Cherry crumb pie is easy to make and requires just 20 minutes of active time! Plus, it’s the perfect dessert for summer!
Who else has eaten their weight in cherries over the last few weeks?
Seriously, I CANNOT get enough. Gimme all things cherry forever and ever. And ever.
And start with a big slice of cherry crumb pie. Because you guys! This pie! I have no words for how much I love it.
The cinnamon in the crumb topping and the almond in the filling complement the cherries so well it’s summer and heaven and happiness all in one bite.
The ice cream on top is optional but highly recommended 🙂
Why you’ll love this cherry crumb pie:
- This pie uses fresh cherries and minimal ingredients so the fruit is the star
- The crumb topping is quick to make and adds a huge flavor and texture boost
- It’s the PERFECT dessert for summer!
Cherry Crumb Pie Topping
To make the pie, you’ll start by making the crumb topping.
Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt together, then stir in melted butter until the mixture forms crumbs. And that’s it!
Set it aside and work on your filling.
Cherry Crumb Pie Filling
This pie calls for sweet cherries rather than tart ones because tart cherries are next to impossible to find fresh where I live.
Baker’s tip: sweet cherries are REALLY sweet, which is why cherry pies are often made with tart cherries. When making your filling, only add 1/3 cup of sugar to start, then taste to see how sweet the mixture is. Add more sugar only if you need to.
This probably goes without saying but the first step to making your filling is pitting the cherries.
I use a cherry pitter to pit my cherries because it’s so much easier than any other method I’ve tried.
Baker’s tip: pitting cherries is messy so I hold the pitter and the cherry in the bottom of a deep bowl. The edges of the bowl catch the splashes of juice and save your countertops.
You can also use a pastry tip to pit your cherries but I’ve never been able to get that method to work well. Here’s a little tutorial if you go that route.
After you pit your cherries, mix the filling ingredients together.
Don’t omit the lemon juice in your filling.
Lemon brightens the flavor of the cherries, which is necessary when you’re baking with a fruit that’s naturally really sweet. Without the lemon, I find the filling to taste a bit muddy.
Similarly, don’t omit the salt. A small amount of salt cuts through the sweet and really brings out the cherries’ flavor.
If you don’t have almond extract, or don’t care for the flavor, you can substitute 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Once the filling is done, pour it into the prepared crust, top with the topping, and bake until golden.
See what I mean? Easy peasy and SO delicious!
But don’t take my word for it! Make yourself a cherry crumb pie and see for yourself!
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Did you make this cherry crumb pie? Awesome! Let me know what you think with a comment and a rating below. And post a pic on Instagram too! Tag @theitsybitsykitchen so I can see! Then like IBK on Facebook and follow on Pinterest for more delicious recipes.
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- single pie crust for a 9-inch pie
- 4 cups pitted sweet cherries from 2 to 3 pounds of un-pitted cherries
- 1/3 to 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- Whisk the flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium mixing bowl. Add the melted butter and stir until the butter is fully absorbed and the mixture forms clumps. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Roll the pie crust out to an 11-inch circle and carefully transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Trim off the excess, then crimp the edges.
- Stir together the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, almond extract, and salt in a large mixing bowl until the cherries are evenly coated in sugar and cornstarch.
- Pour the filling into the crust, then sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the pie.
- Set the pie on a large baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 and bake an additional 45 to 55 minutes, until the crumb topping is golden and the juices are bubbling underneath. (If the topping gets too dark before the time is up, tent some foil over the pie in the last 10 minutes to prevent excess browning. )
- Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving.
*I use Pillsbury but you an substitute your favorite homemade crust.
Adapted from How to Bake Everything
Emma - Bake Then Eat says
I am in love with this pie, that topping sounds divine 😀 I would love a slice of this for my dessert tonight.
Kelsie says
Thank you, Emma!
grace says
i always tell myself i’ll wait until the cherries get really cheap before i’ll buy them, but i always cave–i LOVE them! great use for those red jewels. 🙂
Kelsie says
I always cave too. They’re irresistible!
Ben|Havocinthekitchen says
I cannot get enough of cherries either! Sadly, the price has significantly gone up in our area, so I’m switching to watermelons – my second favorite summer things. I also do like crumble pies. They are simple to make, and the ratio of the fruit and dough is great (I prefer even a thinner layer of crumbs). This pie is spectacular, Kelsie. And as for cherries, I wish they could stay with us all year round.
Kelsie says
Ooohhh watermelon is so good too! Thank you, Ben! I’m with you on the cherries sticking around all year 🙂