My cherry cobbler with pie crust recipe is easy and delicious. By using frozen sour cherries to make the filling and refrigerated pie crust to make the top and bottom, this old-fashioned dessert is super simple to make. Although tart cherries can lack flavor, I use the right ingredients to give this cobbler flavor. If you want to learn how to make cherry cobbler with pie crust, keep reading!
Why Make Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust?
Although my cherry cobbler with cake mix and pie filling recipe is very simple and tasty, some people might be disappointed with the lack of cherry flavor in the filling and absence of traditional pie crust. If you’re craving something old-fashioned, dump cakes won’t satisfy you.
That’s where my cherry cobbler with pie crust recipe comes in. If you like juicy, fresh-tasting fruit filling made with real fruit and crispy, buttery crust, this is the dessert for you.
Can You Make Cherry Cobbler with Frozen Cherries?
Yes! You can definitely make cherry cobbler with frozen cherries. As seen my peach cobber with frozen peaches and pie crust recipe, among many others, using frozen fruit is a great way to make juicy, flavorful, fresh-tasting cobbler filling with little prep work, whether or not fresh fruit is in season.
In addition to being more convenient, frozen fruit is often more flavorful. According to a Health.com article, fresh fruit is usually picked before it’s ripe, robbing the fruit of the chance to fully develop nutrients and flavor. So, using frozen fruit isn’t just easier–it usually tastes better, too!
Sour Cherries or Sweet Cherries?
When making cherry cobbler, you have to decide between two types of cherries: sour cherries, such as Montmorency, or sweet cherries, like Bing. Traditionally, bright-red sour cherries are used in baking, so I decided to make cherry cobbler with frozen sour cherries this time; next time, I might use sweet cherries.
Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust Ingredients
My cherry cobbler with pie crust recipe is easy because there are just a few ingredients:
Frozen Cherries – 24 oz, about 3 cups, of sour (tart) cherries.
White Sugar – 3/4 cup.
Light Brown Sugar – 1/2 cup. For less flavor but bright red color, replace with 1/2 cup white sugar.
Dark Brown Sugar – 2 Tablespoon. Although there will be less flavor, replacing with 2 Tablespoons white sugar will help preserve the bright red color of the cherry filling.
Water – 1/2 cup.
Almond Extract – 1/2 teaspoon. Although it seems odd, almond extract brings out the cherry flavor.
Pie Crusts – 2 , 9-inch pie crusts
Salt – 1/8 teaspoon.
For the Cornstarch Slurry:
Cornstarch – 3 Tablespoons.
Water – 1/4 cup.
For the Sugar Sprinkle (optional):
White Sugar – 1 Tablespoon
Light Brown Sugar – 1 Tablespoon
Tools
8×8 Pan – For baking the cobbler.
Large Pot – For cooking the filling on the stove.
Wooden Spoon – Using a wooden spoon to stir the filling as it cooks reduces the risk of burns.
Can I Make this Recipe with Fresh Cherries?
Yes! Although I used frozen sour cherries out of convenience, you can definitely use fresh cherries. In fact, the recipe will be exactly the same: the only difference is that the cherry filling will come to a boil faster.
Can I Use a Refrigerated Pie Crust?
Yes! You can definitely use a refrigerated, premade pie crust such as Pillsbury to make this cherry cobbler. Personally, I used a homemade butter and oil crust, but storebought is totally fine.
Do I Have to Thaw the Frozen Cherries Before Making the Cobbler?
No. You don’t have to thaw the frozen cherries before making this cobbler. Unlike my strawberry pie with frozen strawberries, this recipe calls for cooking the cherries on the stovetop to make the filling, so the frozen cherries will thaw as they come to a boil.
How to Make Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust
Learning how to make cherry cobbler with pie crust is easy. Just follow a few, simple steps:
Prepare the Pie Crust
Make sure your pie crust is ready before starting the recipe. If using a homemade crust, be sure give it at least 30-60 minutes to chill in the refrigerator: that will make it much easier to handle and cut. If using a refrigerated, premade crust such as Pillsbury, I recommend keeping it refrigerated until ready to use.
