Chocolate Cherry Pie

It's hard to keep cherries around at my house for long enough to bake them into something. I (and my family) prefer to snack on them more than anything else. I had to guard cherries with my life to bake them into this Chocolate Cherry Pie, but it was SO worth it!

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This Chocolate Cherry Pie has juicy fresh cherries and chopped dark chocolate in a crisp, flaky chocolate pie crust. The two-tone lattice work on top isn't exactly necessary, but how could I not? I really loved the look (and the taste)!!

If you're a fan of cherry bakes, you should also check out my recipes for Chocolate Cherry Cookies, Black Forest Pie, and Cherry Almond Sweet Rolls!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• Instructions
• FAQ
• Chocolate Cherry Pie
• 💬 Comments

Ingredients

The star of this pie is definitely the cherries, but it's that two-tone crust that makes it extra special!

You'll notice throughout both crust recipes that we're keeping all the ingredients cold all the way through the process. The cold pie crust will hold it's shape better and turn out flakier! So remember to keep your crust/partially assembled pie in the refrigerator when you're not working with it, or anytime it seems like it's getting too warm! Not exactly convenient for a summer bake, but the results are well worth the effort!

Chocolate Crust Ingredients

• Flour - Provides structure for the pie crust.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder - For flavor and color. I used half regular cocoa and half dark cocoa in the chocolate crust. The dark cocoa gives a deeper chocolate flavor and a darker color. If you don't have dark cocoa on-hand, you can just use all regular cocoa.
• Sugar - For a little sweetness.
• Salt - To balance and enhance the flavor of the crust.
• Vegetable Oil - A little vegetable oil helps the crust to come together with all that cocoa in it.
• Unsalted Butter - This is where the crust gets its light, flaky layers! You want your butter to be *cold!*
• Water - To hydrate the dough. You want to use cold water!

Plain Crust Ingredients

• Flour - Provides structure for the pie crust.
• Vegetable Shortening - This gives the crust its light, flaky texture without being so sensitive about temperature.
• Egg - Adds moisture and makes the dough more pliable and easier to roll out.
• White Vinegar - To tenderize the crust, as it helps to inhibit the development of gluten.
• Water - To hydrate the dough. You want to use cold water!

While a pastry blender isn’t necessary to cut in the butter/shortening, it does make the job a lot faster and easier.

I also used a bowl scraper to work the dough. It's flexible shape makes the job much easier, and keeps your hands warming the dough as it comes together. They're easy to store and easy on the wallet!

Filling Ingredients

• Cherries - For fantastic flavor! I used fresh sweet cherries for my pie. If you're using tart cherries, you'll likely want to increase the sugar.
• Lemon Juice -
• Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor! You know me, I put vanilla bean paste in everything! Delicious and more economical than whole vanilla beans, this ingredient is my go-to for an extra punch of flavor. If you prefer to substitute, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract.
• Chocolate Extract - For more chocolate flavor. Chocolate extract lends amazing depth of flavor to chocolate baked goods! (Even better, make yourself some Homemade Chocolate Extract for next time!)
• Sugar - For sweetness.
• Tapioca Starch - To thicken the filling.
• Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors in the pie.
• Chopped Dark Chocolate - For flavor and gooey goodness. I say dark chocolate here because it's my fave and it pairs so nicely with the sweet cherries. That said, you can use whatever kind of chocolate you prefer!

Egg Wash Ingredients

• Egg - Helps make the crust beautifully browned.
• Water - Just a little to thin the egg.

Topping

• Raw Sugar - This is optional, but it's my favorite finishing touch! Sprinkling raw sugar on top of the pie adds sweetness and a crunch I can't resist!

Instructions

Making the Crust

To Make Chocolate Pie Crust

• Combine flour, cocoa, sugar, and salt. Stir to combine.
• Add oil and stir until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the cold butter and toss to coat. Cut in the butter until no large pieces remain.
• Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time until the dough gathers into a ball.
• Divide the dough in half, making two discs. Wrap the dough and chill for at least one hour.

To Make Plain Pie Crust

• Combine the flour and vegetable shortening. Cut shortening in until no large pieces remain.
• In a small bowl, combine egg, vinegar, and cold water. Whisk to combine.
• Make wells in the flour mixture, and pour the egg mixture into the wells. Stir until a soft dough is formed. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead slightly into a ball. Form the dough into a disc, wrap, and chill for at least one hour.

To Prepare Bottom Crust

• On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of the chocolate dough large enough to fit your pie plate. Line the pie plate with the dough, then place the lined pie plate in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.

Making the Filling

The filling comes together in a flash, with the exception of the cherry prep. I used a cherry pitter to pit the cherries. We're talking 150+ cherries here, so a pitter might not be necessary, but I probably wouldn't make this pie if I didn't have one! It's also great to use on olives! Once your cherries are prepped, putting together the rest of the filling is a breeze!

• Pit the cherries, slice in half, and place in a large bowl. Add the lemon juice, vanilla bean paste, and chocolate extract. Stir to incorporate.
• In a small bowl, combine the sugar, tapioca starch, and salt. Whisk to combine and to remove any lumps.
• Pour the sugar mixture in with the cherries and gently toss to coat. Gently stir in the chopped chocolate.
• Pour the cherry filling into the lined pie plate, and return it to the refrigerator while you make the top crust.

To Prepare Top Crust

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the second half of the chocolate dough. Repeat the process with the plain dough. Create a lattice (or other design) for the top of your pie using the two doughs. Return the pie to the refrigerator to chill while the oven preheats.

Finishing/Baking

• Preheat oven. Prepare the egg wash by combining the egg and water in a small bowl and whisking to combine. Brush the egg wash over the top of the pie. Sprinkle with raw sugar, if desired.
• Bake until golden. If the top of the pie is getting too brown, you can tent it with foil during baking. The pie must cool completely before slicing (or the pie will be a watery mess).

FAQ

So, there you have it! A classic cherry pie with a twist. The textures of the crisp, flaky crust with the soft, chewy cherries and the melty chocolate is just heaven! And I'm sure we can agree that cherries + chocolate is one of the most delicious combinations on the planet, soo.... let me know when you bake this up and I'll be right over! 😉

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Chocolate crust recipe adapted from Baking a Moment (link here).