If you’ve never tried a proper sour cherry pie, you’re in for something special. This isn’t the overly sweet cherry pie you might find in a diner. It’s made with tart cherries preserved in syrup, a flaky cream cheese crust, and a topping of roasted almonds that makes the whole thing unforgettable. It’s a pie that balances richness with acidity, indulgence with brightness, exactly what a holiday table needs.
Jump to:
Why This Recipe Works
- Inspired by European traditions: While the recipe itself is American, it draws on the kind of cherry-forward baking popular in countries like Austria, Germany, and Hungary, where tart cherries are used in both desserts and savory dishes.
- No waste: You use the entire jar of cherries and syrup, which gets thickened into the filling.
- Old-school crust: Butter, cream cheese, and a touch of vinegar create a tender but sturdy pastry that holds up to a juicy filling.
What Makes This Pie Different?
Most American cherry pies use sweet cherries, which are one-note and need a ton of sugar to taste good. Sour cherries are naturally bright and tangy. They transform the pie into something layered, a contrast to the buttery crust and sweet almond topping.
The beauty of the recipe is that it uses the entire jar of cherries with the syrup also. The syrup is used to thicken the filling for the pie. I love recipes where nothing is wasted, like this Walnut Cake With Egg Yolk Glaze recipe, for example, an old one from Transylvania.
Let’s Talk About Cherries Fun Fact
Sour cherries are one of the only fruits that are nearly always cooked before eating. Unlike sweet cherries, they’re too tart to snack on raw , but that intense flavor is exactly what makes them shine in pies, jams, and preserves. In fact, traditional sour cherry pies have been served at American summer picnics since the 1800s.
Fresh sour cherries are nearly impossible to find outside Eastern Europe or specialty farms in the U.S. But sour cherry compote , cherries preserved in a light sugar syrup , is an excellent substitute. You can find them in Eastern European or Mediterranean stores, sometimes labeled as “Morello cherries” or simply “sour cherries in light syrup.” These compote-style cherries are ideal for pie because they come packed in their own flavorful juices, which you’ll use to create the filling.
If you’re using frozen tart cherries, you’ll need to adjust the sugar and possibly cook down the juices longer. Avoid dried cherries , they won’t deliver the same soft texture or burst of tartness.
Crust with Character
This is not your typical all-butter pie crust. It uses cream cheese and vinegar, which might sound strange, but they bring something amazing to the texture:
- Cream cheese adds tenderness and flavor.
- Vinegar slightly weakens the gluten in the flour and makes the crust more pliable and flaky.
This technique shows up in vintage baking recipes where acid (often vinegar or lemon juice) was added to balance dough elasticity. Think strudel or yeasted pastries, that’s the influence here.
Decorating and Finishing the Pie
The almond topping is more than decoration. It adds crunch, a hint of nuttiness, and complements the cherry filling beautifully. Almond extract in the filling pulls everything together. If you’ve ever had cherry-almond cake, you’ll understand why this pairing works.
To get that golden almond crunch:
- Sprinkle around the edge of the warm pie once it comes out of the oven.
- Mix sliced almonds with sugar and egg white.
- Toast until golden and crisp.
Serving Suggestions
This pie can be served warm or fully cooled, depending on how firm you want the filling. If serving warm, give it at least 45 minutes to set after baking. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a spoon of whipped crème fraîche works beautifully on the side.
Recipe FAQs
Yes. The cream cheese crust is versatile and works well with apple, plum, or blueberry pies. It holds up to juicy fillings without getting soggy.
No. Because the filling is thickened before baking and the oven starts at a high temperature, blind baking isn’t necessary. this way, you save time.
Yes, you can freeze it either baked or unbaked. If unbaked, assemble the pie and freeze it uncovered until solid, then wrap well. Bake from frozen, adding 15–20 minutes to the time.
More Recipes To Love
📖 Recipe
Best Sour Cherry Pie
Equipment
Ingredients
Make the Crust:
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour plus more for dusting
- 1 /2 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small cubes
- 6 ounces cold cream cheese cut into small cubes
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon ice water
Filling:
- 3 cups Sour cherries jarred 1 ½ jars fruit +1 ½ cup juice from the jars
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
For the topping:
- ½ cup blanched sliced almonds
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 tablespoon beaten egg white
Instructions
Prepare the crust:
- Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine.
- Add butter and pulse few times until the mixture resembles pea size pieces.
- Add the cream cheese and pulse few more times until the dough comes together.
- Add the vinegar(or the lemon juice)and the ice water. Pulse few more times until the dough is moist.
- Shape the dough into a disk, wrap and refrigerate until firm for at least one hour or overnight.
How To Make The Filling:
- In a medium bowl place the cherries. Set aside.
- In a small bowl whisk ¼ cup cherry juice from the jar with sugar and cornstarch.
- Add the remaining 1 ¼ cups cherry juice and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Cook, whisking constantly until thick and glossy, about 30 seconds.
- Pour over cherries. Add the almond extract and gently fold to combine.
How To Assemble The Pie:
- Preheat oven to 425F.
- Place a baking sheet on the rack in the middle of the oven.
- Roll out the dough into a 12-inch round on a lightly floured surface.
- Ease the dough into a 9-inch pie dish.
- Fold the overhanging dough under itself and crimp with a fork or just using your fingers.
- Refrigerate the crust again until firm, about 30 minutes.
- Add the filling to the cold crust. Place the pie dish on the hot baking sheet inside the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350F and continue baking until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling, about 50 minutes. (If the crust tend to brown too fast, cover the edges of the pie with foil). When done, transfer to a rack.
Make the topping:
- Combine almonds, sugar and egg white in a medium bowl.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the mixture in a single layer. Bake on the upper oven rack, stirring halfway through, until dry and golden brown, about 10 minutes.
- Let cool completely, then break into small clusters. Sprinkle around the edge of the warm pie. Let cool completely, so the sour cherry filling sets.
Notes
- The pie crust can be made up to 2 days ahead and kept in the fridge or frozen for longer.
- You can prepare the filling a day in advance and store it in the fridge.
- Baked pie keeps well for up to 5 days refrigerated.
Comments
No Comments