I think it’s time for some Cherry Pie. Don’t you?
Yep. Let’s take a little break from Chili and eat some dessert! (Don’t worry – there’s more Chili January coming soon)
So… someone around here had a sudden hankering for cherry pie (I won’t name names… ahem). Next thing I know I just had to bake one up – from scratch, no less! I won’t lie, the first time I made this, I think I picked it because I didn’t have to worry about a top crust… because pie crust scares me a little. I’m working on it though – I did make the pie crust for this recipe from scratch and it actually turned out pretty good, so I guess I’m making progress. That being said, you aren’t going to find any pie crust tutorials from me on this site! 
Now, if you are looking for a traditional cherry pie, this just isn’t it. While it’s definitely reminiscent of other cherry pies, it has a unique twist of both flavors and crunch. For one, this recipe has two types of cherries: traditional tart cherries, and sweet dark cherries. So every juicy bite has a slightly different flavor profile. Then you top it all off with a buttery crunchy topping of coconut, oats, and almonds. Not only is this recipe easy to make, it looks so pretty with the buttery crumbly topping contrasting with the deep red cherries, and… you don’t have to worry about making a top pie crust look good. Whew!
- 1 9-inch deep dish pie crust
- 12 ounces frozen tart cherries, thawed (or 1½ to 2 cans of tart cherries)
- 6 ounces frozen sweet cherries, thawed
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 tbsp quick-cooking tapioca
- 2 lemon peel strips (1 in x 3 in)
- 1 cup flaked coconut
- ½ cup almond slivers, or coarsely chopped almonds
- ¼ cup quick-cooking oats
- ¼ cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- ¼ cup butter melted
- Bake the pie shell until dry and lightly browned, according to your recipe or package directions. Cool.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Drain the cherries, reserving the juices. If necessary, add enough water to the juice to make 1 cup.
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and tapioca. Stir in the reserved cherry juice and lemon peel. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until thickened and bubbly. Remove and discard the lemon peel. Add the cherries (you should have about 2 to 2½ cups); cook and stir for 5 more minutes. Pour the filling into the baked crust.
- For the topping, in a medium bowl, combine the coconut, almonds, oats, flour, and brown sugar; stir to combine. Add the melted butter and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Sprinkle topping evenly over the pie filling.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until topping is golden brown, and filling is starting to bubble. Cool on a wire rack.
Use a vegetable peeler to make wide strips of lemon peel, cutting them about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long.
After filling the crust, I put a ring of foil over the edges of the crust to prevent it from overbrowning.
Recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.
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