Amaretto Cherry Pie

Bubbling hot Cherry Pie

Amaretto Cherry Pie is a baked up boozy concoction of sweet Evans and sour Bing Cherries with the Almond flavours of Amaretto.

Make the most of sour cherry season while it lasts by using these tiny ruby treats in all your favourite cherry recipes. Try baking up Sour Cherry Cream Cheese Hand Pies for your next picnic or preserve them in a stunning Sour Cherry Jam.

Cherry pie with golden baked lattice top.

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Amaretto Cherry Pie

In my family, the making of a pie is usually required for a celebratory event but in the case of this ruby beauty, it was for comfort; pure and simple.

This pie has it all. Crisp and buttery pastry, glorious sweet Bing cherries, mouth puckering sour cherries, and a bit of booze. The combination of sweet and sour cherries in a almond-flavoured velvety filling is absolute bliss.

Cherry pie with golden baked lattice top.

Amaretto Cherry Pie is THE most Classic Pie EVER

There’s really no denying that cherry pie is as classic as pie gets. In the fall when the weather turns chilly, apple pies and pumpkin pies reign supreme.

Since we have the whole summer ahead of us, the time for cherry pie is right now.

A pair of hands holding bright red sour cherries

Growing Sour Cherries on the Prairies

There are several varieties of sour cherries (or tart cherries) that survive the harsh conditions of the Canadian prairies, namely the long cold winters. The bushes are usually short, making them easy to harvest.

These prairie varieties include: Evans Cherries, Nankings, Carmine Jewels, Crimson Passion, Cupid, Juliet, Romeo, and Valentine.

Where to Find Sour Cherries

If you don’t have the space or green thumb for gardening, keep your eyes open for urban foraging. You may get lucky and find cherries in some city parks or at the Farmer’s Market during a very slim seasonal window.

Sometimes you can also find bags of frozen sour cherries at many European markets that are already pitted!

Cherry pie with golden baked lattice top.

How to Prepare Sour Cherries for Baking

Pitting cherries is an exercise in patience. They are tiny and will start to soften immediately after they are picked. For pies and other baked goods, the cherries must be pitted. A regular cherry pitter will work just fine for this purpose.

For jellies and infused sour cherry spirits, it is not necessary to pit the cherries before freezing.

This Pie Begins with Great Pastry

Every great pie starts with an amazing pastry. It took me a long time to find a pastry recipe that works for me every time without fail. I encourage you to try my Food Processor Pastry recipe or any other method until you find one that works for you.

Amaretto Cherry Pie is a baked up boozy concoction of sweet Evans and sour Bing Cherries with the Almond flavours of Amaretto. #cherrypie #pie #cookingwithbooze

Cherry Pie Filling

While the pastry is resting, make the cherry pie filling. Place the cherries together in a large sauce pan and heat them until they begin to release their juices. After they’ve been simmering for around 5 minutes, add the amaretto and allow them to boil a few more minutes.

Next, mix the cornstarch and sugar together. Add half of this mixture to the simmering cherries and stir to dissolve, then add the second half. Finally, add the lemon juice and zest.

Amaretto Cherry Pie is a baked up boozy concoction of sweet Evans and sour Bing Cherries with the Almond flavours of Amaretto. #cherrypie #pie #cookingwithbooze

Once the mixture thickens, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature.

How to Make a Lattice Pie Top

Roll half of the pastry into a 1/8 inch thin pastry round, then fit it into a nine inch pie plate. Trim the pastry to 1/4 inch past the pie edge. Chill. Roll the remaining pastry into a similar round and use a knife to cut the pastry into one inch strips.

Fill the pie shell with the cooled filling. Place 5-6 pastry strips spaced evenly along the top of the filling. Let the pastry strips hang over the edge of the pie.

A slice of cherry pie with golden baked lattice top.

Place the remaining strips one at a time from the top of the pie, weaving them over and under the first 5-6 strips. Repeat with the rest of the strips in an alternating fashion.

To attach the pie strips and seal the pie for baking, trim the strips to 1/2 inch past the pie edge. Tuck the loose strip ends under the bottom pastry edge. Finish the edge of the pie with hand scalloping or by pressing a fork along the entire edge to seal the pastry.

A slice of cherry pie with golden baked lattice top topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

How to Bake an Amaretto Cherry Pie

Whisk the egg, then brush it along the pastry top. Bake the pie in a pre-heated oven at 375 F for 50-60 minutes.

The pie is finished when the filling is bubbly and the pastry is golden.

