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A golden brown double pie crust + a “sweet/tart” cherry cranberry filling make this cranberry cherry pie to-die-for delicious. Baked in a 9-inch pie plate, this classic dessert is perfect for your next holiday celebration.
Mom’s Cherry Cranberry Pie
This week, we’re celebrating Christmas in July! And to kick things off, I’m doing something I’ve NEVER done before… sharing one of my cookbook recipes with you. This pie recipe is from my cookbook “Home for the Holidays” and it’s probably my favorite dessert in the whole book. Just one bite makes me think of my mom and all the times we shared a slice of this special treat.
The homemade crust is flaky, buttery, and pure pie crust perfection. And the cherry pie filling is sweet yet tart, thanks to the addition of cranberries! You can use fresh cranberries if they’re in season, but froze cranberries work great, too. If you love cherry pie, but want a unique twist on the classic recipe, this pie is for you!
Ingredients for Cranberry Cherry Pie
- All-Purpose Flour: This is the ONLY flour I recommend using for the pie crust!
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar in the pie crust and brown sugar AND granulated sugar in the cherry cranberry pie filling.
- Salt: Just a pinch goes into the pie crust to balance sweetness and enhance all of the other flavors.
- Butter: You’ll need 2 whole cups of butter to make the double pie crust!
- Ice water: Using cold water ensures your pie crust ingredients don’t get too warm. A cold crust is a flaky crust!
- Cranberries: I use fresh when they’re in season, and frozen the rest of the year! Both work great, so use whichever is convenient.
- Cherries: Can I tell you a little secret… I always use frozen cherries for this pie recipe. But feel free to use fresh cherries if you have them on hand.
- Kirsch Liqueur: You can find this at almost any liquor store! But feel free to sub cherry juice.
- Cornstarch: An essential ingredient that thickens the pie filling.
- Cinnamon: Just a pinch adds subtle spice, warmth, and depth of flavor.
- Egg: Whisk a large egg – and a dash of water – to make an egg wash. Egg wash makes the pie crust bake up gorgeous and golden brown.
- Sparkling Sugar: This ingredient is “optional”, but highly recommend. It makes the pie extra pretty and gives the crust a sweet crunch.
How to Make Cherry Cranberry Pie
- Make the Pie Dough: The pie crust dough needs to chill for at least 2 hours! You can also make it up to 24 hours in advance.
- Make the Pie Filling: The cherry pie filling is best made an hour before you plan on baking your pie. You want it fresh, but fully cooled. Scrape it into a large bowl and let it cool at room temperature until you’re ready to bake.
- Roll out the Crusts: Prepare the bottom crust first by rolling it our and placing it into the pie pan. You can place it in the fridge while you make the lattice crust top. You’ll also want to chill the lattice strips in the fridge for at least 20 minutes if you can. The extra chilling ensures the butter won’t melt too fast in the oven.
- Assemble: Scrape the pie filling into the prepared pie crust and top with the lattice strips. Brush on the egg wash and sprinkle with the sparkling sugar, if you’re using it.
- Bake the Pie: You’ll bake the pie until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling is bubbly.
- Cool the Pie: To ensure you don’t have “pie soup” I suggest letting this pie cool completely. My suggested cooling time is 3 to 4 hours. If you try slicing in after just 35 minutes or so, the filling WILL ooze everywhere.
Tools for this Recipe
- Pie Plate: There’s no replacement for a quality pie plate! And this deep dish ruffled pie dish is one of my all-time favorites.
- Pastry Cutter: You’ll use this to blend the butter into the flour mixture, when making the pie crust.
- Pastry Wheel: Having one of these will making creating the lattice strips so much easier! A pizza cutter will also work.
- Sparkling Sugar: This is optional, but gives the top crust a gorgeous sparkle and makes the pie crust taste extra delicious.
- Pastry Brush: This will come in handy when you go to brush on the egg wash.
Cranberry Cherry Pie
A golden brown double pie crust + a "sweet/tart" cherry cranberry filling make this cranberry cherry pie to-die-for delicious. Baked in a 9-inch pie plate, this classic dessert is perfect for your next holiday celebration.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
- 5 cups (600 g) all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (57 g) sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups (454 g) unsalted butter very cold
- 3/4 cup (170 ml) ice water more only if needed
For the Cranberry Cherry Pie Filling:
- 3 cups (392g) fresh or frozen cherries if using frozen, do NOT thaw
- 3 Tablespoons (42ml) Kirsch liqueur
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) light brown sugar packed
- 2 Tablespoons plus 2 and 1/2 teaspoons (24g) cornstarch divided
- 4 Tablespoons (44 g) cornstarch divided
- 2 cups (198g) fresh or frozen cranberries if using frozen, do not thaw
- 3/4 cup (149g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Egg Wash:
- 1 large egg
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons water
- 1/4 cup (50g) sparkling sugar
Instructions
For the Crust:
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, and salt. Add in the cubed butter and toss with a spatula to coat the butter in the flour.
- Using a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour until the mixture is a coarse meal. The butter should be about the size of peas.
- Using a silicone spatula, slowly blend in just enough ice water to form moist clumps.
