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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Cherry Crumb Pie

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This delicious Cherry Crumb Pie is packed with fresh fruit and is topped with a crumble made from almonds and oats. This is a great dessert for any get together: for picnics in the summer months to Halloween to Christmas!

cherry crumb pie against a white background, top view

A lot of people have asked me how I balance my love of dessert with my passion for healthy eating. My answer is always the same: everything in moderation – a little bit of indulgence never hurt anyone!

I never deprive myself, but instead I just focus on portion sizes. For example, when it comes to pies: instead of 1 piece of pumpkin pie, 1 piece of apple pie and some ice cream to top it off, I’ll either take half a slice of each, or just stick to one small slice of pie. And I never scarf my desserts down, I always eat them mindfully, savoring every bite. That way it doesn’t disappear in 5 seconds, and I’m satisfied after I’m done with my reasonably-sized portion.

Now, sometimes a recipe comes along that is somewhat guilt-free: either it’s slightly lower in calories or fat than the traditional version of the dessert, or is higher in fiber/has more nutrients. Today’s recipe is one of those desserts: A Cherry Crumb Pie with a homemade crust.

This classic cherry pie recipe is great to make during cherry season when you can you use fresh pitted cherries, but you can also make this cherry crumb pie with frozen cherries off season. It creates the best cherry pie you’ll ever taste! It’s one of my favorite fresh fruit pies! It’s the perfect dessert!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

  • Delicious buttery crumble topping!
  • Uses fresh or frozen pitted cherries
  • A special cherry dessert!
  • Flaky Pie Crust
  • Golden Brown Finish
  • An amazing pie for the holidays!

🥘 Ingredients

For The Easy Homemade Pie Crust

  • Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: For added health benefits it’s best to use whole wheat pastry flour. However, if you do not have that on hand, you can use an all purpose flour.
  • Butter: Make sure butter is at room temperature. Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry blender.
  • Coconut Sugar: For added sweetness to the pastry, a touch of coconut sugar is used. It’s a less refined sugar than white sugar, or brown sugar.

For The Crumb Topping

  • Sliced Almonds: Give this crumble topping a nice crunch!
  • Brown Sugar: Creates a caramelized finish.
  • Rolled Oats: Used for crumbles, combined with butter, and sugar, it gives this cherry crumb pie recipe an authentic crumble top!
  • Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: For increased fiber and health benefits.
  • Cold Butter: Needed to give this cherry pie recipe a topping with coarse crumbs.

Cherry Filling

  • Pomegranate Cherry Juice: The juice is reduced when heated, and then combined with the cherries to create a thick and sweet filling.
  • Pitted Cherries: Cherries come in different varieties. You can opt for dark sweet cherries, fresh sour cherries, bing cherries, tart cherries, or even frozen cherries when they are not in season. Cherries are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals including potassium, calcium and vitamin A and C. They are also packed with anti-inflammatory antioxidants, which helps keep your body healthy.
  • Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the juices of the cherries.
  • Hint of Almond Extract: A nice compliment to the almond crumb topping. If you don’t have almond extract you can use vanilla extract instead.
  • Dried Blueberries: For a surprise of added fruit!

🍽 Equipment

cherry crumb pie against a white background, side view

🔪 Instructions

For The Crust

Step 1: Preheat oven to 475 degrees F. Place all the dry ingredients, and the butter in a medium bowl.

ingredients for pie crust

Step 2: Using a pastry cutter, or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour to achieve a “pea” size crumble.

ingredients for pie crust

Step 3: Stir in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and gently form into a ball. Do not knead the pie dough.

dough for pie crust

Step 4: On a flat surface, place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap, top with another sheet of plastic wrap. Press down to flatten slightly and roll to a 10-inch diameter circle. Place dough (covered with the plastic wrap) on a dinner plate and refrigerate 15 minutes to chill quickly.

