Nothing compares to Mom's Cherry Pie.
Cherry Pie for me is many things. It is the final course of a large family meal, greeted with smiles of anticipation; a summer barbecue in rural Ohio; a celebration (with ice cream) of another baseball victory. It is also visits home from college, a long and much-needed chat accompanied by pots of coffee, and my dad: smacking his lips and singing a song.
All of these memories began with one thing: my mother. Usually in her bathrobe, just after sunrise, she would roll out hand-made dough and stir up fillings for some family gathering that was happening that day. Her famous pies are second to none, and her Brandy-Soaked Cherry pie is my dad and I’s hands-down favorite. I still love to wake up in my parents’ house to the smell of my mother’s pies baking in the oven. There is nothing quite like it.
Keith was very quickly ushered in to the tradition of my mother’s pies as dessert from the moment he met my family. I think it is my mother’s way of welcome: to bake you something. Although we have been taught countless times the secrets of her pie crusts and fillings, we continue to strive to get them to taste as good as they do when they emerge from her oven. I truly doubt this will ever happen, but we will keep trying.
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Mom's Brandy-Soaked Cherry Pie
This is the best cherry pie you will ever have, hand down. Mom's Brandy-Soaked Cherry pie is an all American family recipe that is lick-your-lips good.
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Yield: 1 pie 1x
Ingredients
- PIE FILLING:
- 5 cups fresh, pitted cherries
- ¾ cup granulated sugar + 1 tbsp for topping on pie
- 3 Tbsp Minute Tapioca
- 2 Tbsp cherry brandy
- PIE CRUST:
- 3 cups AP flour
- 1 ½ cups Crisco
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 5 Tbsp water
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350°.
- Combine cherries, sugar, tapioca and brandy, stirring until blended together. Set aside
- To make the pie crust:
- Mix together flour, Crisco and salt.
- In a small bowl combine egg, water and vinegar and then combine with flour mixture.
- Mix together until one large dough ball is formed. Divide dough in half and wrap each section in Saran Wrap. Chill at least 30 minutes.
- To assemble pie:
- Roll one half of dough mixture with rolling pin and place in pie baking dish. Fill shell with cherry mixture. Dot top of the mixture with 2-3T sliced pieces of butter. Roll out remaining dough and place on top of the cherry mixture. Flute the edges of the pie crust and sprinkle top with granulated sugar.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until top is golden brown. You may have to cover pie edge with aluminum if your oven runs hot.
- Allow pie to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 672
- Sugar: 29.9 g
- Sodium: 303.1 mg
- Fat: 39.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 70.8 g
- Protein: 6.5 g
- Cholesterol: 23.3 mg
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says
It truly looks and sounds delicious, Jackie! I'm sure your mom is proud of you! Loreto and I we love pies, and as soon as we saw yours, he said we need to make one 😉 . Thank you for the inspiration!
Jackie says
thank you so much Nicoletta. This is truly my absolute favorite dessert. I look forward to what you guys come up with!!
Matt @ The Bluenosers says
Mmmm, its been ages since I've seen a cherry pie. Not really the done thing here in the UK. But I remember them vividly from my youth in Nova Scotia, when the berries were fresh! Well done on the crust, it looks brilliant!
Jackie says
thanks Matt! Yes, this does seem to be an all-American kind of treat. It was such a big part of my childhood. My mother's crust is the best!!
Lori says
Definitely one of my favorites!!
Charles Welsh says
Fantastic recipe. Turned out wonderfully! Made a few changes:
1. Used 3 cups fresh, sweet cherries, used 1 cup tart canned cherries, used 1 cup of fully brandied cherries (soaked in brandy and vanilla for a month)
2. Half Crisco and half coconut oil (imparts wonderful flakiness and slight coconut flavor.
3. Reduced sugar to just 1/2 cup, to let the cherry flavor shine through. Also, helps to contrast with sweetness of ice cream or whipped cream, when you serve it.
4. Used Tapioca seeds instead of powder. The seeds provide a lovely texture.
Jackie says
We are so happy you like it Charles! The additions you made sound absolutely delicious (especially the fully brandied cherries!). I will definitely be passing these along to Mom! Cheers!