Karla Tafra
Fruit and pies go together like peanut butter and jelly. It’s hard to imagine a better dessert to sweeten a sunny, summer day. These five delicious fruit pie recipes will taste perfect with a scoop of ice cream on top.
Sweet Cherry Pie
Cherries are that wonderful summer fruit you can’t avoid getting addicted to. Working them into a dessert only makes you crave them more. This particular recipe is dairy- and egg-free, but feel free to use regular butter if you prefer.
You’ll need the following ingredients for the crust:
- 1-1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 cup of applesauce, unsweetened
- 1/2 cup of vegan butter
- 1/4 cup of cane sugar (or equivalent substitute)
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- A pinch of salt
You’ll need the following ingredients for the cherry filling:
- 2 cups of pitted cherries
- 1 cup of cherry (or cranberry) juice
- 2 tablespoons of cane sugar or substitute
- 3 tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Follow these instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a springform pie pan well.
In a bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Add the applesauce and butter, and then knead until your dough reaches a smooth consistency. Form it into a ball, wrap it in foil, and then place it in the fridge to rest for half an hour.
Remove the dough from the fridge, and then roll out 2/3 of it on a well-floured surface. Press it into the springform and pull up the sides, as well. Place it in the oven to prebake for 15-20 minutes.
In a small saucepan, stir the cherry juice with starch and sugar and bring it to a boil. Add the cherries, and then cook for 5 minutes and set aside to cool.
Once it’s cool, spread the filling on the crust. Roll out the remaining dough and cut it into 1/2-inch strips. Lay them crosswise on the fruit like a grid and cut the overlapping edges. You can also brush it with plant-based milk if you’d like.
Bake for about 20 minutes or until golden brown. Take out to cool, and then keep in fridge until serving. It’s best paired with vanilla ice cream, so grab your favorite scoop and enjoy!
Strawberry Pie
A delicious strawberry pie will add something fresh to those long, hot, summer days. Plus, it makes every meal that much sweeter.
You’ll need the following ingredients for the pie crust:
- 1-1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of very cold, unsalted butter, sliced into 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons of ice water
You’ll need the following ingredients for the strawberry filling:
- 5-6 cups of strawberries
- 1 cup of granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup of water
- 3 tablespoons of cornstarch or arrowroot powder
Follow these instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a springform pie pan well.
In a bowl, mix flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and knead until a crumbly dough forms (you can also do this in a stand-alone mixer). Slowly add water and keep kneading gently until dough is silky smooth. Stop kneading (to avoid overdeveloping gluten), form a ball, and then place it in the fridge to set for half an hour.
Then, take out the dough and roll it out. Press it into the springform pan and pull up the sides. Prebake for 15-20 minutes, and then take out and set aside.
Measure out 2 cups of strawberries and crush them with a potato masher. Add them to a small saucepan with the starch, sugar, and water, and then bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat after a minute and set aside to cool.
Slice the remaining strawberries and place them in a bowl. Pour the strawberry sauce on top and mix well. Pour in the pie crust, and then chill in the fridge until ready to serve with some whipped cream on top!
A Very Berry Pie
Summer brings all the wonderful berries to our kitchen tables, making it impossible not to include them in our favorite desserts. Whether you decide to use just one kind of berry or mix a bunch, you won’t be disappointed in the delicious, juicy taste.
You’ll need the following ingredients for this pie crust:
- 2-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon of salt
- 1 cup of cold butter, cubed
- 6-8 tablespoons of ice water
You’ll need the following ingredients for the berry filling:
- 1 cup of blueberries
- 1 cup of raspberries
- 3/4 cup of blackberries
- 1 cup of strawberries, halved
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons of butter
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1/4 cup of cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1/3 cup of water
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
Follow these instructions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a springform pie pan well.
Mix flour and salt in a large bowl, and then add the butter and salt until a crumbly dough forms. Gradually add water until it smooths out. Divide into two portions and shape into disks, and then place them in the fridge to set for half an hour.
Whisk the sugar, cornstarch, salt, water, and cinnamon in a small saucepan until smooth. Add blueberries and bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened, and then set aside to cool. Gently fold the rest of the fruit and the lemon juice into the blueberry mixture.
Roll out 2/3 of the dough and press it into the springform pan; cover the sides, as well. Pour the filling on top of the dough. Roll out the remaining dough and cut it into 1/2-inch strips. Use these to cover the top in a lattice pattern, and then bake for 10 minutes.
Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Set aside to cool, and then serve with ice cream. You can also sprinkle some mint on top, if you like.
Plum Pie
When this juicy fruit hits the market, it’s inevitable that you’ll be imagining sweet plum pies and cobblers you can enjoy after a delicious meal. That’s why you absolutely have to make this pie!
You’ll need the following ingredients for the crust:
- 1-1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup of very cold, unsalted butter, in 1/2-inch cubes
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- 1 teaspoon of sugar
- 3-4 tablespoons of ice water
You’ll need the following ingredients for the plum filling:
- 2 lbs. of plums
- 1⁄2 cup of sugar
- 2 tablespoons of flour
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of butter, unsalted
Follow these instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a springform pie pan well.
In a bowl, mix the flour, sugar, and salt. Add the butter and knead until a crumbly dough forms (you can also do this in a stand-alone mixer). Slowly add in the water and keep kneading gently until your dough becomes silky smooth. Then, stop kneading and form a ball. Place it in the fridge to set for half an hour.
Then, roll out the dough, and then press it into the springform pan, pulling up the sides. Prebake it for 15-20 minutes, and then take it out and set aside.
Cut the plums into quarters and arrange them in the pie crust. Mix the flour, sugar, and cinnamon, and then sprinkle it over the plums. Dot with butter.
Roll out the remaining dough and cut it into 1/2-inch strips. Use this to cover the pie in a lattice design. Increase the oven temperature to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for 12 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and then bake for 25 more minutes, or until plums are soft and tender.
Let it cool, and then serve with ice cream or whipped topping. Enjoy!
Apricot Pie
Last, but not least, this golden apricot pie will take your taste buds on a wonderful, fruity journey that will have you coming back for seconds.
You’ll need the following ingredients for the crust:
- 1-1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cut into walnut-size pieces
- 5 tablespoons of ice water
You’ll need the following ingredients for the apricot filling:
- 4 lbs. of apricots, halved and pitted
- 2/3 cup of sugar
- 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour
- 1-1/2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons of quick-cooking tapioca
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- Optional: 1 egg, lightly beaten, for egg wash (you can also use plant-based milk)
Follow these instructions:
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a springform pie pan well.
Mix the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add in the butter until a crumbly dough forms. Gradually add water until it smooths out. Divide it into two portions, shape them into disks, and then place them in the fridge to set for half an hour.
Place the apricots in a bowl and sprinkle them with the sugar, tapioca, flour, and lemon juice. Stir gently, and then set aside.
Roll out 2/3 of the dough and press it into the springform pan, covering the sides as well. Pour in the filling and dot with butter. Roll out the remaining dough and create a lattice shape to cover the filling (you can omit this step, if you prefer).
Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and then continue baking for 40 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool before serving warm or place in the fridge until you’re ready to serve. Pair it with frozen yogurt or vanilla ice cream and enjoy!
Summer is the perfect time to get crafty in the kitchen. So, gather a bunch of fruit in your next farmer’s market haul and get baking!