Step 5: Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap from the chilled dough and place dough in a 9-inch pie pan (plastic wrap side up). Remove the remaining plastic wrap, press the pie shell down lightly to fit the dough into the pan, and set aside.

pie crust in a pan

For The Crumble Topping

Step 1: Combine finely chopped almonds, brown sugar, coarsely ground oatmeal and flour in a small bowl.

ingredients for crumble topping

Step 2: Cut in butter until mixed and crumbly; set aside.

crumble topping in a bowl

For The Fruit Filling

Step 1: To make filling, boil pomegranate cherry juice in a medium saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup. Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup of reserved cherry juice drained from thawed cherries with cornstarch until blended.

Step 2: Stir cornstarch juice mixture into reduced juice in saucepan and whisk until blended and smooth. Stir in sugar. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in almond extract. Mix hot liquid filling with cherries and dried blueberries. Pour fruit filling into pie crust. Sprinkle crumb topping the top of the pie.

cherries in pie crust

Step 3: Place pie in preheated oven. Bake 12 minutes, and reduce heat to 350 degrees F. Bake 35-40 minutes or until bubbly. Cool completely before serving.

cherry crumb pie against a white background, top view

❓Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between a crumble, a crisp, and a cobbler?

A crumble is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping. The topping is typically made from flour, sugar and butter but can occasionally include oats and/or nuts. A crumble topping is typically more clumpy than a crisp topping, but not as clumpy or thick as a cobbler topping.

A crisp is a baked fruit dessert with a layer of topping made from sugar, butter, oats, nuts, and flour. Spices like cinnamon and/or nutmeg may be added as well. The crisp topping is thinner and more evenly spread than a cobbler or crumble.

A cobbler is a baked fruit filling poured into a large baking dish and covered with a topping made of biscuit / batter dough. Whereas pies have the pastry dough on the top and bottom of the dish, cobblers are just topped with the baked pastry/dough with the filling underneath.

Will kids enjoy this Cherry Crumb Pie?

This cherry crumble pie is perfectly sweet and kid will love it! Serve it with some vanilla ice cream and you’ve got a kid friendly dessert that even adults will love. If your child isn’t a fan of cherries, you can replace the fruit with any summer fruits you like!

How do you pit cherries?

The best way I’ve found to pit cherries is by using a handy tool like this OXO Cherry Pitter. Pitting cherries by hand can be a bit messier but it can be done! All you need is a sturdy straw, pastry tip, or chopsticks. Then, just push the straw (or tool you’re using) into the spot where the stem attaches to the cherry, and push through until you feel the pit. Continue pushing until the pit pops out!

Can you freeze cherry crumb pie?

Technically yes, I think you can freeze this pie as long as you place it in a freezer safe airtight container. You will have to thaw it in the fridge overnight and then warm in the oven before serving, but for best results I recommend eating this fresh!

cherry crumb pie against a white background, top view

🧊 How to Store

This sweet cherry pie will last in an airtight container for up to 5-6 days in the fridge!

📖 Variations

  • Different Crust: If you don’t have time to make the dough from scratch, you can also make this cherry crumb pie with a graham cracker crust (either store bought, or homemade!)
  • Healthier Pie: To make this recipe healthier, cut the amount of sugar by 1/3 or 1/2. You’ll end up with more of a tart cherry pie filling but will still taste pretty good!
  • Gluten Free Cherry Crumb Pie: To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free oats and this Gluten-Free Pie Crust Mix.
  • Cherry Crumb Pie with Canned Pie Filling: If you’re really in a bind, you can use canned cherry pie filling for this recipe. But I would highly recommend using frozen cherries instead if you can find them!

💭 Expert Tips

  • Make sure the dough is kept cool at every step of prep for best results. If you’re worried about your kitchen being too warm, use a food processor to blitz the flour and butter (using short pulses) to get it combined.
  • If you feel like the dough is warming up too much as you work with it, you can always pop it and all of your equipment into the fridge for about 10-20 minutes to cool it down before continuing to work with it.
  • Aim for your butter pieces to be about the size of roughly chopped walnuts.
  • Aim for under-mixing the dough vs. over-mixing.
  • You can make the dough in advance, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days – or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • If you make this cherry crumb pie recipe with fresh cherries, you can follow the exact same directions as the frozen cherry version in the recipe card below.
  • Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra special finish!
cherry crumb pie against a white background, side view

🥧 More Delicious Dessert Recipes!

LOVE THIS RECIPE? Please leave a 5-star rating 🌟 in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page!