Decide if Color or Taste is More Important in the Filling
I know it sounds odd, but you have to decide if you want a bright-red filling with less flavor or a more flavorful filling but less attractive (in my opinion). I think that adding brown sugar is key to making a flavorful cherry filling, but it turns the bright red sour cherries a dark purple.
Although the color is still attractive, it isn’t that eye-catching red that many people love. Unfortunately, I think that you have to choose between an eye-catching color and a mouthwatering flavor in this recipe.
If color is more important, replace the light and dark brown sugars with equal amounts of white sugar. On the other hand, if flavor is more important, follow the recipe as written. This is something you have to decide before starting the recipe because once you add the brown sugar, there’s no turning back.
Add the Frozen Sour Cherries and Other Ingredients for the Filling to a Pot on the Stove
The first step in my cherry cobbler with pie crust recipe is adding the ingredients for the filling to a pot on the stove. As stated previously, there’s no need to thaw the cherries since they’ll be cooked: simply open the bag and pour the tart cherries into a pot.
Then, add the sugar, 1/2 water, and salt. In the video I didn’t add the dark brown sugar at this point, but you can add all the sugar at the beginning if you want. Or, if you’re not sure how sweet you want the filling, add some now, and then taste the filling as it gets closer to being done.
Notice that I didn’t say to add the almond extract now. That’s because you can boil away the alcohol-based flavor of extracts if you add them at the beginning of the cooking process. So, wait until the sour cherry filling is done–or nearly done–boiling before you add the almond extract.
Bring the Frozen Tart Cherries and Sugar to a Boil
With all the ingredients for the filling in the pot, turn on the heat and bring the mixture to a boil. Use a wooden spoon to break apart the frozen cherries and stir the sugar into the liquid so it dissolves. I think I used medium heat, but I’m not quite sure–whatever setting you use, you will boil then on medium later.
Boil the Cherries on Medium Heat for 10 Minutes
Once the cherry filling comes to a boil, set the burner to medium and continue cooking the cherry filling for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Add the Cornstarch Slurry
After boiling the tart cherries for 10 minutes, it’s time to add the cornstarch slurry. Simply mix the cornstarch water off to the side, pour it into the pot with the cherry filling, and then stir. If the heat is on and your cherry filling is hot, the cornstarch should thicken the cherry filling in 30 seconds or less.
However, in the video I mention that the heat had been turned off for a while before I added the cornstarch, so the cherry cobbler filling didn’t thicken up. All I had to do was turn the heat back on and keep stirring: once the filling started to boil again, it thickened up perfectly.
So, even though it’s not technically necessary to add the cornstarch filling with the heat on, I recommend keeping the pot on medium heat when you add the slurry. Don’t turn off the heat until you stir in the slurry and can see that the cherry filling has thickened. Once it thickens, turn off the heat.
Add the Almond Extract
Now that the cherry filling has thickened and the burner is turned off, it’s time to add the almond extract. As explained earlier, it’s better to add the extract once the heat is turned off so the flavor doesn’t boil away. After adding the almond extract, set the cherry filling off to the side and focus on the bottom crust.
Why Add Almond Extract to Cherry Cobbler Filling?
Even though it sounds odd, almost all cherry pie recipes call for almond extract. Almonds and cherries are related botanically, so the almond extract helps to bring out the cherry flavor. While not absolutely necessary in this recipe, I highly recommend adding it.
Parbake the Bottom Crust
With the cherry filling off to the side, it’s time to make the bottom crust. Place a pie crust into a greased 8×8 casserole dish and cut off the overhanding crust. Prick it with a fork about 5-8 times, then bake it at 350F, uncovered and empty, for 5 minutes. This will help prevent a soggy crust.
If you want, you could actually parbake the bottom crust at the beginning of the recipe and then let it cool down as you make the cherry cobbler filling. That might actually be better, now that I think about it, but this recipe is flexible.
Cut Second Pie Crust into Strips
As the parbaked bottom crust cools off to the side, roll out the second pie crust and cut it into an 8×8 square. Use a sharp knife to cut strips for a lattice top out of the 8×8 square. You can make the strips as wide or thin as you want, but I’d recommend 1/2-1 inch wide. I used a total of 6 strips to make the lattice.
