Recipe: A Festive Cherry Pie

A FESTIVE CHERRY PIE

To make this pie super simple, purchase a package of refrigerated pie dough.

4 cups unsweetened tart cherries
1 1/3 cups sugar
3 Tbsp quick-cooking tapioca or cornstarch
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 (15 oz) package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
2 Tbsp butter
Cooking spray

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine cherries, sugar, tapioca and almond extract in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Let cherry mixture stand for 15 minutes.

Roll 1 (9-inch) dough portion into an 11 inch circle. Fit the dough circle into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fill the pie plate with cherry mixture. Dot with butter.

Roll the remaining 9-inch dough portion into a 12-inch circle. Place over top of the pie filing, cut slits for steam to escape, or cut the dough into 12 (1-inch wide) strips; arrange in a lattice pattern over the cherry mixture. Fold edges under, crimp.

Bake for 20 minutes, then shield the edges of the piecrust with foil. Bake an additional 30-40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and filling is thick and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack.

Makes eight servings
Source: the Traverse City Fruit Fast Store