quote you to friends in the way you captured how I feel about the end of summer, and my boys love love love cherry pie… It is like the realities of my universe crashed in your fab blog. Love it..love you…. Long live summer and long live cherry pie!

    Reply

  12. Toni

    Hi Sweet Joy!!! Just needed to say you rock! Wow! Pie crust made with buttermilk! Who would have thunk it? The buttermilk fat makes all the difference therefore the crust is so perfectly flakey and tender! Also, I missed getting to meet you at your book signing when you stopped in the Chicago area way back when, so I guess that I’m hinting at another book therefore another book signing therefore I get to finally meet the groovy baking chick of this website. (I know I keep using exclamation points after all my sentences, but they have to be used for you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Blessings in your joyful baking! (PS: My husband blames his weight gain on your website. as he says it with a grin!)

    Reply

  15. Terri

    Hi Joy,

    That video was totes adorable! Can’t wait to see more collaborations in the future!

    xoxo
    T

    PS
    I love listening to you and Tracey on the podcast, you two make my Bay Area commute so much more enjoyable :)

    Reply

  19. hallie

    Joy, I just made this pie, and while it smells good from the oven, it looks nothing like yours. My problem is rolling out the dough. It never makes a circle and I always feel like I have too little and have to patch in a million places. Meanwhile I’m panicking and the butter is warming up and it’s pretty much a disaster. Help me please!
    ps: Your blog is the best.

    Reply

  25. Ariana

    So cool! I’ve never baked a pie from scratch ok adding to the bucket list. Love your outfit and shoes are those available at Nordstrom?

    Reply

  26. Jen

    love, love, love the info-commercial product endorsement pie-baking video! What a great combination of seemingly random things!

    Reply

  29. Gwyn

    My goodness, does this look amazing! And now I totally know what to do with all the Oregon cherries on sale at the grocery store….

    Also, for the record, I’m so over everyone being over summer. It’s only August! Let’s keep this party going as long as possible ;).

    Reply

  39. Marie

    Oh dear !! this pie looks so delicious and I am so frustrated because I cannot get ANY cherries where I live ! Also I love jean shorts, even when they’re very short shorts.. ah ! Oh and these shoes of yours : per-fect !
    Thanks for the recipe anyway I’ll keep it in mind until I find some cherries (next year most likely…)

    Reply

  41. sandra

    My husband made a fabulous cherry-apricot pie – his signature pie – twice this season already! Yum! I will miss cherries once fall hits us, huge scarves or not.

    Reply

  44. Alice

    Joy it’s all I can do to restrain myself jumping on a plane and flying for 12 hours to get my hands on some cherries to make (and eat) this right now. Here in Australia it’s winter so I’m doing my best with what I’ve got. But it’s hard to compete with summer fruit.

    Reply

  46. stacy

    Would someone kindly let me know how to turn off getting every single comment as a separate email?!! I love reading them, I do, but yikes they are clogging up my inbox…glad you are so popular Joy The Baker!

    Reply

  49. Leanne T

    I am now in heaven! Cherry Pie is hands down my favorite pie! I can’t wait to try this recipe, Thanks for sharing.

    Reply

  50. Emily

    Cherry pie is my all time favorite dessert, I had it every year on my birthday as a child! I think there is a typo on the recipe though it says preheat oven to 4000F and that seems a little hot : )

    Reply

  54. Beth

    Are you KIDDING ME?! This video is ridiculously cute! You’re ridiculously cute! I do have nightmares of pie and nail polish now however. After baking for many years and having a girl lose a fake nail in a huge batch of pie dough while filling out customer’s Thanksgiving pie orders, yup that happened and so did many gin’s after that day!

    Reply

  63. Sandee Pacific

    Pie looks sooo good! Loved the video Joy you’re a natural. We still have a few more weeks of summer, although I popped into my neighborhood Pier One out here in California and it was exploding with Fall! I love Fall, cute clothes….(no jean shorts)

    Reply

    • Rachel

      oh,, and thanks for the awesome pie crust recipe with pictures to boot! i ALSO love a good how to guide, (along with Jean shorts.) Cut offs are our friends, all those fringes tickling your legs….how can you berate the jean short? but enough about that….i have made my preference clear.

      Reply

  66. TerriSue

    I have never seen a cherry pie made with sweet cherries. Since they are so much more plentiful than sour cherries I can’t wait to give this one a try..

    Reply

  67. Becca from Cookie Jar Treats

    That video was just way too adorable! And you, too, are super adorable! I don’t really like cherries, but you make me want to eat this pie. :D

    Reply

  70. Laura (Blogging Over Thyme)

    And THIS is why I need to finally get a cherry pitter. I’ve been dying to make cherry pie all summer (especially when I saw sour cherries at the farmer’s market), and alas, I didn’t have a pitter.

    Your crust is one of the prettiest darn pie crusts I’ve ever seen. Faceplant!

    Reply

  75. Andj

    Cherry pie is one of my favorites. I don’t have a cherry pitter I use a chopstick (or a straw). Just take out the stem, and push the chopstick through the dent where the stem was and the pit just shoots out. A cherry pitter is probably faster, but I hate buying kitchen gadgets (ok i love buying them but i try not to!).

    Reply

  79. stacy

    Looks marvelous…wish you had discussed some cherry pitting techniques, and whether you think buying a cherry pitter is advisable, and if so, what type. thx

    Reply

    • joythebaker

      i used a simple cherry pitter, i’ll put a link above. i mostly just wear an apron, use the biggest bowl i have, put a cherry in the pitter, close my eyes, and squeeze.

      Reply

  80. Meg H

    Dark and Stormy! one of my favorite drinks – love the ginger beer spicy-ness! I’m not ready for summer to be over so I am embracing peach pies right now. Pie is a good way to keep summer going.

    Reply

  81. Juliet

    this video is happy-making, smile-inducing and warming on a cold winter’s day in cape town, south africa!! embrace summer while you still can. i can’t wait for cherry season here :)

    Reply

    • NZaround

      A good (fast and easy) alternative to a cherry pitter is to put one thumb on either side of the stem and split along the natural seam of the cherry. The pit is then easily removed by your thumb. Problem solved and you’ll have rustic looking cherries for pies or jam or anything else you want dark red stained and cherry delicious.

      Reply

  85. Sues

    I’m not ready for summer to be over yet… It’s still the beginning of August! And my fridge is packed with cherries right now. I love the idea of creating beauty-inspired recipes :)

    Reply

  86. bakerkat

    Summer is going by way to quickly. This pie looks like a great way to embrace it. I love cherry pie. I hope your new cookbook is going well. I remember you said there would be a pie chapter. I’m so glad.

    Reply

  94. i am not a celebrity

    I am exactly the same! Not only am I holding onto summer, but I’ve been cooking with cherries too.

    I made a spicy jam and a tiramisu with marsala stewed cherries that I’ll be posting this week.

    So glad I’ve a kindred spirit!

    Kate

    PS. Scarves are awesome. The bigger the better!

    Reply

  98. Robyn

    Looks amazing! Well done!!
    I agree, I am just not ready for the summer to end- but youth is, schools here go back tomorrow and soon I’ll be flying back to Kuwait for work. Summer is ending….

    Reply

  101. Michelle

    Hi joy I love the video. And I love all your posts!!
    Is your book available for sale in singapore? I can’t find it in our bookstores.

    Long time fan here. And I will make this pie soon!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  12. […] really excel at, so pie making is right up my alley. If you want to make your very own cherry pie, check out my friend Joy’s recipe (we really aren’t friends, but I am borderline stalking her because I read her blog all the […]

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