Martha's Sour Cherry Pie Recipe (With Video)

Servings:

8

Yield:

1 9-inch pie

Martha's sour cherry pie is a classic and a dessert you should have on your radar. The foundation of this recipe is—like so many of our other pies—pâte brisée, which is the French version of classic pastry dough. Made with all-purpose flour, sugar, butter cut into uniform chunks (make sure it's cold, says Martha!), kosher salt, and ice water, the dough is pulsed in a food processor before it's shaped and chilled.

And the filling? The secret to the delicious sweet-tart mixture is cornstarch: It helps thicken the fruit's baking juices. After you make the filling and assemble your pie, crimp the edges, punch out your holes, and brush on an egg wash. Why make circular cut-outs in the top crust? For looks, of course, and so you can watch the filling bubble in the oven. Martha gives the pie a quick stint in the freezer to firm it up before transferring to the oven. Once it's baked and cooled, you'll want to slice, share, and devour this delicious early summer dessert.

What's the Difference Between Sour and Sweet Cherries?

Sour cherries, also known as tart cherries, are smaller than the more widely available sweet cherries. They're also more acidic and have less sugar. Sour cherries are too tart to eat raw, but during baking, the acidity will balance the sugars as they intensify in the oven, making them delicious in pies, cakes, tarts, and other recipes where they are mixed with sugar.

The season for sour cherries is short, so catch them while you can. They are in season in June and early July.

The Best Way to Store Cherries

Store cherries in a bowl, uncovered, in the refrigerator. You can also keep them in an open bag or uncovered container in the crisper drawer. When stored this way, cherries will stay fresh for about a week.

Martha's Sour Cherry Pie — Kelsey Hansen

Directions

Preheat the oven and make the filling:

Kelsey Hansen

Preheat oven to 375°F. Toss together the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla in a bowl.

Add a splash of lemon juice to brighten up the filling.
Roll out bottom crust:

Roll out 1 disk pâte brisée to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.

Kelsey Hansen
Fit into pie plate:

Fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate.
Add filling:

Pour in filling; dot with butter. Refrigerate while making top crust.

Kelsey Hansen
Roll out the top crust and cut holes:

Roll remaining disk pate brisee to a 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut out 4 to 5 holes using a 3/4-inch round cookie cutter or pastry tip.

Kelsey Hansen
Add top crust to pie:

Place on top of chilled pie.

Kelsey Hansen
Trim and seal edges:

Trim bottom and top crusts to a 1-inch overhang using kitchen shears and press together to seal around edges.

Kelsey Hansen
Fold edges and crimp:

Fold edges under; crimp as desired.

Kelsey Hansen
Brush with egg wash, and freeze:

Brush crust with egg wash. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Kelsey Hansen
Bake and serve:

Bake pie on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet set on the middle rack until pie is bubbling in center and crust is golden, 1 1/2 to 1 3/4 hours. Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool before serving.

Kelsey Hansen

What to Serve With Sour Cherry Pie

Cherry pie is delicious with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of homemade whipped cream. You can also sprinkle the pie with powdered sugar or top it with fresh cherries.

How to Store Sour Cherry Pie

Fruit pies, including this sour cherry version, can be stored at room temperature for up to two days. You can also keep it in the refrigerator for up to seven days. Be sure to cover the pie, regardless of the method you choose.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use sour cherries for pie?

Sour cherries are used for pie because cherries become sweeter as they cook. The acidity of sour cherries counteracts this sweetness, resulting in a more balanced flavor profile.
Can you substitute sweet cherries for sour cherries?

Yes, you could substitute sweet cherries for sour cherries in this pie recipe. If you want to do this, reduce the amount of sugar in the pie filling. This will prevent an overly sweet pie.
Can you freeze this sour cherry pie?

No, we do not recommend freezing this sour cherry pie. The cornstarch will make the filling weep as it thaws so the pie will not look as good and the filling will not be as delicious as when fresh baked.

5 More Cherry Pie Recipes to Try

Updated by

Kirsten Nunez

Martha's Sour Cherry Pie

What's the Difference Between Sour and Sweet Cherries?

Directions

Preheat the oven and make the filling:

Roll out bottom crust:

Fit into pie plate:

Add filling:

Roll out the top crust and cut holes:

Add top crust to pie:

Trim and seal edges:

Fold edges and crimp:

Brush with egg wash, and freeze:

Bake and serve:

What to Serve With Sour Cherry Pie

How to Store Sour Cherry Pie

Frequently Asked Questions

5 More Cherry Pie Recipes to Try

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