This homemade cherry pie has a rich and homestyle flavor perfect for serving any time of year. It’s a quick and easy recipe, and uses tapioca to thicken the filling.
There’s not much better than a homemade cherry pie, and this recipe is bursting with flavor and fills the home with a wonderful aroma.
This is one of my family’s favorite cherry pies, and I bake it many times throughout the year, as well as during Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The tart cherries and cherry juice produces a truly classic flavor that I’m sure you’re family will love as well.
Make sure to bookmark or pin this recipe so you can find it the next time you want to bake a homemade cherry pie.
If you’re filling is too thin, stir in a small amount of tapioca at a time until your filling is the desired thickness.
Cherry Pie Tip
Save this recipe for later: Cherry pie from frozen cherries
How to Bake a Homemade Cherry Pie using Tart Cherries and Tapioca
Growing up in Michigan, me and my family baked tons of pies with fresh cherries. But good, fresh cherries aren’t always available, so having a great canned cherry pie recipe is an absolute must!
And this recipe is one of my all-time favorites. The flavor is so delicious and the subtle sweetness pairs perfectly with the tart cherries.
Prep time is just about fifteen minutes, with most of that being rest time for your filling. Bake time is less than fifty minutes, so this is a quick recipe as far as homemade goes.
To make your pie, you will need a mixing bowl and a 9″ pie pan.
Ever made a homemade pie just to find the bottom of your crust was soggy? You can prevent your pie pastry from getting overly moist by lining crushed cornflakes on the bottom of your crust. Then simply add your pie filling over your crushed cornflakes. This creates a protective layer that will absorb extra moisture before it get’s to your pie crust.
Pie Tip
Pin this great recipe: Classic cherry pie from canned cherries
Ingredients
Since you only need common ingredients to make your cherry pie, there is a decent chance you already have what you need stocked in your kitchen.
I think you’re going to really love how easy this pie is to make when you taste it’s rich and wonderful flavor.
Note: You can use a homemade or premade crust for your pie. I love using homemade whenever I have enough time to prepare one, but there’s nothing wrong with using a store bought crust. Find some great crust recipe options below if you want to make your own.
Ingredients List:
- Canned Tart Cherries
- Reserved Cherry Juice
- Tapioca
- Granulated Sugar
- Salt
- Almond Extract
- Butter
- Pie Crust
Cherries: I always use canned tart cherries that are already pitted for this pie. The sour/tart flavor works incredibly well. When draining your cherries, make sure to reserve the juice because it adds more flavor to our filling.
Tapioca: While I do use cornstarch in many pie filling recipes, tapioca works great to thicken our cherry pie filling.
Almond Extract: This classic cherry pie flavor enhancer is a must when making this recipe. The subtle nuttiness brings the tart and sweet together just right. You can go with almond flavoring in a pinch.
While cherries contain acid needed to elevate the flavor of our pie. I sometimes add a half teaspoon of lemon juice to bring the level up a notch. Try it the next time you make this pie and see which version you prefer.
Pie Tip
Great recipe: Cherry pie cups
Pie Crust Options
While I’ve used premade pie pastry for this recipe before, and the results were great, I prefer to use a homemade crust whenever possible.
It’s hard to beat the texture of a homemade crust, so if you have enough time, try one of the below recipes with your cherry pie.
Note: You will need two 9″ pie crusts. One for the bottom and one for the top of your pie.
Before you roll out your pie crust dough, chill it in the freezer for 15 minutes or the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will help your crust hold it’s shape once it’s lining your pie pan.
Pie Crust Tip
Simple Recipe Instructions
Once you’ve had a bite of your cherry pie you’re going to be amazed at how much flavor comes from such a simple recipe.
This recipe produces a classic, homestyle cherry pie with a prep time of just minutes. It’s a great dessert to serve the family or at get togethers.
Step 1: Prepare your crust and line your pie pan with it.
Step 2: Stir together all your ingredients, except butter, and rest mixture for 15 minutes.
Step 3: Pour mixture into pie crust. Crumble butter on top of filling.
Step 4: Add top crust, cut slits and cover edges in tin foil.
Note: You can also make a lattice top for your pie.
Step 5: Bake at 425 for about 45 minutes.
Step 6: Cool and serve warm.
Another option: Classic cherry pie
Easy Cherry Pie (With Tapioca)
Equipment
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 9" pie pan
Ingredients
- 3 Cups Canned Tart Cherries pitted, drained, juices reserved
- ½ Cup Cherry Juice from canned cherries
- 2½ Tbs Tapioca
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- ¼ tsp Almond Extract
- ⅛ tsp Salt
- 1½ Tbs Butter
- 2 9" Pie Crusts
Instructions
- Prepare pie crust and line pie pan with one crust
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees
- Stir all ingredients together except for butter. Rest mixture for 15 minutes.
- Pour filling into crust lined pie pan.
- Crumble butter evenly across top of filling.
- Add top crust and pinch together the edges.
- Cut slits in top crust and cover crust edges in aluminum foil.
- Note: A lattice top crust can be used as well.
- Bake in preheated oven for 42-47 minutes. Pie is done when crust is golden and filling is bubbling up.
- Cool on wire rack. Serve warm and enjoy!
Nutrition
Liv’s Cherry Pie with Tapioca Recipe Notes
- A simple top crust or lattice top crust can be used for your pie.
- To thicken your filling, stir in a small amount of tapioca at a time until desired thickness is reached.
- For a thinner filling, stir in a small amount of cherry juice.
- Serve your pie warm with a scoop of ice cream or dollop of whipped cream.
- Store leftover pie covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to two days.