My mom absolutely LOVES cherry pie, as does Tony’s family, so 2-3 years ago I decided to make a tart cherry pie with a dutch topping crumble. Since then, I’ve spent the past few years tweaking the cherry pie recipe until I found that it was absolutely perfect.
So here it is in all its glory: from the butter pie crust, to the perfect cherry pie filling and dutch topping, this truly is the BEST cherry pie you’ll ever eat! PROMISE.
I hope you’ll give it a try and let me know how you like it. It’s well worth the effort.
What’s the difference between regular tart cherry pie and dutch tart cherry pie?
Regular tart cherry pies are made with a lattice or regular crust on top, while dutch tart cherry pie is traditionally made with a streusel topping made up of butter, flour, brown sugar and sometimes, nuts or oats. The dutch crumb topping bakes up golden brown and is slightly sweeter than a regular crust top. Both are delicious but I love the way the dutch topping is almost like a tart cherry crumble!
What kind of cherries are good for pies?
Cherries come in two broad categories: sweet cherries and “sour” or tart cherries.
Sweet cherries are the ones you’ll find fresh in the produce section of the grocery store, whereas tart cherries are more likely found canned or frozen.
In this cherry pie recipe, we’re using frozen tart cherries to give the pie a wonderful flavor that balances with the sweet crumb topping. Tart cherries are packed with antioxidants and also brighter in color, giving this tart cherry pie a gorgeous, bright red look.
Ingredients in tart cherry pie
This wonderful tart cherry pie recipe is made with frozen tart cherries and delicious flavors from almond extract, amaretto and some good old sugar & butter. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
- Homemade pie crust: we’re using my homemade butter pie crust in this recipe to make it extra special. You can also use store bought crust or your favorite pie crust!
- Frozen tart cherries: our filling is made of lots of gorgeous tart cherries. No need to thaw them before using, as you’ll cook them on the stovetop with the other ingredients.
- Organic cane sugar: give the filling the perfect amount of sweetness with some organic cane sugar. You can also use regular, granulated sugar.
- Cornstarch & flour: to thicken the tart cherry pie filling you’ll need to add a bit of cornstarch and regular flour.
- Almond extract & amaretto: I love adding both almond extract and a bit of amaretto to give the filling and amazing, cozy flavor.
- Butter: you’ll also need a bit of butter in the filling to deepen the flavors.
- For the crumb topping: you’ll need all-purpose flour, brown sugar, rolled oats and butter to make that delicious dutch crumb topping.
How to make homemade tart cherry pie from scratch
- Make your crust. Roll out your dough, place in the pie pan, shape your crust as desired and then cover with plastic wrap and place in the fridge until you are ready to add your tart cherry pie filling.
- Make your tart cherry pie filling. Add frozen tart cherries, sugar, cornstarch, flour and almond extract to a large pot and place 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.
- Make the dutch crumble topping: in a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar and oats. Add in the melted butter and stir together with a fork until it begins to form into crumbles and resembles clumpy wet sand. You may need to use your hands/fingers to form into nice crumbles. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 5 minutes or until ready to use.
- Add pie filling to pie crust, top with dutch topping and bake! I recommend baking your tart cherry pie on a baking sheet just in case the filling bubbles over. The pie is done when the filling is bubbly and the topping is slightly golden brown.
- Allow tart cherry pie to cool for at least 4-6 hours, but preferably overnight. This is necessary to help the filling set. If you cut into it earlier, it’s likely to not be ready and the filling may not hold up as well. The longer the pie rests, the easier it is to serve! See below for making it ahead of time.
Make this tart cherry pie ahead of time
If you’re prepping this for the holidays or a special occasion, feel free to bake this pie 2-3 days ahead of time. It will hold up well at room temperature, then after a few days should be transferred to the fridge for optimal freshness.
Can you make tart cherry pie filling ahead of time?
Yes! Simply cook your tart cherry pie filling on the stovetop, cool it to room temperature and then place it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
How do you store tart cherry pie?
After baking and cooling completely, you can keep the tart cherry pie covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, then it’s best to transfer to the fridge and store for up to 3 extra days.
How to freeze cherry pie
You can freeze tart cherry pie after baking by wrapping the pie tightly with aluminum foil and placing it in a heavy freezer bag. Pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once ready to eat, defrost the pie in the fridge and then reheat at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until warm.
More Thanksgiving desserts you’ll love
Check out all of my Thanksgiving recipes here, plus more amazing desserts:
Tony’s Very Favorite Dutch Apple Pie
Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Mini Paleo Pumpkin Pies with Gingerbread Cookie Crust
Healthy Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Salted Maple Frosting
And remember, get all of my tips for hosting Thanksgiving here!