Add Dumplings to Cherry Cobbler Filling
Since the pie crust is circular, you’re going to have excess pie crust around the 8×8 square that you cut. Use this excess crust to add dumplings, or small pieces of dough, to the filling. Although the dumplings are optional, my old-fashioned blackberry cobbler with dumplings recipe is proof that they’re delicious.
It’s possible to add too much of a good thing, so I don’t recommend adding all of the leftover crust. Instead, add about 1/4-1/2 cup of the excess dough. In the video it looks like I added all of the crust, but if you fast forward to once the cobbler is fully assembled, you’ll see some leftover strips and excess dough on the side.
Adding pie crust dumplings is easy. Just drop the little strips directly to the pot of cherry filling cooling on the stove. Refer to my video at the end of this article for a visual.
Pour the Cherry Filling into the Bottom Pie Crust
Whether or not you decide to add dumplings, it’s time to start assembling the cobbler once the casserole dish with the bottom crust is cool enough to handle. All you have to do is pour the sour cherry filling into the parbaked crust and distribute it evenly.
Add a Lattice Pie Crust Top to the Cherry Cobbler
Now it’s time to add a lattice pie crust top to the cherry cobber. I didn’t weave the strips together: I simply laid the strips on top of the cherry filling. For a visual, refer to the video at the end of this article.
Sprinkle the Lattice Top with Extra Sugar
Although this step isn’t necessary, I recommend sprinkling the top with a bit of extra sugar. These 2 Tablespoons will add not only a bit of extra sweetness but also crunch.
Bake the Cherry Cobbler
When the cherry cobbler with pie crust is fully assembled, bake it at 350F, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes. While I baked my cobbler for 50 minutes, I think it might have actually been done at the 45-minute mark: I suggest keeping an eye on the cobbler and using your judgement.
Cool the Cobbler
I would let the cobbler cool for at least 1 hour before serving so that the slices hold their shape when served.
Serve
Enjoy the sour cherry cobbler!
Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust FAQ’s
How Many Servings Does this Recipe Make?
Although it depends on the portion sizes, I think that this 8×8 cherry cobbler with pie crust would make 9 good-sized servings.
What to Serve with Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust?
Even though this cherry cobbler with pie crust is great on its own, you could serve it with:
Ice Cream – Vanilla ice cream and fruit pies and cobblers is a classic for a reason: it’s great!
Whipped Cream – Some of my homemade whipped cream would go great with this cobbler.
Cool Whip – Whipped topping would be good with this dessert, too.
How Long to Bake Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust?
Bake cherry cobbler with pie crust at 350F, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes. All ovens are different, so keep an eye on it.
How Long to Let Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust and Cool Before Serving?
If you want the cut slices to hold their shape, the cobbler needs to be fairly cool, so wait at least 1 hour. However, if you prefer serving warm cobbler over a neat presentation, I would still wait 30 minutes so that the cobbler doesn’t fall apart entirely when served.
Does Cherry Cobbler Need to be Refrigerated?
Yes! It’s cherry cobbler needs to be refrigerated so it keeps longer. Store this cherry cobbler in the refrigerator. I recommend uncovered–or just loosely covered–so that you don’t trap in moisture and make the crust soggy.
How Long Does Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust Last?
This cherry cobbler with pie crust and frozen cherries should last 2-3 days if kept in the refrigerator. Although it will likely be OK to eat for longer, I think that the moisture in the refrigerator and in the cobbler itself will start making the crust soggy after the third day.
Can You Make Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust and Frozen Cherries Ahead of Time?
Yes! You can make cherry cobbler with pie crust ahead of time. If you want it as dessert after dinner, you can make it in the morning, or or you could make it the night before. However, I would not make it more than 24 hours in advance: you want to make sure the juice doesn’t have time to make the crust soggy.
Can You Freeze Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust?
Yes, but I wouldn’t recommend it. If you want, you can cut the cobbler into portions, put them on paper plates, wrap them in plastic, and then freeze the portions individually. To serve a portion, unwrap it and place it in the refrigerator to thaw and then reheat in a 350F oven for 15-20 minutes.
