Cherry Rhubarb Pie

Cherry Rhubarb Pie is a delightful mix of tart and sweet with flavors and textures that leave you craving your next bite.

You can enjoy this pie any time of year by using frozen fruit, but it is especially delicious in late spring when it's rhubarb season and you can get fresh produce for your homemade pie filling.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Nostalgic: Isn't rhubarb such a nostalgic flavor? It seems everyone has a story of someone from their childhood who made a memorable rhubarb recipe.
• Easy Homemade Recipe: You'll love making this simple old-fashioned cherry rhubarb pie. While it does require an oven (try my No Bake Cherry Pie if you don't want to turn your oven on), it is still super easy! The filling is made from scratch by mixing a few ingredients together in a bowl - so simple!
• Sweet and Tart Flavor: Often, these dishes are paired with strawberries, from strawberry preserves to strawberry rhubarb pie. However, the truth is that rhubarb pairs incredibly well with many sweet fruits. The sweet cherries in this pie balance the rhubarb's tart flavor, making it a deliciously perfect dessert for early summer celebrations.
  
  Looking for more? Arizona Sunshine Pie is a favorite for warm summer days, thanks to its bright balance of tart and sweet. When peaches are in season, I also love making Peach Crumble Pie for a dessert that’s both beautiful and easy to serve at any gathering.
  

What is Rhubarb?

Rhubarb is a vegetable that resembles pink or red celery. It grows in cooler climates and you might even find it growing wild in regions where grapes and cranberries are also common.

The leaves are poisonous, but the rhubarb stalks are edible and delicious! The color of the vegetable turns dark pink as it ripens.

The flavor has a tart citrus bite similar to a lemon, yet it has its own distinctive taste, similar to a cranberry. It can be eaten raw but be ready for the pucker! Most people choose to eat it cooked with some sugar to take the tartness factor down a bit.

In most places, fresh rhubarb is in season from April to June.

Key Ingredients

Looking for the full recipe? The recipe card at the bottom of this post includes the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and instructions.

• Cherries - The plump texture of the cherries is a delightful contrast to the rhubarb and using sweet cherries balances the tart rhubarb. If you like a tart flavor then you can use sour cherries and rely on the sugar to add sweetness.
• Rhubarb - Fresh rhubarb is perfect for this dessert when it is in season, but frozen rhubarb works well too! If using fresh then you want to have more of the dark pink coloring than green, as the less ripe (green) stalks are more tart.
• Quick Cooking Tapioca: This acts as a thickening agent for the filling. If you do not have tapioca starch then substitute an equal amount of cornstarch. It won't be quite as thick as the tapioca but it still makes a great filling. Mix the cornstarch with the sugar before adding in fruit to avoid lumps.
• Lemon Juice - You won't need much, but I always use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled. It is a much better flavor, and the acidity adds to the texture and flavors of fresh fruit pies. Orange juice can be substituted if you do not have fresh lemons.
• Pie Crust - This pie uses a double pie crust (top and bottom). You can use your favorite homemade crust recipe or use store-bought. I highly recommend this all butter vodka pie crust for the flakiest, best-tasting crust!

How to Make Cherry Rhubarb Pie

1) Mix the Filling

• Combine cherries, chopped rhubarb, sugar, and tapioca in a large bowl and stir until everything is well coated and combined.

2) Add Lemon Juice

• Next, stir in the lemon juice and salt.
• Allow the pie filling to rest for about 15 minutes so that the fruit macerates and the filling thickens.

3) Prepare the Crust

• While your filling is resting, prepare the bottom crust on your pie pan. Roll it into a 12-inch circle and press it into a 9-inch pie plate.
• Allow the edges of the pie dough to hang over the sides of the plate.
• You can place the crust in the freezer while the filling is thickening. Cold dough helps the crust to be flaky. Just don't leave it in there longer than fifteen minutes or it will freeze.
• Once your cherry pie filling is ready, pour it into the prepared pie shell.
• Place the top crust over it or add strips of crust for a lattice. Then pull the overhanging bottom crust up and pinch the edges to seal it together.
• If you are using a full top crust then cut 3 small slits in the top to allow the steam to escape as it bakes.

4) Bake

• Place the rhubarb cherry pie in a preheated oven to bake for about an hour.
• It's a good idea to place a baking sheet under fruit pies while they bake, in case the filling spills over. I have never had that happen with this recipe but it is better to be safe than to have filling burning in the bottom of your oven.
• Once fully baked the crust will be golden brown and the filling will be bubbly.
• Let it cool for at least an hour to allow the filling to thicken.

Expert Tips

• Frozen rhubarb has more water in it than fresh rhubarb, so if you want to use frozen then you will first need to thaw it, discard the excess liquid, and pat the rhubarb dry before adding to the filling.
• You can place a pie crust circle, weave a lattice crust, or even use a cookie cutter to cut the dough into shapes and place it on top of the filling for your top crust.
• It's essential to have some slits or gaps in your top pie crust so that steam can escape while the pie bakes. Otherwise, it can puff up with moisture trapped inside. It will fall and crumble once removed from the oven.
• If the edges of your crust are getting done too fast, cover them with a pie shield. Or place thin strips of aluminum foil over the edges. These methods prevent the crust from continuing to brown.
• Brush an egg wash over the crust before baking if you want a shinier crust. Simply whisk together an egg with two tablespoons of water or milk for the wash. You can also sprinkle coarse sugar over the crust for an extra touch.
• Top the pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The creaminess of ice cream is one of the best combinations with a sweet fruit pie.

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