Homemade Fried Cherry Pie Recipe

If using frozen cherries, thaw and drain excess liquid; if using fresh, pit cherries. Place cherries in a medium saucepan.

Add granulated sugar, cornstarch, and salt to the saucepan; stir to combine and coat the cherries.

Whisk cold water into the cornstarch mixture to make a smooth slurry before adding to the cherries so there are no lumps.

Cook the cherry mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly until it comes to a gentle simmer and the filling thickens and becomes glossy, 5–7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate 20–30 minutes until slightly chilled and thickened (this prevents soggy dough when filling).

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, and salt.

Add the very cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about 4–6 turns).

Add the cold sour cream and ice water. Stir gently with a fork until the dough just comes together; do not overwork. The dough will be slightly shaggy but should hold when pinched.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, press it together into a disk, flatten slightly to about 1-inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to firm up. Chilling helps the dough hold its shape during frying.

After chilling, roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8–1/4 inch thick. Use a round cutter (about 4–4.5 inches / 10–11 cm) to cut out circles. Re-roll scraps as needed. You should get about 10–12 circles depending on thickness.

Prepare an egg wash by beating the large egg with 1 teaspoon milk in a small bowl.

Place a tablespoon to 1 1/2 tablespoons of the chilled cherry filling in the center of half the dough circles, leaving about 1/2-inch border.

Brush the border of each filled circle lightly with egg wash. Top with another dough circle, press gently to seal, and crimp edges with a fork to make a tight seal. Use your finger to press out any trapped air pockets (important to prevent bursting while frying).

Place assembled pies on a parchment-lined tray and refrigerate for 10–15 minutes to firm up again; this helps maintain shape during frying.

Pour the frying oil into a deep, heavy pot or deep fryer to a depth of about 2–3 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small piece of dough into the oil — it should sizzle and rise to the surface within a few seconds without browning immediately.

Working in small batches (2–3 pies at a time depending on pot size), gently lower chilled pies into the hot oil using a slotted spoon or spider. Fry until golden brown on one side, about 2–3 minutes, then flip and fry the other side for 1.5–2 minutes. Total fry time approx. 3.5–5 minutes per pie. Adjust heat as needed to maintain 325–350°F so the dough cooks through without burning.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried pies to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain and cool slightly for 5 minutes. While still warm, optionally dust with confectioners' sugar or sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops for sparkle.

Allow pies to cool for 10–15 minutes before serving — filling will be very hot. Serve warm or at room temperature.