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Apple Sour Cherry Pie

Ingredients

  • 1 9 inch pie crust

Filling

  • 5 apples mix of tart and sweet. I like 3 Granny Smith and 2 Honeycrisp or other sweet variety
  • 1 can Oregon Sour Cherries, drained canned in water
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar Plus 2T for later
  • 1 tbsp lemon zest I just zest about half of a lemon
  • 3 tbsp corn starch
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg I like freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1-2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Oatmeal Crumb Topping

  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • pinch salt
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 425

Prepare and Plate Crust

  • Prepare your crust according to recipe of choice or use the recipe HERE. Roll and plate into a 9 inch pie pan. Refrigerate while you make the filling and topping. This can be done up to two days in advance and stored in the refrigerator (covered well).

Corn Starch Mixture

  • In a small bowl, combine 2 tablespoons sugar with 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 3 tablespoons corn starch. Set aside.

Apple/Cherry Mixture

  • Peel and slice apples into 1/4 inch thick slices.
  • Place in a large skillet or dutch oven and toss with 1/2 cup sugar and the lemon zest.
  • Cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until the apples are beginning to soften but still hold their shape.
  • Add the cherries and cook for another minute to release some juice (you will see a lot of cherry juice).
    • Depending on how much juice you have, you can carefully pour some off if you feel there's too much. You do want some juice because this thickens and becomes part of the filling during the cornstarch step.
  • Bring heat to medium-high and add the cornstarch mixture. Gently stir for about one minute unitl the mixture as thickened.
    • This is where chemistry comes in (I am no expert). The heat will help the cornstarch thicken the juice, so you should be able to create streaks on the bottom of the pan when you drag your spoon or spatula through.
  • Turn mixture into a bowl and gently fold in lemon juice to taste. Cool to room temperature, or store covered in the refrigerator if made in advance.
    • Personalization - add lemon and sugar to taste. If you like things sweeter, you can add an additional 1/4 cup of sugar at this point. Same for lemon juice. If you want it brighter (I usually do), keep adding. I usually end up adding the juice of a full lemon.

Prepare Crumb Topping

  • While waiting for the apple mixture to cool, make crumb topping by following the recipe HERE.

Assemble the Pie and Bake

  • Turn cooled filling into the prepared pie shell. Top generously with crumb topping and place on a baking sheet.
  • Bake on the lower rack of the oven at 425 for 15 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 and bake for another 30-35 minutes or until juices come to a slow, thick bubble at the edges.
  • Cool for at least four hours or overnight. Store at room temperature loosely covered.

Notes

The key to making pie low stress is to do some steps in advance if you can. Here are things you can do: 
  • Make crust (refrigerate for up to 3 days, freeze for up to 3 months)
  • Crumble topping (refrigerate for up to 3 days, freeze up to 3 months)
  • Prepare filling and refrigerate for up to 2 days
A note about the filling: It's only been in recent years that I have started pre-cooking fruit filling on the stove. I've made this pie plenty of times without doing that. If you want to skip that step, follow the same steps without cooking it. Pre-cooking on the stove helps control how much juice, but it will honestly be fine if you want to skip it.