The Best Classic Sour Cherry-Almond Pie

Are you ready to bake the absolute best, most vibrant, and most deliciously memorable cherry pie of your life? The secret to a truly spectacular pie isn’t just any cherry—it’s the sour cherry. This incredible, from-scratch Sour Cherry-Almond Pie is a masterpiece of sweet-tart flavor, with a thick and jammy filling, a flaky, all-butter crust, and a surprise crunchy, candied almond topping that is pure elegance.

This isn’t just another pie recipe; it’s your ultimate guide to a sophisticated, show-stopping dessert. We’ll show you the professional secrets to a perfectly flaky pie crust and a foolproof, cooked filling that will never be runny or make your crust soggy. Forget overly sweet, one-note cherry pies. This is the real deal, a perfectly balanced dessert that will be the star of your Thanksgiving or Christmas table.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Recipe Overview: A Stunning Holiday Showstopper

What makes this Sour Cherry-Almond Pie so spectacular is its intense, perfectly balanced flavor and its wonderful combination of textures. The filling, made with tart sour cherries, has a bright, vibrant, and complex flavor that is beautifully enhanced by a hint of almond extract. The professional technique of cooking the filling on the stovetop first guarantees a thick, glossy, and perfectly set result every single time. The unique, crunchy, candied almond topping adds a final, elegant touch that is an irresistible contrast to the soft filling and flaky crust.

Metric	Time / Level
Total Time	4 hours (includes chilling and cooling)
Active Prep Time	45 minutes
Difficulty Level	Intermediate
Servings	8 slices

Your Holiday Baking Game Plan (Make-Ahead Schedule)

The secret to a stress-free holiday is to make as much as you can in advance. This pie is perfect for that!

• Up to 3 Days Ahead: Make the pie dough, wrap it tightly, and store it in the refrigerator. You can also prepare the candied almond topping, let it cool, and store it in an airtight container at room temperature.
• Up to 2 Days Ahead: Prepare the entire sour cherry filling. Let it cool completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
• 1 Day Before Serving (or on the day of): Assemble the pie with your pre-made crust and filling, and bake it fresh so your home is filled with the most incredible aroma!

The Essential Ingredients for This Elegant Pie

This recipe is built from three perfect, from-scratch components.

• The Flaky Vodka Pie Crust: A rich, tender, and incredibly flaky foundation.
  • The Fats (Butter & Shortening): This recipe uses a classic, foolproof blend for the best of both worlds. Cold unsalted butter provides a rich, delicious flavor, while cold vegetable shortening creates an incredibly tender and extra-flaky texture.
  • Cold Vodka: This is a brilliant baker’s trick! Because a portion of the liquid is alcohol (which does not promote gluten development), it helps to create an incredibly tender and flaky crust that is less prone to becoming tough.
• The Thick & Glossy Sour Cherry Filling:
  • Jarred Sour Cherries: These are the star of the show! Jarred sour cherries (often labeled as Morello cherries and packed in syrup or water) have an intensely tart and complex flavor that is far superior for pie making than sweet cherries like Bing or Rainier. It’s crucial to use the juice from the jars to create the sauce.
  • Cornstarch Slurry: The secret to a perfectly thick, non-runny filling. We make a “slurry” by mixing the cornstarch with a little bit of the cool cherry juice before adding it to the hot liquid, which is a foolproof way to prevent any lumps.
  • Almond Extract: A classic and sophisticated pairing with cherries. Just a touch of pure almond extract adds a wonderful, fragrant, and nutty note that beautifully enhances the flavor of the fruit.
• The Crunchy Candied Almond Topping: A simple, elegant, and professional-style garnish. Blanched sliced almonds are tossed with sugar and a lightly beaten egg white, and then baked separately until they are light, crisp, and beautifully golden brown.

Step-by-Step to a Show-Stopping Cherry Pie

Let’s break this incredible project down into simple, manageable parts.

Part 1: The Flaky Vodka Pie Crust

Step 1: In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour, the 1 tablespoon of sugar, and the 1/2 teaspoon of salt to combine.

Step 2: Add the 4 tablespoons of cold shortening and pulse until the mixture looks like cornmeal. Add the 6 tablespoons of cold, cubed butter and pulse until you have pea-sized pieces.

Step 3: Add the 2 tablespoons of cold vodka and 2 tablespoons of ice water. Pulse just until the dough begins to come together but is still crumbly.

Step 4: Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap, shape it into a flat disc, and wrap it tightly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Part 2: The Thick & Glossy Sour Cherry Filling

Step 1: Drain your jarred sour cherries, being sure to reserve 1 1/2 cups of the juice. Place the drained cherries in a medium bowl.

Step 2: In a separate small bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of the reserved cherry juice with the 3 tablespoons of cornstarch until it is completely smooth. This is your “slurry.”

Step 3: In a small saucepan, add the remaining 1 1/4 cups of cherry juice and the 2/3 cup of sugar. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.

Step 4: Once the juice is boiling, whisk in your cornstarch slurry. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, for about 30 seconds, until the sauce becomes very thick and glossy.

Step 5: Pour the hot, glossy sauce over the cherries in the bowl. Add the 1/4 teaspoon of pure almond extract and gently fold everything together to combine. Let the filling cool completely.

Part 3: The Crunchy Candied Almond Topping & Assembly

Step 1: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of your oven and place a baking sheet on the lower rack. Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Step 2: While the oven is preheating, make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine the 1/2 cup of blanched sliced almonds, the 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the 1 tablespoon of beaten egg white. Stir until the almonds are completely coated.

Step 3: Spread the coated almonds in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake on the upper oven rack for about 10 minutes, stirring halfway through, until the almonds are dry and a light golden brown. Let them cool completely, then break them into crunchy clusters.

Step 4: On a lightly floured surface, roll out your chilled pie dough into a 12-inch round. Ease the dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp the edges decoratively. Refrigerate the pie shell until it is firm, for about 30 minutes.

Step 5: Add the completely cooled cherry filling to the chilled crust.

Step 6: Transfer the pie to the hot baking sheet on the lower oven rack and bake for 15 minutes at 425°F.

Step 7: After 15 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue to bake until the crust is a deep golden brown and the filling is hot and bubbly, about 55 more minutes.

Step 8: Let the pie cool completely on a wire rack. Just before serving, sprinkle the crunchy, candied almond clusters around the edge of the warm pie.

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Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• Make-Ahead: As outlined in our “Game Plan” above, this is the perfect dessert to make in stages over a few days to make your holiday baking completely stress-free.
• Storage: The finished pie, once completely cooled, can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

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Enjoy Your Elegant Holiday Pie!

You’ve just created a truly special, show-stopping dessert that is the very definition of holiday elegance. This Sour Cherry-Almond Pie is a perfect symphony of flaky crust, jammy fruit, and a crunchy, nutty topping. It’s a rewarding baking project that is guaranteed to be the most beautiful and unique pie on any table.

We hope you enjoy every last, perfect, and delicious bite!

If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who is ready for a holiday baking adventure!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)