This delicious cherry pie with a buttery crumb topping works beautifully with fresh sweet summer cherries or with frozen cherries, so you can enjoy it anytime during the year.
Baked in a flaky pie crust and finished with brown sugar crumbs that are tender and crisp at the same time, this may just be my favorite fruit pie.
Is there anything that signals the arrival of summer more than ripe sweet cherries at the market?
Every year I get a little overexcited and buy a bag (or six) too early. When cherries are early they can be dry and under-ripe — not much flavor — yet we eat them anyway because we crave that taste of summer.
Soon enough, though, I bring home a bag of cherries that are bursting with flavor and we know summer has arrived. From that moment until early fall, there are almost always cherries in our fridge — they’re our favorite summer snack.
Alongside cherry sauce spooned over ice cream and other berry desserts, this cherry pie with sweet cherries and a crunchy, buttery crumb topping is one of our go-to summer desserts.
You can make this pie any time of year because frozen cherries work just as well as fresh ones.
That makes this pie a reliable choice for holidays and gatherings—its deep color and bright flavor already feel festive.
This pie is amazing!! I actually used frozen sweet cherries and it worked great. This pie was a total crowd pleaser. The crumb topping was delicious and the crust was perfectly fantastic. I would definitely make this pie again and I’m not a pie making kind of baker! Thank you for the recipe! — Kelly
Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe
For the Crumb topping:
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams / 3 ounces) salted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups (195 grams) cake flour (see substitution if needed)
- ½ cup (106 grams) brown sugar, light or dark
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon table salt (¾ teaspoon kosher salt)
If you can’t find cake flour: Measure 1 ½ cups (225 g) all-purpose flour, remove 3 tablespoons (25 g) and replace with 3 tablespoons (23 g) cornstarch. Mix thoroughly.
For the Cherry Filling:
- 3 pounds (about 6 heaping cups) sweet cherries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (40 grams) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon table salt or ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Why use sweet cherries instead of sour cherries?
Many traditional cherry pies use sour cherries or a mix of sweet and sour. Sour cherries and dried cherries make a delicious pie, but they’re often harder to find and can be expensive.
Sweet cherries — like Bing and Rainier — are widely available at supermarkets and farmers markets all summer and tend to be more affordable. That makes them an excellent, practical choice for this crumb-topped pie.
Bing cherries are dark red and commonly found; Rainier cherries are bi-colored (red and gold) and offer a slightly different flavor. Either works here, though I typically reach for Bing cherries.
How to pit fresh cherries
The bottom line: Use a cherry pitter if you can.
You can remove pits by hand, but a cherry pitter speeds the work and reduces mess. Even with a pitter, pitting 3 pounds of cherries takes time and can be messy, so work over a deep bowl to catch splatters.
Wear an apron and consider disposable gloves to avoid stained hands — cherry juice can leave a lasting tint!
Tips for making cherry pie in advance
You can make this pie in an afternoon if you plan efficiently. From chilling dough to baking, expect roughly 4½ hours total. The good news: each component can be prepared ahead.
- Pie crust dough: A basic pie dough can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept tightly wrapped in the refrigerator.
- Partially baked crust: You can partially pre-bake the crust up to 2 days in advance. Keep it covered at room temperature until ready to fill.
- Cherry filling: Cook the filling, cool it completely, and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Crumb topping: The crumb topping is partially baked before it’s added to the pie. Make it up to 3 days ahead and keep it in an airtight container at room temperature.
How to keep the edges of the pie crust from burning
This pie bakes for about 1 hour and 10 minutes to ensure the bottom crust is flaky, the filling is set, and the crumb topping becomes crisp. Without protection, the crust edges will burn during that time.
A quick, simple method is to fold two long pieces of aluminum foil in an X on a baking sheet, set the pie in the center, and fold the foil up and over the crust edges. This both protects the crust and catches any filling drips.
Steps:
- Tear off two pieces of foil about 24 inches long each.
- Place them on a baking sheet in an X formation.
