1-First, prepare two discs of pie-crust dough, wrap them, and chill for 2 hours or up to 5 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer. This step helps the dough become easy to work with and gives you that flaky texture everyone loves. Once chilled, toss the fresh pitted cherries with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and almond extract in a bowl, then cover and refrigerate while the crust rests to let the flavors meld.

2-Next, preheat your oven to 400°F (204°C). Roll one disc of dough into a 12-inch circle and fit it into a 9-inch pie plate. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries to the crust while reserving their juice don’t skip this, as reducing the juice prevents a soggy bottom. Reduce the reserved juice in a saucepan for 3-4 minutes, cool it for 5 minutes, and drizzle it over the cherries inside the pie.

3-Dot the filling with the cold cubed butter for added richness, then roll out the second disc, cut it into strips, and lay a lattice over the filling. Seal and crimp the edges to keep everything in place. Brush the lattice with the egg-milk wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar if you want extra crunch. Refrigerate the assembled pie for 20-30 minutes to firm up the crust before baking.

4-Now, bake at 400°F (204°C) for 20 minutes, then lower the temperature to 375°F (191°C) and continue baking for 30-40 minutes until the crust turns golden and the filling bubbles. If you’re using frozen cherries, add a few extra minutes to the bake time for the best results. Let the pie cool completely for 3-4 hours before slicing to set the filling properly.