Fresh Cherry Pie – It’s Cherry Season, Celebrate with Pie!

One of my favorite summer traditions is baking a fresh cherry pie, and I’ve been looking forward to making one all season. My secret ingredient? A touch of cardamom. It’s one of those polarizing spices—you either love it or you don’t—but I’m firmly in the “love it” camp. It adds a warm, aromatic depth that pairs beautifully with cherries. If it’s not your thing, feel free to skip it—the pie will still be delicious.

Fresh Cherry Pie

Serves 8 – 10

For the Crust:

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 3 TBS granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 8 TBS cold, unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup shortening
• up to 6 TBS ice water

For the Pie

• 4 – 5 cups pitted and halved fresh cherries
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp cardamom or more to taste
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp cold, unsalted butter

Egg wash – 1 egg whisked with 1 tsp water

Sugar in the raw, if desired for the top of the pie

Vanilla Ice cream if desired

Make the pie crust:

• Mix the flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add the cold butter and shortening. Cut the fats into the flour mixture with a pastry blender or two knives until the mixture resembles small peas.
• Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough just comes together.
• Turn out onto your work surface and knead once or twice until the dough forms a cohesive ball. Cut into two pieces, form into two flattened circles, wrap in plastic wrap or wax paper and put in the refrigerator for an hour to rest.

Make the pie:

• While the crust is resting pit and halve the cherries.
• When you are ready to fill the pie plate mix the cherries with the brown sugar, lemon juice, flour, salt and cardamom.
• Preheat the oven to 425°
• Remove one of the crust rounds from the refrigerator. Roll it out so that it extends at least 1″ past the edge of your 9″ pie pan. Trim so the edge is even.
• Brush the bottom of the pie crust with some of the egg wash. Fill the crust, letting the cherries drain through your fingers if necessary. Dot with butter.
• Roll the second dough disc to a width that will cover the top of the pie with a 1″ overhang.
• Fold up the overhang from the bottom crust.
• Pinch in the edge with the index finger of your right hand and the thumb and index finger of your left hand (if you are right handed) to make a decorative edge. Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and sprinkle the sugar in the raw on top if desired.
• Make a foil ring (and don’t be like me and forget to spray it with cooking spray or it will stick to your crust!) and cover the edge of your crust.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350° and bake for 30 minutes or until the juices are bubbling and the crust is nice and brown. Remove the foil ring when you lower the temperature.

• Let sit until cool before slicing .

How Was the Fresh Cherry Pie?

I truly enjoy my (mostly) once-a-year cherry pie—it feels like a seasonal rite of passage. I keep the sugar to a minimum so the fresh cherries can shine, letting their natural flavor take center stage. The cardamom adds a warm, fragrant note that complements the fruit beautifully, giving the pie a unique twist. But if cardamom’s not your thing, a touch of cinnamon makes a great alternative. Either way, it’s a simple, satisfying way to celebrate cherry season.