Tart Cherry Crumble Pie with Almond Streusel

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 servings (9-inch pie)
• Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus 1 hour dough chill)
• Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 hours 35 minutes (includes chilling and cooling)

Quick Ingredients

• 1 single 9-inch pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
• 6 cups pitted tart cherries (about 2 1/4 lb / 1 kg), fresh or frozen
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (add up to 2 tbsp more if cherries are very tart)
• 5 tbsp cornstarch (use 6 tbsp if using frozen cherries)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, diced
• Streusel: 1 cup all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats; 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar; 2 tbsp granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/4 tsp kosher salt; 8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted; 1/3 cup sliced almonds

Do This

• 1. Roll chilled dough into a 12-inch round, line a 9-inch pie plate, crimp, and freeze 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) with a rimmed sheet pan inside.
• 2. Par-bake: line crust with parchment and weights, bake 15 minutes; remove weights and bake 5 minutes more. Cool 10 minutes.
• 3. Toss cherries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract, and salt; rest 10 minutes.
• 4. Mix streusel: combine dry ingredients, drizzle in melted butter, toss to clumps; stir in almonds.
• 5. Fill crust with cherry mixture (and juices), dot with butter, cover evenly with streusel.
• 6. Bake on preheated sheet pan 20 minutes at 400°F, then reduce to 350°F (175°C) and bake 30–35 minutes until the filling bubbles thickly in the center. Cool at least 3 hours before slicing.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bright, tart cherries balanced with a whisper of almond extract for classic, nostalgic flavor.
• Golden, crunchy brown-sugar streusel lid with oats and sliced almonds for texture.
• Par-baked crust and preheated sheet pan mean a crisp, never-soggy bottom.
• Works with fresh or frozen tart cherries, so you can bake it year-round.

Grocery List

• Produce: Tart cherries (fresh or frozen), 1 lemon
• Dairy: Unsalted butter (1 1/4 sticks total), optional vanilla ice cream for serving
• Pantry: All-purpose flour, old-fashioned rolled oats, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, cornstarch, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, pie weights (or dried beans/rice), parchment paper

Full Ingredients

All-Butter Pie Crust (or use 1 store-bought 9-inch crust)

• 1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 10 tbsp (142 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3–5 tbsp ice water

Cherry Filling

• 6 cups pitted tart cherries (about 2 1/4 lb / 1 kg), fresh or frozen
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar (add up to 2 tbsp more if cherries are very tart)
• 5 tbsp cornstarch (use 6 tbsp if using frozen cherries)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tbsp unsalted butter, diced (for dotting)

Brown-Sugar Almond Streusel

• 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (45 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 8 tbsp (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/3 cup (30 g) sliced almonds

For Baking

• Pie weights (or dried beans/rice), parchment paper
• Foil or a pie shield to protect the crust rim, if needed

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the pie dough

In a bowl, whisk the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until you see pea-sized bits with some flat shards. Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing with a fork until the dough holds together when pinched. Gather into a disc, wrap, and chill 1 hour.

Step 2: Roll and line the pie plate

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 12-inch round. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate, letting excess dough overhang slightly. Fold under and crimp the edge. Freeze the lined crust for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, place a rimmed sheet pan on the middle rack and heat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Step 3: Par-bake the crust

Line the cold crust with parchment, fill to the top with pie weights, and bake on the preheated sheet pan for 15 minutes. Carefully lift out the weights and parchment, prick the bottom with a fork, and bake 5 minutes more. Set aside to cool for 10 minutes while you prep the filling and streusel.

Step 4: Mix the cherry filling

In a large bowl, combine cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Toss until evenly coated. Let sit 10–15 minutes to start dissolving the sugar and hydrating the cornstarch (if using frozen cherries, do not thaw; just toss well—mixture may look a bit frosty at first).

Step 5: Make the brown-sugar almond streusel

In a medium bowl, stir together flour, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Drizzle in the melted butter and toss with a fork until clumps form. Stir in sliced almonds. Pop the bowl in the fridge for 5–10 minutes to firm for extra cragginess.

Step 6: Fill and bake

Spoon the cherry mixture (including any juices) into the par-baked crust and dot the surface with the diced butter. Sprinkle the streusel evenly over the top, breaking up any very large clumps. Place the pie on the preheated sheet pan and bake at 400°F (200°C) for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking 30–35 minutes, until the topping is deeply golden and the filling is bubbling thickly in the very center (not just at the edges). If the rim browns too quickly, shield it with foil.

Step 7: Cool and serve

Transfer the pie to a rack and cool at least 3 hours to fully set the juices. For picture-perfect slices, chill 30 minutes before cutting. Serve at room temperature—plain or with vanilla ice cream.

Pro Tips

• Thick, lazy bubbles in the center are your doneness cue; that means the cornstarch has fully activated.
• Preheating a sheet pan under the pie jump-starts bottom crust browning and catches drips.
• For very juicy cherries, add an extra 1 tablespoon cornstarch or leave 2–3 tablespoons of juices behind.
• Use a glass pie plate if you have one—it helps you see when the bottom crust is nicely browned.
• Freeze the lined crust before par-baking to help it keep its shape.

Variations

• Sweet Cherry Version: Use sweet cherries and reduce sugar to 1/2 cup; keep cornstarch at 5 tbsp.
• Bourbon-Vanilla: Add 1–2 tbsp bourbon to the filling and increase cornstarch by 1/2 tbsp to compensate.
• Gluten-Friendly Tweak: Use a gluten-free 1:1 flour blend in the crust and streusel; make sure oats are certified GF.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Store the baked pie covered at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate up to 4 days. Reheat slices at 300°F (150°C) for 10–12 minutes to re-crisp the streusel. Freeze whole baked pie (well wrapped) up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm at 325°F (165°C) for 20–25 minutes. Make-ahead: Dough can be chilled 2 days or frozen 2 months. Par-baked crust holds, wrapped, at room temp for 1 day. Streusel can be refrigerated 3 days or frozen 1 month.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate for 1 of 8 slices: 580 calories; 30 g fat; 75 g carbohydrates; 5 g protein; 3 g fiber; 40 g sugars; 220 mg sodium.