Grandma's Cherry Pie
“This good Old Fashioned cherry pie has my Grandma Lee’s name all over it.! She would make one for Christmas Eve. It was always something I managed to have room for despite being full. The ingredients are straightforward, but the taste… Well, it tastes like family and Christmas!”
Ingredients:
FILLING
5 cups stemmed, pitted fresh dark sweet cherries
3/4 cup sugar
3 TBSP. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 TBSP. freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest from 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cherry brandy (optional)
2 TBSP. unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Milk or cream to brush the top crust
Coarse sugar for sprinkling
How to Make It:
Rolling out the pie crust dough: Take one piece of dough out of the refrigerator, and let it sit on the counter for a few minutes until it slightly softens. This will make it easier to roll out. On a floured surface (I use my clean countertop) roll the dough to a 12” circle. Gently place the dough into a 9” pie plate and brush away any excess flour. Trim the edges of the dough to fit your pie plate with a sharp knife. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator. Follow the same method for the second disc of dough, then transfer to parchment lined cookie sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge.
Making the cherry pie filling: In a medium-sized bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Stir in the cherries. Add the lemon juice and the lemon zest, vanilla, and cherry brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 425°. Place a parchment lined cookie sheet in the lower third of your oven.
Spoon cherry filling in an even layer into pie crust, and dot with cubed butter pieces. You can either place the other pie crust over this (or do some lattice work with this crust). Tuck any excess pie crust from the top crust under the bottom crust and crimp with a fork or your fingers. Make five slits in the center of the crust to allow steam to escape while baking.
Brush the crust with a thin coating of milk or cream, then sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 375° and continue to bake until juice is bubbling and crust is a golden brown; approximately 40 - 50 minutes. If edges of pie are browning too much, you can cover the edges with a pie crust shield or aluminum foil.
Allow pie to cool before serving. You want the filling to set. Pie can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.