I hope you love this homemade tart cherry pie! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!
The Best Tart Cherry Pie You'll Ever Eat
Gorgeous tart cherry pie with a wonderful, golden crumb topping. This homemade dutch tart cherry pie has a perfectly sweet filling with hints of amaretto and is absolutely delicious served with a scoop of ice cream. This will be your new favorite cherry pie recipe!
Ingredients
- For the crust:
- 1 recipe for butter pie crust (or use store bought crust or your favorite pie crust)
- For the filling:
- 6 cups frozen tart cherries (about 24 oz tart cherries)
- 1 cup organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon amaretto
- For the topping:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
Make the pie dough and shape the crust in a pie pan ahead of time, then store covered in the fridge. You can follow my recipe for an all butter flaky pie crust, use your favorite recipe, or a store-bought crust.
- To make the tart cherry pie filling: add frozen tart cherries, sugar, cornstarch, flour and almond extract to a large pot and place 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.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
While your oven preheats, make the dutch crumble topping: in a medium bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar and oats. Add in the melted butter and stir together with a fork until it begins to form into crumbles and resembles clumpy wet sand. You may need to use your hands/fingers to form into nice crumbles. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 5 minutes or until ready to use.
- Remove pie pan with pie crust from the refrigerator and place pie pan onto a large baking sheet. I do this to avoid any spillage that may happen as the pie filling bubbles and bakes. Pour cooled tart cherry pie filling into the crust, then top filling with the dutch crumble topping.
- Bake for 1 hour-1 hour 15 minutes or until the filling is very bubbly and the crumble is slightly golden brown. Check pie after 30 minutes to make sure the crust isn’t burning. If it is getting too golden brown, simply cover pie edges with foil or pie shield.
Allow pie to cool on a wire rack until completely cooled before cutting into it (this is annoying, but if you cut into it before then the pie filling won't be set). The longer the pie rests, the easier it is to serve! Can be made a few days ahead of time. Pie is best served at room temp or just slightly warm. Serves 9. Great with vanilla bean ice cream. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Feel free to make this pie with a store-bought crust instead of homemade. It will still be delicious.
To store: after baking, you can keep the tart cherry pie covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, then it’s best to transfer to the fridge and store for up to 3 extra days.
To freeze: you can freeze tart cherry pie after baking by wrapping the pie tightly with aluminum foil and placing it in a heavy freezer bag. Pie can be frozen for up to 3 months. Once ready to eat, defrost the pie in the fridge and then reheat at 350 degrees F for 20-30 minutes or until warm.
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
52 comments
Yay! I had a recipe years ago for a cherry crumble pie that used tart cherries, but after searching for it this summer, I proclaimed it as lost. I’m so glad to have found this one!
So happy you found this one, too! Enjoy 🙂
Would this work as a tart cherry crisp? No bottom crust?
yes, absolutely!
Can I use canned tart cherries instead of frozen? SO excited to try this recipe!
Thank you 😊
I wouldn’t recommend, unless you drain them and then freeze them!
I am unable to find tart cherries in my area in the freezer section….I notice you suggest not using canned tart cherries unless you freeze them first. May i ask why they need to be frozen before using? Thank you in advance.
The recipe uses frozen and the ratios for the thickeners in the recipe factor that in. That’s why I do not recommend canned cherries. Of course, you could drain them and freeze and then use in the recipe if you’d like.
I’ve been dying to try your other tart cherry pie bars and now this but I haven’t been able to find frozen tart cherries anywhere. I’ve been looking in the fall months and in the Chicago area. I’ll start to check the canned section but does anybody have any tips on the best place to find them?
Can’t wait! Thanks!
I’ve heard that they’re a bit tricky to find! I usually get them in the frozen section at Whole Foods.
Finding the tart frozen cherries has been a challenge. Bought a 2 lb bag of frozen sweet-tart Cherry mix and picked out all sweet, to maximize the tart ratio for the 6 cups needed. But next time I will buy two bags and pick out all tart for the 6 cups needed!
My daughter Cheryl Made this for Thanksgiving, and now it is my new favorite pie recipe!
This pie came out PERFECTLY! I made it for Thanksgiving and was bummed about another dessert overcooking but this pie certainly made up for it. I made AK’s homemade crust too. It sat at room temp for about 24 hours, and while it was hard to resist, it cut perfectly. Tasted delish with vanilla ice cream. I used half granulated sugar and half erythritol. I will definitely be making this again!
This cherry pie looks very good. I will definitely do it. Thanks for sharing!
Hope you love it! 🙂
Hi,
Can you leave the Ameretto out?
