Amaretto 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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.