Vegan Cherry Pie

There is something so special and nostalgic about cherry pie. It’s such a great dessert for holidays such as Valentine’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. I like to have it on my birthday because I am a pie girl!

Making cherry pie reminds me of the times I’d help out in the kitchen when I was little. So, I’m biased in thinking that this is a great recipe to involve the family in. 🙂

Memories in the kitchen are some of the best ones, why not make them along with a beautiful, delicious cherry pie?

It’s incredibly easily to bake and entirely from scratch. Simply prep the vegan crust ahead of time. Then, cook some frozen cherries down into a thick filling. Roll out the pie dough, assemble it, and bake!

This is a great make-ahead recipe because it slices easier once cooled. So you can prepare it ahead of time and set it out for all to enjoy on the day of the big dinner. It is delicious at both room temperature or slightly warmed with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on top.

If you are a fan of fruit-filled desserts, you will love my Blackberry Pie, Blueberry Cobbler, Strawberry Cobbler, Pear Crumble, Peach Crisp, and Apple Crumble Cake!

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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions

• Cherries – To simplify things, we use pitted, dark, sweet frozen cherries. Sour cherries will work too but you’ll want to add another ¼ cup of sugar. Fresh or canned cherries can be used instead. If fresh, make sure to remove the pits from the centers of the cherries. If canned, skip the “Pie Filling” instructions. 
• Vegan Butter – I use Earth Balance unsalted butter sticks in this recipe, but any other vegan butter should work as well. Don’t add salt to the flour if your butter is already salted. Keep the butter (and water) cold until you’re ready to use them.
• Cornstarch – Cornstarch is added to the cherries to help thicken the filling. The same amount of arrowroot powder or tapioca starch can be used instead.
• Cinnamon – I add ground cinnamon to the pie dough because it gives the crust an extra hint of flavor that perfectly complements the cherries. This is optional, though. 
• Almond Extract – Almond extract is another optional add-in for this recipe. A splash of it helps bring the cherry pie filling to the next level!
• Sugar – Cane sugar melts very well into the filling. Turbinado or even brown sugar can be used instead.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.

Vegan Pie Dough

The pie dough is made from scratch in this recipe, but you can skip this step if you’re using one that’s already prepared. 

• Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Then, cut the cold butter in until it’s crumbly. Keep the butter cold until you use it because that’s what helps create the light, flaky texture.
• Stir cold water in, a little at a time, until the dough clumps together.
• Move the dough to a floured surface to work it just a bit with your hands until the ingredients are combined. Try not to overwork it here as that can cause the dough to become tough. Add more flour if it feels too wet and sticky.
• Then, form the dough into a ball, cut it in half, and form two thick discs. Cover each one with plastic wrap and place them in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.

Cherry Pie Filling

Make the pie filling while the dough is chilling in the refrigerator.

• Add the frozen cherries, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon juice to a saucepan.
• Stir this pie filling mixture as it cooks down for about 10 minutes over medium heat. At this point, the cherries should have extracted lots of their liquid.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove the cherries from the pot and add them to a medium bowl to start cooling. Removing them will keep the cherries from overcooking and losing their bursting-with-flavor shape.
• Cook the remaining liquid for another 10 minutes, stirring continuously. Spoon this thick sauce-like liquid over the cherries and place the bowl in the refrigerator to cool for 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can place the bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Assemble

• Once the dough and cherries have chilled, preheat the oven to 400°F and start to assemble the pie. 
• Roll out one of the dough discs onto a floured surface. It should be about 1 inch larger than the size of the pie dish. Drape it over the pie dish and press it down.
• Spread the cherry pie filling into the dish and place a few vegan butter cubes above the cherries. Put this in the refrigerator just while you prepare the top crust.
• Roll out the second disc of dough to the size of the pie dish. Slice it into strips with a knife or pizza cutter. Lay several of them over the pie in a vertical direction.
• Then, lay several strips in a horizontal direction. Lift every-other vertical strip as you lay the horizontal strips down. Leave some gaps between strips to allow for ventilation while the pie is baking.
• Press the edges of the dough together. You can even form a nice design here or use the tines of a fork for added texture.
• Brush the top pie crust with melted butter or plant milk and sprinkle it with sugar for a golden brown color.

Bake

• Place the pie in the middle of the oven and bake it for 20 minutes at 400°F.
• If the crust has formed a dark golden color, cover the edge of the pie with foil or a pie protector like this one to keep it from burning.
• Then, lower the oven temperature to 375°F. Bake the pie for an additional 30-40 minutes until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.
• Let the pie cool down for 2-3 hours so that it can set before you cut into it.

Notes

• Suggestion: Make this pie earlier in the day to enjoy that evening. Or, make it in the evening to enjoy the next day. This is best because it needs time to cool and for the filling to set.
• This recipe works for a 9-10” pie pan.
• If your butter is salted, simply omit the ½ teaspoon of salt for the crust.
• You can skip the lattice step of the top pie crust. Simply lay the rolled out dough over the top of the pie instead. Make sure to cut several slits into it to allow for heat to escape while it’s baking.

Make-Ahead

• The pie dough can be made ahead of time. Store it in the refrigerator for 3 days or freeze it for 3 months.
• Another make-ahead option is to assemble the entire pie and store it in the refrigerator for 2 days before baking it. Let it sit on the counter for about 30 minutes before you place it in the hot oven. This helps prevent your dish from possibly cracking due to extreme temperature change.

Leftovers

Leftover cherry pie is good at room temperature for 2 days or the refrigerator for 5 days. Slices can be eaten cold or heated in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.

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