Now that summer is in full swing, I’ve been thinking a lot about pie. Discussing favorite pie flavors with friends, saving up pie recipes, and keeping an eye out for sales on seasonal fruit. So when I saw a major sale on cherries, I knew I had to make a cherry pie. I wanted to put my own twist on the recipe though, and what better way to do that than adding a little bourbon? Maybe it’s just because it’s my favorite liquor and I always have a little around, but I find that bourbon really lends itself well to cooking applications. Here, I soaked pitted sweet cherries in bourbon overnight and was surprised at how much of the whiskey’s oak notes and sweetness came through in the soaked cherries and the resulting pie. I also kept the sugar quantity low to really emphasize the natural flavors of the bourbon and cherries. But this twist is still close enough to the original to please fans of traditional cherry pie. A great choice for the fourth of July – delicious seasonal cherries and a uniquely American liquor.
Bourbon Cherry Pie (adapted from Smitten Kitchen)
Yield: 1 9-inch pie
Ingredients:
- 2 1/2 – 3 lbs sweet cherries, pitted
- 3/4 cup bourbon*
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup granulated sugar**
- 4 Tbsp cornstarch
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 1 recipe pie crust
- 1 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small bits
- 1 egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp water
- turbinado sugar
*I recommend Buffalo Trace bourbon – I find it’s a very good compromise between quality and price.
**Adjust based on the sweetness of the cherries and the strength of your sweet tooth.
Method:
- In a large bowl, combine 2 1/2 – 3 lbs sweet cherries, pitted with 3/4 cup bourbon, stir together, then let sit covered in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours and ideally overnight, stirring occasionally, if possible.
- Put a baking sheet lined with foil in your oven (this is to catch any drips from the pie), and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Drain cherries, reserving bourbon for another use (great for old-fashioneds).
- Combine the cherries with 1/2 – 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 4 Tbsp cornstarch, juice of 1/2 lemon, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract, and pinch salt. Stir together until cherries are coated, then set aside.
- Roll out half of 1 recipe pie crust on a floured work surface to an approximately 13-inch round.
- Gently transfer to a 9-inch pie pan, and trim excess (leave about 1/2″ overhang).
- Transfer the cherry filling to the pie crust, discarding the liquid at the bottom of the bowl (or you can add it in if you don’t mind a more liquid-y filling).
- Top with 1 Tbsp cold butter, cut into small bits, then transfer to the refrigerator while you roll out the top crust.
- Roll out the second half of the pie crust on a floured work surface to an approximately 12-inch round (if desired, cut into strips to create a lattice top).
- Gently transfer the top crust to the top of the pie (or weave your lattice using the cut strips). Trim any excess crust (you want to keep the 1/2″ overhang) and gently press together the bottom and top crust and then fold the overhang under, crimping around the edges. If you don’t have a lattice crust, cut a few slits into the top crust for venting.
- Brush the top crust with 1 egg, beaten with 2 Tbsp water, then sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 25 – 30 more minutes.
- Remove pie from oven, and let cool on a rack. (As tempting as it may be, don’t cut your pie while it’s still warm as the filling will come pouring out.)
