Cherry Pie | Buttery Crust & Juicy Cherry Filling
Cherry Pie is one of those timeless Christmas desserts that feels both nostalgic and luxurious. The deep red filling, buttery pastry, and warm festive flavours make it a true holiday centrepiece. The best part is, it’s incredibly simple to make. For my $100 Christmas Feast, I wanted a dessert that felt special. It had to be inexpensive. This homemade Cherry Pie delivered exactly that.
I made my own sweet short pastry. It takes just a few staple ingredients. This gives you a beautifully tender, buttery base that pairs perfectly with the cherry filling. You can serve this recipe warm with ice cream. Alternatively, serve it chilled with whipped cream. It is sure to become a Christmas favourite for your family.
Watch This Recipe in My Christmas Special
You can see this Cherry Pie being made step-by-step in my Farmer’s Wife Homestead Christmas Special. In the special, I created an entire festive menu for around $100 NZD.
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- Cheesy Garlic Loaf
- Butterflied Lemon & Thyme Chicken
- Honey-Kissed Roasted Carrots | Simple & Delicious
- A Simple Roasted Veggie Green Salad
- Green Beans with Bacon
- Smashed Potatoes
Cherry Pie Recipe
Serves: 8
Prep Time: 20–25 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes to an hour
Chill Time (Pastry): 30 minutes
Ingredients
Sweet Short Pastry
- 2 ½ cups plain flour
- 225g cold butter, diced
- 1/3 cup icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 6 Tbsp cold water
Cherry Filling
- 500 g pitted cherries (frozen)
- ½ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 5 Tbsp cornflour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)
To Finish
- Sugar for sprinkling
Method
Make the Sweet Short Pastry
- In a large bowl, combine the flour and icing sugar.
- Add the cold, diced butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. I used my stand mixer to do this.
- Add cold water 1 tablespoon at a time until it just comes together.
- Shape into a disc, wrap, and chill for 30 minutes.
Make the Cherry Filling
- Add frozen cherries, sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon (if using) and corn flour to a bowl.
- Mix thoroughly until the cherries are evenly coated. Set aside.
Assemble & Bake
- Preheat your oven to 190°C fan bake.
- Butter a 20cm pie plate.
- Roll out half the pastry and line a pie dish. Chill the base for 20 minutes.
- Pour in the cherry filling.
- Roll out the remaining pastry and create a lattice top or full pie lid.
- Trim edges and crimp.
- Sprinkle the top of the pie with a little sugar.
- Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until golden and cooked through. If the top is browning too fast. Cover the top of the pie loosely with some tin foil.
- Cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing so the filling sets.
Stacey’s Kitchen Tips
- Cold butter is key for flaky, tender homemade pastry.
- Chill the pastry — it helps prevent shrinking when baked.
- Frozen cherries work perfectly and are cheaper out of season.
- Serve warm with ice cream or cold with whipped cream.
Variations
- Mixed Berry Pie: Add raspberries or blackberries.
- Crumble Top: Swap the pastry lid for a buttery crumble topping.
- Mini Pies: Turn this recipe into 6 individual pies for gifting.
- Spiced Pie: add mixed spice for a stronger Christmas flavour.
Final Thoughts
This Cherry Pie embodies everything I love about Christmas baking. It uses simple ingredients and offers big flavour. The pie also has that beautiful homemade look you just can’t buy. The sweet short pastry makes such a difference, giving you a buttery base that perfectly holds the rich cherry filling. Whether you’re feeding a crowd or baking ahead for Christmas Day, this pie is a festive classic that never disappoints.
— Stacey, Farmers Wife Homestead