However, I don’t recommend freezing baked cobbler because the thawing process usually makes crust soggy. Instead, I assemble the cobbler in a disposable pan, wrapping the cobbler in plastic, and then freezing the entire cobbler. When it’s time to bake, no need to thaw: place it directly into the hot oven.
Can You Use Flour to Thicken the Filling?
Yes! You can use flour as a thickener in this cobbler recipe instead of cornstarch. Use twice as much flour (6 Tablespoons of flour).
However, I still suggest using cornstarch. Flour tends to affect the taste and color of liquids it thickens more than cornstarch, so I fear that using flour to thicken the filling will result in an inferior cobbler.
Can You Bake Cherry Cobbler In a Glass Pan?
Yes! You can bake cherry cobbler with pie crust in a glass pan. In fact, according to an Allrecipes.com article comparing metal and glass pans, glass pans hold their heat better and don’t react with acids, making them the perfect choice for sour cherry or berry desserts.
I always bake my cobblers in a 8×8 glass casserole dish. If you’ve never tried glass, you should!
Can You Make this Cherry Cobbler in a Pie Pan Instead of a Square 8×8 Dish?
Yes! You can make this cherry cobbler in a circular 9-inch pie pan instead of a square 8x8x dish without adjusting the recipe. If you only have a pie plate, no need to go out and buy another pan.
Can You Make a Double Crust Cherry Cobbler with this Recipe?
Yes! Instead of putting a lattice top on this cobbler, you can definitely add a solid top crust. A solid top would mean less moisture evaporation from the filling, so an extra Tablespoon of cornstarch in the filling might be a good idea if you want a thick filling–but other than that, no need to adjust the recipe.
What Spices Go with Cherry Cobbler?
If you want to add flavor to homemade cherry cobbler, I suggest:
Brown Sugar – As explained earlier, brown sugar goes well with cherries–but it does ruin the red color of the filling.
Lemon Juice – Although I don’t think lemon juice is necessary with sour cherries, some lemon juice is a good addition to cobbler with sweet cherries.
Cinnamon – If you love cinnamon, I suggest adding 1/4 teaspoon to this recipe.
Why Is My Cherry Cobbler Filling Runny?
Although I don’t think you’ll have problems with this recipe, here are some reasons why your cherry cobbler filling might turn out runny:
Filling Not Boiled Long Enough – After bringing the filling to a boil, the recipe calls for boiling the filling on medium heat for 10 more minutes. The steam will evaporate some of the moisture, reducing the quantity liquid enough to where 3 Tablespoons of cornstarch will be enough to thicken it.
Not Enough Thickener – It’s important to use the right amount of cornstarch (or flour, if using) to thicken the filling, so make sure you use enough.
Cornstarch Was Overcooked – Although cornstarch must be boiled to activate its thickening properties, a BonApetit.com article by Sarah Jampel warns that cooking cornstarch too long can weaken its thickening power. Once you see that the slurry has thickened the cornstarch, turn off the heat and set the pot aside.
Advice for Working With Pie Crust
Working with pie crust can be a bit tricky, so here’s some advice from a chef:
Use Wax/Parchment Paper – Roll out homemade crust between wax or parchment paper so that it’s easier to lift, move, and transfer.
Cut with a Sharp Knife – Cutting the crust with a dull knife is extremely difficult, so make sure you use a sharp knife.
Keep it Cold – Room-temperature pie crust is extremely soft and hard to cut, so keep the pie crusts in the refrigerator until it’s time to use them.
How to Keep the Bottom Crust from Getting Soggy
If you want to make sure the bottom pie crust doesn’t turn out soggy, make sure you:
Parbake the Bottom – Baking the bottom crust for 5 minutes before adding the filling makes the crust more resistant to the juices of the filling.
Bake on a Sheet – Baking the cobbler on a metal cookie sheet or pizza pan will help solidify the crust. Although this TheSpruceEats.com article suggests preheating the sheet, I don’t think that’s necessary: simply put the cobbler on a room-temperature baking sheet and then place both into the oven.
A Chef’s Review
My cherry cobbler with pie crust recipe was a success. I added just the right amount of sugar to balance out the tartness from the sour cherries, and using a bit of light and dark brown sugars really added to the complex flavor. And as always, some almond extract brought out the cherry flavor.