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📋 Recipe Card

cherry crumble pie against a white background, top view
Print Recipe
5 from 9 votes

Cherry Crumb Pie

This delicious Cherry Crumb Pie with frozen cherries is packed with fruit and is topped with a crumble made from almonds and oats. This is a great dessert for any get together: for picnics in the summer to Halloween to Christmas!
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time1 hr 10 mins
Total Time1 hr 30 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Vegetarian
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 227.6kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

Crust:

Crumble Topping:

Fruit Filling:

  • 1 cup pomegranate cherry juice Plain pomegranate or plain cherry juice would work just as well. Choose one with no added sugar.
  • 24 oz frozen pitted tart cherries thawed, juice drained and reserved
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 1 cup coconut sugar
  • ½ teaspoon almond extract
  • ½ cup dried blueberries with no sugar added

Instructions

Crust:

  • Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
  • Place all, but the water in a medium bowl.
  • Using a pastry cutter, or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour to achieve a “pea” size crumble.
  • Stir in the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and gently form into a ball. Do not knead the dough.
  • Place on a sheet of plastic wrap, top with another sheet of plastic wrap.
  • Press down to flatten slightly and roll to a 10-inch diameter circle.
  • Place dough (covered with the plastic wrap) on a dinner plate and refrigerate 15 minutes to chill quickly.
  • Remove the top sheet of plastic wrap from the chilled dough and place dough in a 9-inch pie pan (plastic wrap side up).
  • Remove the remaining plastic wrap, press down lightly to fit the dough into the pan, and set aside.

Crumble Topping:

  • Combine finely chopped almonds, brown sugar, coarsely ground oatmeal and flour in a medium mixing bowl.
  • Cut in butter until mixed and crumbly; set aside.

Fruit Filling:

  • To make filling, boil pomegranate cherry juice in a medium saucepan until reduced to 1/2 cup.
  • Meanwhile, mix 1/2 cup of reserved cherry juice drained from thawed cherries with cornstarch until blended.
  • Stir cornstarch juice mixture into reduced juice in saucepan and whisk until blended and smooth. Stir in sugar. Bring to a boil.
  • Reduce heat and cook and stir 2 minutes.
  • Remove from heat and stir in almond extract.
  • Mix hot liquid filling with cherries and dried blueberries.
  • Pour fruit filling into pie crust. Sprinkle topping over filling.
  • Place pie in preheated oven. Bake 12 minutes, and reduce heat to 350 degrees. Bake 35-40 minutes or until bubbly.
  • Cool completely before serving.

Notes

  • Make sure the dough is kept cool at every step of prep. If you’re worried about your kitchen being too warm, use a food processor to blitz the flour and butter (using short pulses) to get it combined.
  • If you feel like the dough is warming up too much as you work with it, you can always pop it and all of your equipment into the fridge for about 10-20 minutes to cool it down before continuing to work with it.
  • Aim for your butter pieces to be about the size of roughly chopped walnuts.
  • Aim for under-mixing the dough vs. over-mixing.
  • You can make the dough in advance, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store it in the fridge for up to 2 days – or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
  • To make this recipe healthier, cut the amount of sugar by 1/3 or 1/2. The pie might be slightly tart but will still taste pretty good!
  • To make this recipe gluten free, use gluten free oats and this Gluten-Free Pie Crust Mix.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 227.6kcal | Carbohydrates: 44.2g | Protein: 2.3g | Fat: 6.3g | Saturated Fat: 3.3g | Cholesterol: 13.6mg | Sodium: 75.7mg | Potassium: 32.7mg | Fiber: 3.6g | Sugar: 30g

Posted In…

Plant Based Desserts ·

Indulge your sweet tooth with some of my delicious, lightened-up treats! From vegan vanilla pudding to gluten-free brownies to microwave peanut butter fudge, there’s something for everyone!

All of these desserts are healthier than their traditional counterparts, and many have gluten free and/or vegan alternatives. But the most important part is that they are all so tasty, so satisfying, and are total crowd pleasers!

Be sure to try other reader favorites like this healthy hot chocolate, our healthy edible vegan cookie dough, and these peanut butter bliss balls!

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