Thank you ☺️
definitely!
This looks awesome– could you sub coconut oil or vegan butter to make it dairy free?
Vegan butter should work well!
Delicious! I can’t find tart cherries where I live, so I used dark sweet cherries, reduced the sugar to 3/4 cup, and added 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice which worked beautifully! A keeper for sure.
Perfect! So glad you enjoyed!
I made this pie for Thanksgiving tonight and it was an absolute hit!! Everyone agreed that it was in fact the best cherry pie they ever had! Thank you for another easy and delicious recipe!
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
I was craving a cherry pie and this was so perfect! Worth hunting in Whole Foods to find the frozen tart cherries – brought it to Thanksgiving and everyone loved it!
Amazing! Glad it was a hit 🙂
Best cherry pie I’ve ever had. Made it for my family’s Thanksgiving and it was a huge hit
I’m so glad!
This is, hands down, the best cherry pie I have ever made or tasted, It was really easy to make and will be on regular rotation in my house. I found the frozen tart cherries at Whole Foods. You need two bags. Thank you so much for this delicious recipe, Monique!
So glad you were able to find the cherries! Happy it was a hit 🙂
Amazing! I used sweet cherries as that was all I could find and reduced the sugar to 2/3 and it was perfect! Will definitely be a holiday staple for my family.
Perfect! So glad you loved it!
I made this for my dad and brother to enjoy and WOW they loved it. Even my mom and I went back for seconds and we aren’t big fruit pie lovers. Definitely saving this one!
So happy to hear that!
This truly was the best cherry pie I have EVER eaten! To be honest- one of the BEST pies I have ever eaten. I loved the tartness of the cherries, combined with the sweetness of the topping. The almond flavor also added the perfect touch! Will definitely be making again!
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
I can’t wait to make this pie again! I made this right before Thanksgiving and was blown away. I could only find sweet cherries, so I added 2 tablespoons lemon juice and reduced the sugar to 2/3 cup and the filling was divine. This was the first time I used amaretto too! Another home run
Perfect! So glad you love this one!
I wanted to love this. I spent a lot of time the month before Christmas collecting ingredients to make this, hunting far and wide for tart cherries specifically for this recipe, and shared the recipe with friends who also made it for Christmas. Sadly, this pie was a disappointment. The combination of the amaretto and almond extract gives the pie an “off” flavor, as does the oatmeal in the streusel. My adult daughter did enjoy it and my son gave it, in his words, “an 8 out of 10, and I’m being generous.” I have a tried and true cherry crumb pie recipe that I’ve used for years that I’ll go back to. Thanks for sharing, glad to have had a chance to try something different, but this didn’t work for me.
Sorry to hear that, Annie! I wish I could help troubleshoot as this recipe is loved by so many. This can be made without amaretto, but oatmeal is a very common ingredient in streusel toppings. I hope you find a new one you like!
I made this for Xmas and it’s SO good! I couldn’t find any frozen tart cherries for the life of me so I got frozen dark sweet cherries. I saw another comment about only adding 3/4 cup sugar and then I added 3 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice. It may not have the same desired tart cherries affect but the pie turned out great! It tasted just like a cherry pop-tart!
Perfect! And cherry pop-tart – love that 🙂
This recipe is delicious!!! I made this pie for my husband as a Valentine dessert. We both loved it as well as my 2 year old. I usually use store bought crust, however I was out. So I made the homemade crust following the directions provided and it was so easy. I will definitely be making this pie again!
Love it! So glad it was a hit 🙂
I made this on a whim with storebought pie crust, knowing my kids and husband would gobble it up. After I took one bite, I said, “I would not consider myself a pie person but that’s a dang good pie.” SO GOOD. The amaretto, the crumble topping…mmm. We served with a drizzle of custard over the top. I can’t stop going back for nibbles.
Amazing! Glad it was a hit 🙂
This pie came out like soup! I made it for my husband for his birthday and followed the recipe exactly and it was terrible! What a waste!!!
It sounds like perhaps you didn’t cook the filling long enough as it should be THICK before you put it into the pan, just like the video indicates. From that point, it will not become liquid-like again. So sorry you had an issue!
~ I am so exhilirated to have found your website. So many nutri-deliciousness recipes to delve & indulge into.
~ Big Tanks of Thanx
Absolutely! Enjoy!
24 oz of frozen Best Choice tart cherries contains 2 cups of cherries??
Hmmm just took a look online and it looks like their frozen bag is 20oz and contains 4 cups!
Is it 24 oz or 6 cups? I wan to make sure I get it right. Thank you!
I would measure out 6 cups 🙂