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Last Updated on June 4, 2021 by Chenée Lewis
Nothing says summertime like cherry pie! And the only thing that can make a classic cherry pie better is the addition of a buttery streusel topping. That’s where this cherry crumb pie comes in! This sweet cherry pie is so simple to make and absolutely delicious. If you’re a cherry lover, or if you know any, you have got to try it!
I love this cherry crumb pie because it’s bursting with cherry flavor, from either fresh or frozen sweet cherries. And the cherry filling is rich and juicy, but not too liquidy, which ensures that the bottom of your pie won’t end up soggy. The filling also sets up beautifully for slicing, and has a hint of cinnamon for a bit of extra flavor.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour – I recommend using a kitchen scale to measure your flour to ensure accuracy, or use the spoon-and-level method.
- light brown sugar – adds a deep sweetness to the streusel topping for our cherry crumb pie.
- salted butter – your butter should be cubed and kept cold. For this step, I typically remove the butter from the fridge and cut it into cubes, then place the cubed butter in a bowl in the fridge to stay chilled while I prep the rest of the ingredients. If you prefer to use unsalted butter, just add ¼ teaspoon of salt in with the dry ingredients.
- pie crust – I used my go-to flaky pie crust recipe, but you can use your favorite homemade or store-bought pie crust!
- pitted sweet cherries – Bing cherries, for instance, are a rich mahogany color and taste sweet when ripe. They’re delicious eaten fresh, and they are fantastic in this cherry crumb pie! I’ve also made this pie using frozen dark sweet cherries, and it’s my favorite way to make it! Rainier cherries also work well in this recipe.
- granulated sugar – if you don’t like your pie too sweet, feel free to decrease the sugar to ½ a cup.
- fresh lemon juice – this adds a bit of tartness to our sweet cherry pie filling.
- cornstarch – thickens the filling up a bit so that our cherry crumb pie will set up nicely.
- almond extract and vanilla extract – flavors that taste so great with cherries! Be sure to use a high-quality pure vanilla extract. Or better yet, check out my post on how to make vanilla extract at home with just 2 ingredients!
- ground cinnamon – adds a great element of spice to your cherry crumb pie filling.
- salted butter – adds just a little richness to this cherry pie filling!
- water – you’ll only need to add water if you’re using fresh cherries. Fresh cherries don’t release as many juices as frozen ones do, so if you use fresh ones you’ll want to add a bit of liquid to start your pie filling simmering.
Equipment
If you use fresh sweet cherries like Bing cherries, a cherry pitter will make the process of prepping your cherries much easier! You’ll also need a regular-sized pie pan, and a pastry blender is so helpful in making the topping for our cherry crumb pie!
Tips and F.A.Q.
This cherry crumb pie recipe is developed for sweet cherries, so if you’d like to use fresh cherries, the best options are sweet varieties like Bing and Rainier. Frozen cherries are an even easier option — most supermarket freezer sections sell dark, sweet pitted cherries that work well.
You sure can! When I have time, I love to make my flaky pie crust recipe, but a refrigerated pie crust is a great option too, and makes everything so easy!
I haven’t tested this cherry crumb pie with canned cherries, but if you try it, let us know in the comments how it works for you! Otherwise, I would recommend using frozen dark sweet cherries instead of canned.
Once cooled, keep your pie stored in the fridge covered in plastic wrap for up to 4 days. The pie can also be frozen, well wrapped, for up to 4 months.
Related Recipes
This cherry crumb pie is just one of so many summery treats I have for you! My Peach Cherry Galette is another delicious way to enjoy the flavors of summer stone fruits in an easy galette crust. And it can be made even easier with a store-bought pie crust.
Another delicious cherry recipe you’ll definitely want to try is my Amarena Cherry Chocolate Sauce. It’s made with incredibly flavorful Italian Amarena cherries, and it’s absolutely fantastic on ice cream!
I’ve also got a few fantastic cherry recipes in my new summer treats cookbook, Sweet Summertime! It’s got 22 delicious recipes for breakfast, snacks, and seasonal desserts that you’ll love!
Cherry Crumb Pie
Print Pin Recipe Rate RecipeEquipment you may need
- pastry blender
Ingredients
- 1 9-inch pie crust - homemade or store-bought
Cherry Pie Filling
- 5 cups (690 g) fresh or frozen dark sweet cherries - pitted
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ tbsp (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
- ¼ cup (32 g) cornstarch
- ½ tsp (2 ml) almond extract
- 1 ½ tsp (7 ml) pure vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp (1 ml) ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) salted butter
- ¼ cup (59 g) water - if using fresh cherries
Crumb Topping
- ¾ cup (94 g) all-purpose flour - (96g)
- ⅔ cup (147 g) light brown sugar - packed
- 6 tbsp (84 g) salted butter - cold, cubed
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a baking sheet lined with foil in the oven while it preheats.
- Place pie crust in pie pan and flute edges. Set in refrigerator to chill.
Cherry Pie Filling
- In a medium saucepan, add all filling ingredients. If using fresh cherries, add up to ¼ cup of water to help the cornstarch dissolve.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring, until thickened. Remove from heat and let cool.
Crumb Topping
- Whisk together flour and brown sugar in a bowl.
- Add in cold, cubed butter and cut in with a pastry blender or fork until the mixture forms pea-sized crumbs. Place in freezer for 10 minutes while you assemble the pie.
Assemble and Bake
- Pour cooled pie filling into pie crust. Top with chilled crumb topping, pressing with your fingers to form larger crumbs if you like.
- Place pie on preheated sheet pan and bake at 400°F for 45 minutes, or until crumb topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling. If necessary, cover edges of pie with aluminum foil during baking to prevent overbrowning.
- Cool completely to allow to set before slicing and serving.
Video
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Nutrition
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