Sugar Laced Cherry Pie

I love the classics!  "Gone With the Wind", "It's A Wonderful Life", "The Sound of Music", Audrey Hepburn, Louis Armstrong, Dean Martin ---- buttermilk fried chicken, turkey and dressing, sweet potato cassarole, and of course cherry pie. Classics are all-time favorites that are enjoyed even more as the years go by.  They are passed down from generation to generation and  loved even more.  Cherry pie has to be one of those things.  Made from scratch, cherry pie (well, semi-homemade, if we're talkin' crust) to me is definitely a feel-good dessert that will "take you back" to a more simple era.  The taste of the sweet filling in a sugary crust will leave you feeling like your sitting at your Grandmother's kitchen table all over again.

This is a very simple recipe for cherry pie.  I used frozen sweet pitted cherries, but I've heard that the sour ones are good too!  If using frozen cherries, be sure to let them sit in the bowl with sugar and cornstarch long enough to defrost a bit before pouring them onto the crust and into the oven.

I used refrigerated pie crust for this recipe, like I always do.  (I've decided I'm not going to attempt the homemade stuff until I get a food processer.)  You don't have to make it a lattice crust on top, but I really like the old fashioned look of it on such a traditional pie. The crimson color of the berries look so pretty after it's baked and oozing out from the crust!  Yummy!!

To make the crust look extra golden, I always do a milk or egg wash and then generously sprinkle sugar on the top. (You can read more about an egg wash in Nana's loved Apple Pie recipe.)  This pie is irresistible!  We had some delicious sugary cherry juice in the pan once cut, so we spooned it over vanilla ice cream!  It was over the top good! I really do hope that you try this super simple sugar laced cherry pie.

Cherry Pie

1 1/4 c. granulated sugar
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
5 1/2 cups (about 2 bags) fresh or frozen pitted cherries
2 roll out refrigerator pie crusts


In a large bowl, stir together the sugar and cornstarch.  Add cherries.  Gently toss until coated well.  Let mixture stand for about 15 minutes, or until a syrup forms, stirring ocassionally.  (If using frozen cherries, let stand for about 45 minutes. Until cherries are partially thawed but still icy.)

Meanwhile roll our your bottom pie crust and lay it out in the pan. Stir the cherry mixture and tranfer to the pasty-lined pie plate.  If you are going to make a lattice top, do so now.  If not, put your top crust on and make a few slits in it  to allow the steam from the cherry mixture to release.  Seal and crimp the edges of the pie.  If desired, put on your milk or egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake pie on the rack about a sheet pan in case of spillage.  To prevent over browning, cover edges of pie with foil.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes (or 50 min. if using frozen berries).  Remove foil and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes until center is bubbly and pastry is golden.  Cool for at least 2 hours for it to set well.  Enjoy!