Why Make This Pie? This is the decadent, dreamy dessert that combines two classic flavors—rich chocolate and tart cherries—into one stunning pie. A buttery, flaky crust holds a luscious cherry filling studded with chocolate chips or chunks, all baked until bubbly and irresistible. It is like a chocolate cherry cordial in pie form. Serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you have a dessert that will steal the show at holidays, potlucks, or any time cherry season rolls around.
Ingredients
For the crust: one double pie crust (homemade or refrigerated), enough for a 9-inch pie. If making homemade: two and a half cups all-purpose flour, one teaspoon salt, one teaspoon sugar, one cup unsalted butter (very cold, cut into small cubes), and six to eight tablespoons ice water.
For the filling: four cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries (about one and a half pounds fresh, or one 32-ounce bag frozen), three quarters cup granulated sugar, one quarter cup cornstarch, one tablespoon lemon juice (fresh), one teaspoon vanilla extract, one cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or dark chocolate chunks, and one tablespoon unsalted butter (cut into small pieces).
For the topping (optional): one egg (beaten with one tablespoon water for egg wash), coarse sugar for sprinkling, and vanilla ice cream for serving.
Equipment Needed
A 9-inch pie dish, a rolling pin, a large mixing bowl, a small bowl for egg wash, a pastry brush, a whisk or fork, a spatula, a baking sheet (to catch drips), and aluminum foil (for crust protection).
Method
Prepare the pie crust. If using homemade dough, whisk together the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized butter pieces. Gradually add ice water, one tablespoon at a time, stirring with a fork until the dough just comes together. Divide the dough in half, shape each half into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Place a baking sheet on the lower rack to catch any drips.
If using fresh cherries, pit them thoroughly. A cherry pitter is the easiest tool. If using frozen cherries, do not thaw them—add them to the pie frozen. Excess liquid from thawed cherries can make the filling runny.
In a large bowl, combine the cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Stir gently to coat the cherries evenly. Let the mixture sit for fifteen minutes, stirring once or twice. This allows the cherries to release their juices and the cornstarch to begin thickening.
Roll out one disc of dough on a lightly floured surface into a circle about twelve inches in diameter. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie dish, gently pressing it into the bottom and up the sides. Trim the overhang to about half an inch.
Pour the cherry filling into the prepared crust. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly over the cherries. Dot the filling with the small pieces of butter.
Roll out the second disc of dough for the top crust. You can place it as a full sheet over the filling, then trim and crimp the edges, or cut it into strips to make a lattice top. For a lattice top, cut the dough into ten to twelve strips about one inch wide. Weave the strips over the filling, alternating over and under. Trim and crimp the edges.
If using a full top crust, cut several slits in the center to allow steam to escape. Brush the top crust with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
Place the pie on the baking sheet to catch any bubbling filling. Bake for twenty minutes at 190°C (375°F). Then reduce the oven temperature to 175°C (350°F) and bake for another thirty to forty minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly (you should see bubbles through the slits or lattice). If the edges of the crust are browning too quickly, cover them with strips of aluminum foil or a pie shield.
Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least three hours before slicing. The filling needs time to set; cutting into a hot pie will result in a runny mess.
Serve warm or at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Storage
Store at room temperature for up to two days or refrigerated for up to five days. Cover loosely with foil or plastic wrap. Reheat slices in a 175°C (350°F) oven for ten minutes or in the microwave for twenty to thirty seconds. Freeze the baked and cooled pie for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in a 175°C (350°F) oven for fifteen to twenty minutes.
Variations
For a dark chocolate cherry pie, use dark chocolate chips (70% cocoa or higher) and add one teaspoon of espresso powder to the filling to deepen the chocolate flavor. For a cherry almond pie, add half a teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla, and sprinkle sliced almonds over the top crust before baking. For a bourbon cherry chocolate pie, add two tablespoons of bourbon to the cherry filling. For a crumb top version, skip the top crust and sprinkle a streusel topping (half cup flour, half cup brown sugar, four tablespoons cold butter, and half cup rolled oats) over the filling before baking. For a gluten-free version, use a gluten-free pie crust mix or homemade gluten-free dough. For a tart cherry version, use sour cherries and increase the sugar to one cup. For a mini pie version, use a muffin tin and cut the dough into circles to line the cups. Fill with cherry-chocolate mixture and top with small crust circles. Bake for twenty to twenty five minutes.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm with a generous scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. Drizzle with chocolate sauce or caramel sauce. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of shaved chocolate. Serve alongside a cup of coffee or hot chocolate. Garnish with fresh mint leaves and a few fresh cherries. Serve as the grand finale to a holiday dinner or summer barbecue.
Tips for Best Results
Use a combination of sweet and tart cherries for the most complex flavor. Dark sweet cherries (Bing or Lambert) and tart cherries (Montmorency) balance each other perfectly. If you only have one type, add an extra tablespoon of lemon juice to sweet cherries to brighten them, or an extra tablespoon of sugar to tart cherries to mellow them.
Do not thaw frozen cherries before using. Thawed cherries release too much liquid into the filling, making it runny and watery. Add them straight from the freezer to the sugar-cornstarch mixture.
Let the cherry mixture sit for fifteen minutes before adding to the crust. This rest time allows the cherries to release their juices and the cornstarch to dissolve, creating a thick, jammy filling rather than a thin, watery one.
Use cornstarch, not flour, as the thickener. Cornstarch creates a clear, glossy, stable filling that sets up beautifully. Flour can make the filling cloudy and gummy. Arrowroot powder also works well as a substitute.
Do not overfill the pie crust. Leave a little room at the top (about a quarter inch) for the filling to bubble without spilling over. A baking sheet on the rack below will catch any drips.
Add chocolate chips to the filling, not melted into it. Whole chocolate chips melt during baking into pockets of gooey chocolate. Stirring in melted chocolate would turn the filling brown and muddy the cherry flavor.
Let the pie cool completely before slicing. This is the hardest part, but it is essential. A hot pie will be runny and messy. Three hours is the minimum; overnight is even better. The filling will set into a sliceable, jammy consistency.
Cut with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between cuts. The chocolate and cherry filling can be sticky. A clean knife gives you neat, beautiful slices. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate the pie for an hour before slicing, then bring to room temperature before serving.
Use a pie shield or foil strips to protect the crust edges. The filling takes longer to cook than the crust. Covering the edges prevents burning while the center finishes baking. You can buy a silicone pie shield or simply wrap strips of foil around the rim.
Serve with vanilla ice cream. The cold, creamy sweetness of vanilla ice cream is the perfect foil to the warm, tart, chocolatey pie. Do not skip it. A sprinkle of flaky sea salt on top of the ice cream takes it to another level.