The pie crust was crispy and slightly buttery, and it contrasted perfectly with the sweet and tart syrup in the filling. Although I usually think homemade pie crust is best, a premade crust such as Pillsbury is perfectly fine.
In addition to being delicious, this cherry cobbler was easy. Using frozen cherries means that there’s almost no prep work at all, and if you use refrigerated pie crust, this dessert is even easier.
That being said, I still prefer dark sweet cherries such as Bing over sour cherries such as Montmorency. If you like tart cherries, you’ll love this–but if you prefer sweet cherries, you might find this filling too tart. Also, in order to make the filling more flavorful, I had to sacrifice the beautiful, bright-red color.
Although this recipe did have its drawbacks, I still think this cherry cobbler with pie crust was a big success. It was easy and delicious, so if you like sour cherries, this is a great summer dessert.
Possible Changes to the Recipe
Although I thought this cobbler turned out great, possible changes to the recipe include:
All White Sugar – Even though the filling would be less flavorful, the bright-red sour cherry color would be very attention-getting.
Cinnamon – I think that adding 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon might be a good addition.
Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust Recipe Variations
If I make this cherry cobbler with pie crust and frozen cherries recipe again, possible changes I might make include:
Double Crust – A full crust on top instead of lattice would add even more crispiness.
Sweet Cherries – One day I will make another cherry cobbler with pie crust, but with sweet cherries.
1/2 Sweet, 1/2 Sour Cherries – I’m curious how using 1/2 sour cherries, 1/2 sweet would turn out.
More Cobbler with Pie Crust Recipes
If you like old-fashioned cobbler recipes with pie crust, be sure to check out:
Peach Cobbler with Pie Crust and Canned Peaches – This southern classic super easy to make.
Old-Fashioned Apple Cobbler – With a pie crust lattice top and dumplings, this cobbler is amazing.
Other Cobbler with Frozen Fruit Recipes
Blackberry Cobbler with Pie Crust – Technically a triple crust cobbler, this is super crispy and syrupy.
Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust Recipe Instructions
Cherry Cobbler with Pie Crust and Frozen Cherries
Ingredients
- 3 cups, 24 oz frozen cherries (680g) – I used tart cherries, but you can use dark sweet cherries
- 3/4 cup white sugar (160)
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar (120)
- 2 Tablespoons dark brown sugar (30g)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 9-inch pie crusts
- Cornstarch Slurry:
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch (30g)
- 1/4 cup water
- Sugar Sprinkle:
- 1 Tablespoon white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon light brown sugar
Instructions
- Add the frozen cherries, sugar, 1/2 cup water, and salt to a large pot and bring to a boil over medium or medium-high heat.
- Once the cherries reach a boil, continue cooking on medium heat for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
- At the end of the 10 minutes, make a cornstarch slurry, pour it into the cherries, and then stir. The filling should thicken within 30 seconds. Once the filling thickens, turn off the heat.
- After turning off the heat, it’s now safe to add the almond extract. Set the filling aside for the time being.
- Place a pie crust in an 8×8 casserole dish and cut off the excess crust. Poke holes with a fork 5-8 times, and then bake the empty pie crust at 350F, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Then, take the bottom crust out of the oven and set it aside.
- Cut an 8×8 square out of the second pie crust. Use the excess crust to make dumplings and then drop the dumplings into the cherry filling.
- Make lattice strips out of the 8×8 square. I recommend a width of 1/2 to 1 inch.
- Pour the cherry filling (with dumplings) into the parbaked bottom crust and make sure the filling is distributed evenly.
- Lay the pie crust strips on top of the cobbler to form a lattice.
- Sprinkle the top of the cobbler with 2 Tablespoons of extra sugar (optional).
- Bake the cherry cobbler at 350F, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes.
- Once the cherry cobbler is done baking, let it cool for 1 hour before serving to make sure the slices hold their shape. If you want to serve the cobbler warm, I would still wait 30 minutes.
- Serve the cobbler!
YouTube Video
Be sure to watch my video tutorial, too:
