One of my favorite flavor combinations is cherry and almond, and this pie truly shines because of it. The best flavor and color comes from using two different kinds of cherries in the filling, Rainier and Bing, though you can use just one if that’s all you have on hand. This summer cherry pie with almond extract recipe is sure to become a favorite in your household.
Ingredients for Homemade Cherry Pie with Almond Extract
This almond-flavored cherry pie is made with a handful of ingredients, many of which you likely already have:
- Pie crust (use my all butter vanilla pie crust recipe for an extra kick of vanilla)
- Cherries (a mix of Rainier and Bing cherries works beautifully)
- Sugar
- Cornstarch
- Lemon juice
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract
- Egg
- Coarse sugar
Quick Tips for Prepping Cherry Pie with Almond Extract
If you’ve never made a pie before, please read the tips I have in this section. They will ensure your ultimate success!
How to Roll Out Pie Crust
In addition to lightly dusting the dough with flour, there are two key tricks to rolling out pie crust.
Rolling Direction
The first trick is to always move the rolling pin in one direction: outwards from the center. That rolls out the thickest section of the dough to the thinnest. It also helps the dough to stay in a circular shape, which will be helpful when you’re placing it in the pie pan later.
If you’re in the market for a new rolling pin, I use a French-style rolling pin similar to this one.
Frequent Rotation
The second trick is to rotate the dough a quarter turn after every roll. This ensures that you can stay on top of (or rather, under) any dough sticking to the counter or workspace. It’s much easier to stop and correct a little stickiness with a light sprinkle of flour than it is to peel off a dough round that’s fully stuck to the counter without tearing or cracking it.
You may notice sections that stick to the rolling pin on top of the dough. If that happens, dip your fingertips in flour and lightly pat the sticky section. The flour from your fingers will transfer to the dough and prevent the rolling pin from sticking it it on its next pass.
If the dough tears in the middle or is severely misshapen (hey, it happens!), I recommend rerolling it. A note, though: Your pie crust will be its flakiest if you can roll out the crust on your first try. The more times you roll out the dough and reroll it, the smaller the pieces of butter inside the dough will be, resulting in smaller and fewer flaky pockets. I’ve successfully made flaky crusts after needing to reroll my dough, but any more than once starts to get complicated.
Still want more information? You can read more about how to perfect your pie dough on my all butter vanilla pie crust recipe.
How to Make a Lattice Pie
A beautifully latticed pie looks impressive, and it’s easy to learn how to do!
Roll out a disc of pie dough to somewhere between 10 and 11 inches. It’ll be a bit thicker than your bottom crust, which is what we want. Then, cut the dough into vertical 1″ strips.
When assembling the lattice, I like to keep in mind the diameter of the area of pie and the length of the strips. That way, I never have to redo a lattice because I used up all the long strips when short ones would have sufficed.
Reserve the two longest strips of dough for the center and the two shortest strips of dough for the outer edges. Place one of the two longest strips in the direct center of the pie, then place slightly shorter strips on either side of it.
Next, you’ll start weaving the pieces together. Gently fold (without creasing) the two newest strips of dough back a little more than halfway, then place the longest strip of dough perpendicularly over the long strip in the center. It should make a cross. Fold the two strips of dough back over the new strip to form your first weave.
Continue this process one strip of dough at a time, weaving the strips under or over as needed.
Enjoy the gif of the process below!
Can I Use Frozen Cherries for This Cherry Pie with Almond Extract?
Yes, this pie can be made with fresh or frozen cherries! If the cherries haven’t completely thawed by the time you put the pie in the oven, you may need to add a couple of minutes to the cook time. I recommend shielding the edge of your crust with aluminum foil to prevent it from browning with the extra time in the oven.
When Should I Add the Extract?
Alcohol evaporates quickly compared to water, and the evaporation process is sped up with high temperatures. For the strongest almond flavor, I recommend adding the extracts after reducing the leftover cherry liquid and before you add that liquid to the pie shell.
Can I Omit the Egg Wash and Sugar on Top of the Pie?
You absolutely can omit the egg wash and sugar on top. Your pie won’t turn out as golden brown or have delicious crystallized sugar baked into the crust, but those aren’t necessary for a good pie.
Dish Cleanup: Gonna Take a While
I rate my recipe cleanups on a scale of 1 to 5. 1 is only a handful of dishes, and 5 is everything including the kitchen sink.
My cherry pie with almond extract recipe has a cleanup rating of a 4. The addition of the sauce pan and cutting board with everything else is a little much for a dessert recipe, but this pie is 100% worth it. And that’s coming from someone who isn’t a huge fan of pie (though her husband is) and really doesn’t like doing dishes.
