Our gluten-free tart cherry pie recipe is made with frozen tart cherries and delicious flavors from almond extract, amaretto and some good old sugar & butter. Tart cherries are packed with antioxidants and also brighter in color, giving this tart cherry pie a gorgeous, bright red look. All of this goodness is tucked into a golden brown buttery flaky crust. I promise you It’s well worth the effort. Every bite of this sweet indulgence will have your friends raving over it.
Classic Cherry Pie Recipe
Makes one 9-inch pie
Ingredients
- 2 The Perfect Pie Crust Recipe
- 5 c. pitted tart cherries
- 1 c. granulated sugar
- ¼ c. cornstarch or potato starch
- 1-2 Tbsp. lemon juice
- 1 tsp. GF vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. almond extract
- 1 Tbsp. butter of choice
- 1 Tbsp. amaretto (optional)
- egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tbsp (water or milk)
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling on crust
Directions
- Make 2 crusts from The Perfect Pie Crust Recipe
- Roll out half of the dough for the bottom crust and place into the pie plate.
- In a large pot, add frozen tart cherries, sugar, starch, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract over medium heat. After 5 minutes or so, the cherries will thaw, begin to break down and the sugar will melt. Stir frequently during this time.
- Add in butter and amaretto and continue to stir. After another 5-10 or so minutes, the mixture will begin to thicken and start to bubble along the edges. Once the filling begins to stick slightly to the back of your spoon, remove it from the heat and set aside to cool off.
- Pour cooled cherry filling into the pie shell.
- Roll out remaining pie dough until it's larger than the pie plate. Cut into 1-inch stripes and weave them together on top of the pie plate. (if dough breaks, piece together, It will look like a masterpiece when baked : )
- Use water to moisten the two layer of crust and seal both crusts together with a fork. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.
- Place pie on a large baking sheet. Bake, rotating after 30 minutes. Continue baking until crust is golden brown and any juices that escape are thick; about 45 - 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven and cool. Serve at room temperature.
- Eat. Enjoy. Smile. Then smile again.
Make-ahead Tip/Freezing: This a great pie to make 1 day in advance -- after it cools, cover tightly and keep at room temperature. The pie crust dough can also be prepared ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Baked and cooled pie freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature before serving.