Let cool to room temperature before slicing to allow time for the filling to fully thicken. I recommend that you eat this pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Pinterest image of a gold baked cherry lattice pie.
Yield: 8 servings

Amaretto Cherry Pie

Cherry pie with golden baked lattice top.

Amaretto Cherry Pie is a baked up boozy concoction of sweet Evans and sour Bing Cherries with the Almond flavours of Amaretto.

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 cups fresh or frozen Evans cherries (or other small sour cherry); pitted
  • 3 cups Bing cherries; pitted
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 5 tbsp cornstarch
  • zest of a small lemon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp amaretto
  • 1 egg
  • pastry for a covered pie 

Instructions

    1. Add cherries to a sauce pan and place on stove over medium heat.
    2. Once the berries are sizzling and releasing juices (about 5 minutes), add the amaretto and let simmer for a couple more minutes.
    3. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch into the sugar.
    4. Sprinkle 1/2 of the sugar/cornstarch mixture into the cherries and stir well. Repeat.
    5. Add the lemon zest and juice.
    6. Let the mixture come to a slight boil and allow to thicken.
    7. Once the mixture has thickened, remove from heat and allow to come to room temperature.

Baking Method

  1. Fill pie shell with cherry filling, cover as desired.
  2. Brush egg wash over pastry.
  3. Bake the pie in a pre-heated oven at 375 F (180 C) for 50-60 minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the pastry is golden.
  4. Let cool to room temperature before slicing.

Notes

Pastry Recipe HERE.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 291Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 78mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 3gSugar: 45gProtein: 3g

Nutritional calculation was provided by Nutritionix and is an estimation only. For special diets or medical issues please use your preferred calculator.

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15 comments

  1. Easy Amaretto Sour Cherry Jam - Dish 'n' the Kitchen

    […] of this prized tart stone fruit by preserving it in jams and jellies. They also make the perfect cherry pie when paired with amaretto and sweet Bing […]

    Reply

  2. Vanessa | Zest & Simmer

    Cherry pie has always been one of my favourite types of pie. Adding the amaretto, you’ve really brought this to the next level! Wow! I’m going to have to make this for my mom as she loves amaretto too!

    Reply

    1. Bernice Hill

      I hope your mother enjoys it! I think the secret to this pie is also the mixture of sour and bing cherries…I’m drooling now!

  3. lindseylivings

    This is the first time my mouth has started watering at a picture of food and I don’t even like cherry pie. This looks SOOO good though I want to eat the whole thing. I also really hope your car ends up being okay and I’m sorry about the flooding and people taking videos. I was hoping their phones were going to fall in the water lol

    Reply

    1. dishnthekitchen

      Thank you Lindsey..yes everything turned out in the end. We managed to finally get another car in October and it’s got 4 wheel drive and is taller than my camry! We’re ready for next year’s floods!

  4. Justine @ JustineCelina.com

    Oh man, I’m so sorry to read the gruesome details of the flood, Bernice. But you’re right, it could have been much worse — glad everyone is alright. On the brightside, this pie looks absolutely wonderful! Nothing better than a big piece of fresh pie every once in a while, that’s for sure. 🙂

    Reply

    1. dishnthekitchen

      Thank you so much for stopping by Justine. In this case, pie was definitely called for. Now I guess the next step is going car shopping.

  5. chef mimi

    wow, that must have been scary. yikes. but this pie is gorgeous! Too pretty to eat… almost.

    Reply

    1. dishnthekitchen

      It was…we still don’t know if the car is a write off yet. I suspect we will by the end of the day.

  6. Teresa

    Oh, I’m so sorry about your car and the ordeal you went through. It can be so hard to decide what the best course of action is in a situation like that. I’m glad you and your son are okay. As for the pie, it sounds incredible!

    Reply

    1. dishnthekitchen

      There’s a lot of coulda woulda shoulda going through my head right now…

    2. Teresa

      I bet! Such a scary thing to go through.

  7. Nicole | Culinary Cool

    Oooooh my gawd!! Amaretto? Cherries? Hook a girl up! I think I’m going to have to get my hands on some cherries this year and make this pie. Sorry to hear about the car troubles. We hit a deer on our way home from Saskatoon in January. We went without a vehicle for two months.. Sucked big time, so I feel your pain.

    Reply

    1. dishnthekitchen

      yes…you live in Saskatchewan. land of the sour prairie cherries! Do it!

  8. Marisa's Italian Kitchen

    Oh my goodness, I would be a real happy camper at your kitchen table if served this gorgeous pie😊

    Reply

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