- Pour the shaggy dough out onto a clean surface and knead it gently, until it comes together in a ball, adding more ice water only if absolutely needed.
- Gather the dough into a large ball and divide it in half (you can use a kitchen scale if you want each side to weigh the same, each half should weigh about 644 grams, depending on how much water is used). Gently flatten each half into a disk.
- Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hour, or up to 24 hours.
For the Cranberry Cherry Pie Filling:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, Kirsch, brown sugar, and 2 and a 1/2 teaspoons of the cornstarch. Place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer, stirring almost constantly, and cook about 8 minutes, or until the mixture starts to thicken.
- Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 more minutes before removing from the heat.
- Transfer to a large heatproof bowl and stir in the cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, and remaining (2 Tablespoons) cornstarch. Mix well to evenly combine, then set aside to cool completely.
Prepare the Bottom Crust:
- Remove one disk of the dough from the fridge 15 minutes before you plan on rolling, as dough that is too cold will crack.
- Lightly flour a rolling pin and a large clean work surface. Set the dough in the middle of the work surface and – beginning from the center of the disc – roll the dough away from you in one firm and even stroke. After each stroke, rotate the disc a quarter turn clockwise and roll again. Lightly sprinkle more flour on the work surface, pie dough, and rolling pin as needed. You want to use just enough to prevent the dough from sticking. As your disc of dough becomes larger, be sure not to overstretch the center of the dough. Continue rolling until the dough is about 16-inches in diameter, and around a 1/4" in thickness.
- Carefully fold the dough in half and lay it across one side of a 9-inch pie pan, placing the seam of the dough in the center of the pan.
- Gently unfold the crust, then use your hands to fit the dough down into the pan, making sure there are no gaps between the dough and the sides of the pan. If you see any visible air bubbles, gently burst them with a fork.
- Using kitchen scissors, trim the dough overhang to 1 and 1/2 inches, measuring from the inner rim of the pan.
- Lightly cover the crust with plastic wrap and place back in the refrigerator until needed, at least 20 minutes.
Prepare the Lattice Crust:
- Remove the second disk of the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before you plan on rolling. Remember, dough that’s too cold will crack.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside until needed.
- Lightly flour a rolling pin and a large clean work surface. Set the dough in the middle of the work surface and – beginning from the center of the disc – roll the dough away from you in one firm and even stroke. After each stroke, rotate the disc a quarter turn clockwise and roll again. Lightly sprinkle more flour on the work surface, pie dough, and rolling pin as needed. You want to use just enough to prevent the dough from sticking. As your disc of dough becomes larger, be sure not to overstretch the center of the dough. Continue rolling until the dough is about 16-inches in diameter, and around a 1/4" in thickness.
- Using a pizza cutter or pastry roller, slice the dough into 12 strips (the width of the strips should be just over an inch). Gently lay the strips on the prepared baking sheet, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed, at least 20 minutes.
Prepare the Egg Wash:
- In a small bowl combine the egg and water, whisk until well combined.
Assembly and Baking:
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the bottom crust and lattice strips from the refrigerator.
- Sprinkle the bottom of the pie crust with 1 teaspoon of flour. Then, using a rubber spatula, scrape the filling into an even layer in the pie crust shell.
- Lay 7 of the strips parallel on top of the filling, leaving about 1/4-inch between each strip. Fold back the second, fourth, and sixth strip, then place a strip of dough so that it’s perpendicular to the parallel strips. Unfold the folded strips, so they lay over the perpendicular strip.
- Now fold back the first, third, fifth, and seventh strip, then place another strip of dough on top, so that it’s perpendicular to the parallel lattice strips.
- Repeat this layering process with remaining lattice strips, weaving the strips over and under each other.
- Trim the edges of the strips, leaving about 1/2 inch overhang. Tightly roll the excess dough up so it's firmly sitting on the edge of the pie plate, then crimp the edges to secure the strips with the bottom pie crust.
- Gently brush the edges of the crust and the lattice strips with the egg wash, then sprinkle generously with sparkling sugar.
- Place the pie on the baking sheet and bake in the lower third of the oven for 15 minutes.
- Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (F) and continue baking for 65 more minutes, until the top crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
- Place the pie plate on a wire rack and cool for 4 hours before slicing.
- Once the pie is completely cool, it may be wrapped tightly in saran wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 24 hours.
Notes
- I recommend Wyman’s frozen mix of dark, sweet, red, and tart cherries, if you can find them in your freezer section.
- I suggest using a metal or glass pie plate. Ceramic may take longer to bake and may yield a less flaky crust.
- If the crust is getting too brown, add a pie crust shield or gently tent aluminum foil on top of the pie. As long as your oven temperature is accurate, the pie should bake evenly and develop a deep, golden-brown color.
- Pies are a labor of love, but luckily this one can prepared over two days! You can make the pie crust and cherry filling the day before you plan to bake. Simply cover each and store in the fridge for up to 24 hours before use. Then assemble and bake as directed. Just keep in mind you’ll need to cool this pie for at least 4 hours before digging in, so bake it well before you need to serve it.
Tried it and loved it?Snap a picture and share it with me on Instagram @Bakerbynature and by using the hashtag #BakerByNature
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