- Set the pie in the center and fold the foil up and over the crust edges, loosely covering them.
Frequently asked questions about cherry pie
For Bing cherries, the darker the red the riper they are. Rainier cherries should show both red and yellow tones; cherries that are all yellow aren’t ripe yet. Look for bright, robust color rather than dull skin.
The pie is best the day it’s made, though it remains tasty the next day. By day three the crust and crumb topping will begin to soften. Store loosely covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator; if your home is warm, refrigerate.
Yes — sour cherries work well. If you use sour cherries, omit the lemon juice and add an extra 2 tablespoons of sugar to balance the tartness.
More recipes for cherry lovers
-
Cherry Cobbler with Chewy Cookie Topping {Fresh or Frozen Cherries}
-
Cherry Cake with Cherry Frosting
-
Cherry Sauce Made with Sweet Cherries
-
Cherry Crumble Bars with a Shortbread Crust
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate the recipe and leave a comment.
Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
Sweet Cherry Crumb Pie Recipe
One 9-inch pie
1 hour 30 minutes
1 hour 55 minutes
3 hours 25 minutes
Want a cookie version of this cherry pie? Try cherry shortbread crumble bars or another handheld cherry dessert.
Ingredients
You’ll need the dough for one single pie crust. Choose your preferred crust recipe.
- Foolproof Pie Crust (or your preferred single-crust recipe)
- Toasted Almond Pie Crust (optional alternative)
For the Crumb topping:
- 6 tablespoons (85 grams / 3 ounces) salted butter, melted
- 1 ½ cups (195 grams) cake flour (*see note for substitution)
- ½ cup (106 grams) brown sugar, light or dark
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon table salt (¾ teaspoon kosher salt)
For the Cherry Filling:
- 3 pounds (about 6 heaping cups) sweet cherries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (40 grams) cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon table salt or ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Recommended Products
Recommended baking tools and equipment can make prep easier.
-
Pyrex Easy Grab Glass 9.5 Inch Pie Plate (2-Pack)
-
Totally Bamboo Rolling Pin
-
OXO Good Grips Cherry and Olive Pitter
Instructions
Partially Pre-Bake Pie Crust:
- Chill pie crust dough at least 30 minutes before rolling.
- Roll out the chilled dough and partially pre-bake the crust according to your chosen crust recipe’s instructions.
Make the Crumb Topping:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°C) and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment.
- Whisk together cake flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and salt.
- Drizzle melted butter over the dry mix and rub it in with your hands until moistened and crumbly.
- Spread the crumbs on the baking sheet, pressing some together to form larger pieces.
- Bake for 18 minutes, then remove and cool. The crumbs can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored airtight at room temperature.
Make the Cherry Pie Filling:
- If using fresh cherries, remove stems and pits. Using a cherry pitter speeds the job.
- Combine pitted cherries, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
- Cook, stirring frequently, until juices simmer and thicken to a heavy cream consistency. Frozen cherries may take longer.
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Cool completely before using; filling keeps up to 3 days refrigerated.
Assemble and Bake the Cherry Pie:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Tear off two foil pieces about 24 inches long and place them on a baking sheet in an X formation.
- Spoon the cooled cherry filling into the partially baked pie crust and smooth into an even layer.
- Scatter the cooled crumb topping evenly over the filling.
- Place the pie on the foil-lined baking sheet and fold the foil up and over the crust edges to loosely cover them.
- Bake the pie for about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Remove and cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
Cake flour substitution: For 1 ½ cups cake flour, measure 1 ½ cups (225 g) all-purpose flour, remove 3 tablespoons (25 g) and replace with 3 tablespoons (23 g) cornstarch. Mix well.
Make-ahead tips: Pie dough can be made up to 5 days ahead and refrigerated. Partially baked crusts can be prepared up to 2 days ahead. Cherry filling and crumb topping can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored airtight.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1 slice
Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 635Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 571mgCarbohydrates: 107gFiber: 5gSugar: 53gProtein: 6g
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