Description
This Cherry Pie Casserole is a delightful twist on a classic dessert, featuring a luscious cherry filling topped with a buttery, crumbly biscuit layer. Perfectly baked to golden perfection, it’s a comforting and easy-to-make treat that serves six and brings the bright, sweet-tart flavor of cherries to your table in just about an hour.
Ingredients
Cherry Filling
- 4 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small cubes
- 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and allow it to fully preheat while preparing the other ingredients.
- Prepare Cherry Filling: In a medium saucepan, combine the cherries, 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and becomes bubbly, about 5-7 minutes.
- Transfer Filling: Pour the thickened cherry mixture evenly into a 9x9-inch baking dish, spreading it out as the base layer.
- Make Topping Dry Mix: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, 1/2 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt to blend all the dry ingredients evenly.
- Incorporate Butter: Add the cold butter cubes to the dry ingredients. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add Milk: Stir in the milk just until the dough comes together. Be careful not to overmix to keep the topping tender.
- Assemble Casserole: Drop spoonfuls of the biscuit dough evenly over the cherry filling, covering the surface loosely.
- Bake: Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, or until the topping turns golden brown and the cherry filling is bubbly around the edges.
- Cool and Serve: Let the casserole cool for a short time before serving to allow the filling to set and make it easier to portion.
Notes
- Using frozen cherries works well and they should be thawed before cooking for best results.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a teaspoon of vanilla extract to the cherry filling.
- Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for an indulgent dessert.
- Ensure the butter is very cold to create a crumbly, tender topping texture.
