Cherry and Mixed Berry Pie

Introduction

You thicken reserved cherry juice with cornstarch and flour before adding blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, preserves, and lemon juice, which gives you a filling that holds together instead of running across the plate. The double crust keeps it traditional, and the 40 to 45 minute bake makes it a practical pie for weekends, holidays, or making a day ahead.

Recipe Details

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 55 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 cup canned sweet cherries with juice
• ¾ cup white sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1¼ cups fresh blueberries
• ½ cup raspberries
• ¾ cup fresh blackberries
• 1½ cups fresh strawberries, sliced
• 2 tablespoons strawberry preserves
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 store-bought or homemade pie crusts
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
2. Drain cherries, reserving juice; set cherries aside.
3. Add water to juice if necessary to make ½ cup liquid.
4. In a large saucepan, mix together cherry juice, sugar, cornstarch and flour. Stir until smooth, then cook on medium heat until it starts to thicken.
5. Add fruit, preserves and lemon juice. Mix well.
6. Place 1 crust in a 9-inch (23 cm) pie pan or plate. Spoon in fruit filling.
7. Cut several slits in the middle of the second crust and place it over the filling.
8. Crimp the edges, and brush with melted butter.
9. Bake until the pie is golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. Oven temperatures vary, so the time may vary.

Variations

• Replace the strawberry preserves with raspberry preserves if you want a sharper berry flavor and slightly less sweetness.
• Use homemade pie crusts instead of store-bought if you want a flakier, richer crust with more pronounced butter flavor.
• Swap the raspberries for extra blueberries if you want a slightly firmer filling with fewer seeds.
• Replace part of the white sugar with brown sugar for a deeper, more caramel-like sweetness and a darker filling.
• Use a lattice top instead of a full second crust if you want more moisture to cook off and a filling that sets a little thicker.

Tips for Success

• Stir the cherry juice, sugar, cornstarch and flour until fully smooth before the saucepan goes hot, or you can end up with starch lumps in the filling.
• Cook the juice mixture only until it starts to thicken; if you reduce it too far before adding the fruit, the finished pie can turn overly stiff.
• Cut clear slits in the top crust so steam can escape while baking; without venting, the crust can split unpredictably.
• Look for bubbling filling at the slits along with a golden brown top crust before you pull the pie from the oven.
• Let the pie cool fully before slicing so the cornstarch has time to set the filling.

Storage and Reheating

Store the cooled pie covered with foil or in an airtight pie container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you want to freeze it, wrap the whole pie or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months.

Reheat slices in a 350°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes on a baking sheet for the best crust. You can microwave a slice for 20 to 30 seconds, but the crust will soften. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F oven, loosely covered with foil, for 25 to 35 minutes.

FAQ

Can you use frozen berries instead of fresh?

Yes. Use the same amount, and add them straight from the freezer or only partially thawed so they do not release too much extra liquid before baking.

Do you need to blind bake the bottom crust?

No. The filling is partially cooked on the stove, and the full pie bakes long enough for a standard bottom crust to finish in a 9-inch pie plate.

How do you know when the pie is fully baked?

The top crust should be golden brown, and you should see the filling bubbling through the slits in the top crust. If the crust colors too fast, tent it loosely with foil and keep baking.

Can you make this dairy-free?

Yes. Use a dairy-free pie crust and replace the melted butter on top with a plant-based alternative, or skip the brushing step. The crust may brown a little less without butter.