Cherry Pie with Almond Extract
The traditional cherry pie is made even more delicious with a vanilla pie crust and a hint of almond extract in the filling. It's the perfect summer dessert made with fresh or frozen cherries.
Ingredients
- 2 pie crusts (my pie crust recipe uses vanilla!)
- 4 ½ cups cherries (680g) (I used 2/3 Rainier and 1/3 Bing)
- ⅔ cup sugar (135g)
- ⅓ cup cornstarch (50g)
- ½ teaspoon salt (6g)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- Coarse sugar (optional but recommended)
Instructions
Preparing the Pie
- Wash and dry the cherries, if using fresh. Then, pit them and cut them in half or in quarters (or a 50/50 mix for best results) and put them in a large bowl.
- Add the sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice to the cherries and mix well. The sugar will draw out excess liquid from the cherries, so just let it be while you roll out the pie crust.* Leave out the extracts for now; you'll add them in step 5.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled disc of dough. To ensure it doesn't stick to the counter, rotate the dough one quarter turn after every roll. Roll only in one direction, from the center of the dough out, to help it keep its rounded shape. (Don't roll it from the outside in!) Once the dough is about 12 inches in diameter, gently lift it into a 9" pie dish. Gently press out any air bubbles by running the back of your hand along the bottom and sides of the dish. Check especially along the bottom rim, as air bubbles tend to sneakily gather there! If you feel an air bubble, lift the crust edge closest to the air bubble and reposition the crust so that you are left with no air bubbles. Those air bubbles can stretch and ultimately rip between the time you roll out the dough and put the pie in the oven.
- Use a slotted spoon to scoop the cherries into the prepared crust, then place in the fridge, uncovered. Reserve the leftover liquid from the cherries.
- Pour the liquid into a small saucepan and reduce it over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes until it begins to boil on the edges. Cook for one more minute, then remove from heat. Add in the extracts.
- Remove the pie from the fridge and drizzle the reduction over the cherries, then place back in the fridge while you roll out the second disc of dough.
Getting Ready to Bake
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C.
- Roll out the second disc of dough like the first, just to about 10-11 inches in diameter. This crust will be slightly thicker than the bottom crust. To make the lattice, use a pastry cutter or knife to cut 1-inch strips vertically in the dough and remove the pie from the fridge.
- Reserve the two longest strips of dough for the center and the two shortest strips of dough for the outer edges. Place one of the two longest strips in the direct center of the pie, then place slightly shorter strips on either side of it. Next, you'll start weaving the pieces together. Gently fold (without creasing) the two newest strips of dough back a little more than halfway, then place the longest strip of dough perpendicularly over the long strip in the center. It should make a cross. Fold the two strips of dough back over the new strip to form your first weave.
- Continue this process one strip of dough at a time, weaving the strips under or over as needed. Take the second longest strip and place it in the center, perpendicular to the first strip. Working from the longest to the shortest strips, add one more strip at a time, weaving it under another strip when necessary (see the dedicated section and photos in the body of the blog post for more in-depth instruction). Press the edges of the top pie crust into the bottom one and flute the edges.
- Whisk together the egg and one teaspoon of water and brush lightly across all visible pie crust. Don't forget the undersides of the edges! If you have coarse sugar, sprinkle it on top for an extra crunch.
- Bake the pie at for 15 minutes at 400°F/200°C, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F/190°C. (No opening of the oven door required!) Bake for another 40-45 minutes until the filling is bubbly and venting steam through the lattice. If the pie crust begins to brown too much in the first half hour of bake time, cover the edges with aluminum foil or a pie crust shield.
- Place the pie on a cooling rack and let sit for 3-4 hours, until the bottom of the pie pan is room temperature or just slightly warm. That will allow the filling to fully set. Use a serrated knife to keep the latticework in tact while cutting up slices to serve.
Notes
*If you'd like to make this pie partially in advance, you can cover and refrigerate the cherry mixture for up to two days.
Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to three days at room temperature. The pie will last for up to five days when stored covered in the fridge.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 347Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 190mgCarbohydrates: 57gFiber: 3gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g
The nutrition facts are estimated and may vary based on specific ingredients used.
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Thanks for trying out my cherry pie with almond extract recipe! I’d love to see how it turns out: Take a photo and tag me on Instagram @floralapronblog to share with me, or use the hashtag #floralapronbakes.
Other Recipes You May Enjoy
Still craving cherry almond flavors? Try my cherry almond cupcakes, made with canned and fresh cherries and topped with a swirl of cherry- and almond-flavored buttercreams (yes, plural!).
If you want this pie in ice cream form, look no further! My cherry pie ice cream recipe is coming up next week and hits that hot summer sweet spot.