This cherry pie is bursting with fresh fruit and just the right amount of sweetness — the perfect dessert!
Can I just tell you how much I love this time of year? Pair it with this dessert and I’m seriously the happiest person in the world.
I love pie. It’s a classic dessert, and it never goes out of style. My favorite pie used to be cherry pie, but now it’s Elderberry Cherry Pie because Oh. My. Goodness.
I made this last week and let’s just put it this way — it disappeared faster than my kids when I ask them to do their chores, ha!
So if you’re looking for a unique and jaw-dropping dessert to serve your friends, husband or family… this is the one.
Plus, it’s really a simple recipe. Because we’re using my handy dandy elderberry syrup (you should always have this on hand btw), it really just requires a crust and filling that takes minutes to whip up.
The saying "easy as pie" — it definitely applies here!
Benefits of Elderberries
Elderberries hold a close place in my heart.
They are the inspiration behind my business and a big part of why my entire family is in such good health.
We used to be sick so often. Not only in the fall either. I just got tired of it. Tired of canceling plans, missing out on vacations and feeling awful all the time.
We were over it and willing to try anything.
I was hearing all this hype around elderberry syrup and thought… let’s give it a try. No harm, right?!
I was truly blown away by the results my family and I were experiencing. FINALLY — we were living the life we had been missing out on.
So I started searching for USDA organic elderberry syrup, and it was so hard to get my hands on. The few brands that did have all clean and healthy ingredients were crazy expensive, and I thought, “With 5 boys, I just can’t afford this.”
So I decided to make my own using only ingredients I trusted, and that eventually led to opening my own line of elderberry syrup.
Want to know a secret I’ve learned along the journey of getting healthier with elderberry syrup?
It’s not just a seasonal effort.
Building your health is a year-round endeavor, and that means taking a simple dose of elderberry syrup every single day (not just in the fall/winter) can do wonders for your entire body. From providing nutrients and antioxidants to building your gut health and overall wellness.
The benefits are mind-blowing.
Why Elderberry Syrup in Pie?
If you haven’t noticed by my blog (which you should check out here if you haven’t yet), I LOVE to cook. But I especially love to cook using elderberry syrup.
It’s a wonderful way to provide immune support while chowing down on your favorite foods.
This is how I came to Elderberry Cherry Pie. It’s the best of both worlds.
Cherry pie, but tossed in elderberry syrup before baking so you’re left with a delicious, immune-boosting dessert that everyone will love. Especially if you serve it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ingredients for Elderberry Cherry Pie
Ready to get going on this gorgeous and delicious dessert everyone is sure to love?
Alright then, gather these ingredients and let’s get baking!
FOR THE CRUST:
- 2 1/4 cups flour (substitute GF flour 1:1)
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold water
- 1 egg (egg white for brushing lattice top)
FOR THE FILLING:
- 1 cup organic elderberry syrup
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
- 4 cups fresh cherries, pitted or frozen cherries (thaw if frozen)
How to Make the Pie Crust
For this recipe, I use my favorite and classic pie crust. It’s simple and has been used in my family for generations.
I love it because it feels as if I’m sitting outside with my grandma at the picnic table in her backyard again, enjoying a piece of pie together. I love that food can serve as a bookmark for memories with loved ones.
So this is how you make it!
Start by cutting your butter into little cubes, then place them on a plate and set it in the freezer to chill for a few minutes.
While your butter is chilling, whisk the flour and salt together in a large mixing bowl.
Then grab your butter out of the freezer and add it to the flour mixture. Now cut the butter into the flour. You can do this with a pastry cutter like this one, or use two knives.
Keep cutting in the butter until it’s in pea-sized crumbles. At this point, you can even put your hands into the mixture and crumble it between your fingers. This helps to feel if there are any big clumps in there too.
Pour in cold water and mix with a spatula until dough forms. Divide the dough into two balls and wrap each, then refrigerate.
How to Make The Pie Filling
Start by pitting your cherries.
There are a lot of fancy tools out there for this, but honestly, a chopstick works amazingly well.
Simply push the smaller end of the chopstick into the cherry, push and the pit should pop right out.
Set your cherries aside.
If you’re not up for pitting cherries, no worries! You can use frozen cherries.
In a medium-sized saucepan, combine elderberry syrup and tapioca starch and bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Stir until it thickens.
Add in the cherries and mix well.
Cook for a few minutes to heat the cherries. Stir often.
Take the filling mixture off the heat and set it aside to cool while you put together your pie.
Assembling The Pie
Remove both balls of dough from the fridge.
Unwrap one ball and roll it out on a lightly floured surface. Then line your pie pan with this crust.
Looking for a great pie pan?
Nothing beats a classic cast iron pie pan. You can easily find one on Amazon. It cooks perfectly and reminds me of all the cast irons my grandma had hanging on her kitchen wall. More nostalgia for you.
Now that you have your pie crust-lined pan, fill the pan with your elderberry cherry pie filling.
Unwrap the second ball of dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface as well. You can use a pizza cutter to make strips and create a simple lattice (this is my favorite look) or create a solid pie top.
If you decide to go with a solid pie top, use a knife and cut a few slits into it so steam can escape and it doesn’t explode in your oven.
Ok, ok, it didn’t explode but I did make a bit of a mess when I forgot to do this one time. Yikes.
Brush the top of your crust with egg white. You can also sprinkle with coarse sugar for a finishing decorative touch!
Bake at 425ºF for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350ºF for an additional 20 minutes or until the crust is browned and the filling is bubbling.
The ONLY downside of homemade pie?
You really need to let it cool completely. Ever try to slice a fruit-filled pie straight out of the oven? It’s a soggy mess and it all falls apart.
Not so pretty when that happens.
Instead, wait patiently. Let it cool. If you like warm pie, just slice yourself a piece and microwave it for 30 seconds.
No store-bought pie crust or pie filling could ever compete with this beauty.
If the thought of homemade pie intimidates you, I hope you can see that it’s really not that hard to make — and oh so worth it!
Because nothing beats this easy, classic, old-fashioned pie.
That’s exactly why I wanted to share my favorite Elderberry Cherry Pie recipe with you.
There’s something satisfying about making your own pie entirely from scratch. It’s something to be proud of and will turn every head in the room.
Plus, it’s healthy! So you don’t have to feel guilty about having it for dessert, a snack or heck — even breakfast if that’s what you want. Yes, please!
Don’t forget to top each slice with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream.
