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Lattice-Top Sour Cherry Pie
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Time for dough to chill
30 mins
 
A classic lattice-top sour cherry pie with a flaky all butter crust, plus a host of tips and tricks for making the perfect cherry pie.
Recipe Type: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: lattice-top sour cherry pie
Makes: 8 servings
Author: Elizabeth Stark
Ingredients
Crust
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 sticks, cold
  • 1/2 cup ice water, plus more as needed
Filling
  • 5 cups pitted sour cherries, from about 2 quarts
  • 1/2 cup turbinado or granulated sugar, plus 2 tablespoons for sprinkling
  • 2 tablespoons ground instant tapioca, store-bought or ground in a coffee grinder
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
  • Pinch sea salt
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
Instructions
  1. Working ahead, make and chill crust. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, and sea salt. Use a large hole, coarse grater to grate in half of the the butter. Use the slicer on the box grater or a sharp knife to cut remaining butter into paper thin slices. 

Use your fingertips to blend butter into the flour, flattening out any large bits as you go. Using a silicone spatula, drizzle half the water over the mixture. Continue adding water in 1 tablespoon increments, just until the dough holds together when pinched. Divide dough into two equal discs, flatten, cover with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 5 days.

  2. When ready to cook the pie, preheat oven to 425 degrees F, slide a rimmed baking sheet into the oven, and let that get nice and hot too. On a lightly floured surface, roll out bottom crust to a 14-inch circle. Press into buttered pie pan (preferably metal or heat and cold resistant glass) and trim all but 1-inch of overhanging dough. Set pie pan into the fridge while you prepare the filling. (Reserve, wrap, and chill any leftover dough for the lattice.)

  3. In a large bowl, toss together all filling ingredients and set aside.
  4. Incorporating any leftover dough, roll dough for top crust out into a 14-inch circle. Cut dough into 6 - 8 (2-inch wide) strips. 

Once dough is ready, remove bottom crust from fridge. Working quickly, spoon filling into crust (leaving out juices at the bottom will help to avoid a soggy bottom crust). Weave lattice according to these instructions and crimp edges. Bush lattice with egg and sprinkle with sugar.

  5. Place pie on preheated baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F. Rotate pie and turn heat down to 350 degrees F. Bake another 40 - 45 minutes, or until pie is a deep golden hue and filling is hot and bubbly. If crust seems to be baking too quickly, shield edges with tin foil.

  6. Cool pie 3 - 5 hours before slicing. If you can't wait that long, prepare for the filling to be a bit runny.