Cherry Pie (with almond flour and coconut sugar)

Cherry Pie (with almond flour and coconut sugar)Despite all the baking I’ve done over the past five years, I’ve never made a cherry pie. Growing up, we were all apple. Why bother with juice that stains and hundreds of pits when you could just peel and slice? But when I went to Whole Foods earlier this week only to be greeted by bins and bins of bright, plump cherries, I knew I had to try.

And no surprise, making and eating cherry pie is delightful. While pitting cherries requires time, it quickly becomes methodical. And if you don’t have a one-year old tugging at your pants, it might even become meditative. Ryan has made no effort to hide his general distaste for cherry pie, but when he smelled the browning crust and bubbling fruit, he was first in line for a slice. I probably don’t have to tell you he loved it.

Cherry Pie (with almond flour and coconut sugar)

What makes this cherry pie unique is the addition of almond flour to the crust and the use of coconut sugar in the filling. Both add flavor and nutrition to this American classic. Coconut sugar is a great alternative to cane sugar. Low on the glycemic index, coconut sugar also retains several nutrients from the coconut itself. And I find the taste to be slightly nutty, a bit more complex. It worked beautifully in this cherry pie.

Wish me luck as I try to pull together all the last-minute details for Lucy’s first birthday party on Sunday. I can’t wait to share pictures with you all!

Cherry Pie (with almond flour and coconut sugar)

Cherry Pie (with almond flour and coconut sugar)

*adapted from Bon Appetit

⅓ cup almond flour
¼ cup coconut sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 large egg yolks

1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch of kosher salt
3 pounds fresh cherries, pitted, or 6 cups frozen cherries
1 large egg, beaten to blend
Demerara sugar (for sprinkling)

Pulse almond flour, coconut sugar, salt, and flour in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles small peas.

Whisk egg yolks and ice water in a small bowl and drizzle over flour mixture. Pulse until dough just comes together (adding more water by the tablespoon if necessary).

Gently knead dough on a lightly floured surface. Divide dough in half and pat each piece into a disk; wrap in plastic. Chill at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425°. Allow dough to sit at room temperature to soften, about 5 minutes. Roll out one disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to a 12” round. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and chill. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.

Combine coconut sugar and lime zest in a large bowl, rubbing together with your fingertips to release oils in zest. Whisk in cornstarch and salt until there are no lumps. Add cherries and toss to coat.

Carefully transfer one chilled crust to a 9” pie dish. Trim edges to even out crust if needed. Scrape in cherry filling.Using a small cookie cutter, punch out holes in remaining crust. Fold edge of top crust underneath edge of bottom crust and press together to seal.

Brush crust with egg and sprinkle with  sugar. Chill pie until crust is firm, 20–30 minutes.

Place pie on a  foil-lined baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden, about 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and bake, tenting with foil if crust is browning too quickly, until juices are bubbling and crust is deep golden brown, 50–60 minutes longer. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 4 hours before slicing.

31 thoughts on “Cherry Pie (with almond flour and coconut sugar)”

  1. Natasha

    I can’ believe it has been a year already, they grow up so fast! Happy birthday, Miss Lucy, many happy returns of the day and may there be many joyous years to follow!

  6. Ashley

    I just bought a bag of coconut sugar for the first time and am excited to try it out! A pie may be in order : )

    Yay for Lucy’s first birthday party! I can’t wait till you share the pictures! : ) Happy Friday!

  8. Kate

    This morning while getting ready for school/work we watched Zou, a kid’s cartoon about a zebra. In this morning’s episode, Zou helped his grandmother make a cherry pie. We ate all our cherries, so this weekend the little guy and I are making a rhubarb pie. I hope it turns out as lovely as your pie!

  9. Becky

    Monet,
    Your “healthier” Cherry pie is gorgeous. Happy 1st birthday to Miss Lucy. Can’t wait to see all the pics of this milestone event:)

  10. Eileen

    Somehow I never think to bake with cherries! (Probably because I’m usually already trying to use up a hundred or so plums at the same time as cherry season, ha ha.) This pie sounds fantastic–bursting with all that amazing juice and color. Good luck with the party–happy birthday to Lucy, and I’m sure you’ll all have a great time!

  16. Kelly

    Gorgeous pie and I love that you used almond flour and coconut sugar! Yay, happy happy birthday to Lucy – have a great time tomorrow for her party and good luck pulling together all the last minute details! Can’t wait to see the pics 🙂

  17. Nancy @ gottagetbaked

    Lucy is turning one??!?! I can’t believe how fast time flies! It was like yesterday you were writing about waiting for her arrival and then her birth. Craziness. I hope you have a wonderful party with all your loved ones to celebrate her birthday. And this pie looks beautiful. I adore the little heart cut-outs on top. I’ve never made a cherry pie either and now you’re inspiring me to do so!

  18. Lauren Hairston

    If I didn’t get rid of it during one of our last three moves, I should have a cherry pitter somewhere. And a bag of coconut sugar and a bag of almond meal. I love the combination of almond and cherry–they work really well together (probably because they’re related!).

    Thanks for stopping by my blog! It’s great to meet you. I love your photos and can’t wait to set aside some time to binge on your archives. 🙂

  20. Helen @ Scrummy Lane

    Hello, Monet! One of my favourite childhood desserts was a cherry pie that a family friend used to make, so this one definitely drew my attention. I haven’t had a piece in years, so maybe it’s time to try making one for myself, and maybe this is the recipe to do that with. 😉
    Love that you’ve made it ‘healthier’ with the coconut sugar and almond flour. Sounds and looks delicious!

  24. Consuelo - Honey & Figs

    Yum, I’ve always wanted to give cherry pie a go, but pitting all those cherries sound so boring to me (I have no patience hehe). Your version looks absolutely scrumptious though! And healthy too – I love it!
    Good luck with Lu’s party! Can’t wait to see what you have prepared!

  25. Pang

    Wow!!! I admire you for making this delicious looking pie healthier with almond flour & coconut sugar… It does sound delicious 🙂

    Also, can’t wait to see pictures of Lucy’s first birthday party 🙂

  26. marcie

    I LOVE cherry pie, and it must be even better with almond flour and coconut sugar! What a delicious combination, Monet! 🙂

  27. Joyti

    Oh, the pie looks delicious. Love the addition of coconut sugar and almond flour – almond and cherry sounds like a delectable combination.

    And happy 1st birthday to Lucy!

  28. Laura Dembowski

    Gorgeous pie! I’ve made bing cherry and rainier cherry pie, and this year, I am determined to make a sour cherry pie as soon as they came into season. Clearly, I can’t get enough cherries!

  30. Isadora @ she likes food

    I’ve never made a cherry pie before either, but I did notice a huge sale on cherries at the store today, so maybe I should make one too! I love the little hearts you cut out in the crust, they are adorable!

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