Cherry pie is a beloved dessert, with its sweet and slightly tart filling encased in a buttery, flaky crust. When making a cherry pie, using the right variety of cherry is crucial to achieving the perfect texture and flavor. The ideal cherry for pie filling has a balance of sweetness and acidity, holds its shape during baking, and has a thick skin so the filling is not excessively juicy. With hundreds of cherry varieties to choose from, it can be difficult to determine which type of cherry makes the best pie. This article examines the most popular cherry varieties used in pie filling and factors such as flavor, texture, and appearance to decide which variety truly reigns supreme for baking the perfect cherry pie.
Popular Cherry Varieties for Pie
There are three main varieties of cherry commonly used in pie filling:
Sweet Cherries
Sweet cherries, also known as wild cherries or gean cherries, are usually medium to large in size and have a round shape. They live up to their name and have a very sweet, almost candy-like flavor with just a slight tartness. Popular sweet cherry varieties include Bing, Rainier, Lambert, and Royal Ann.
Sour Cherries
Sour cherries have a mouth-puckering tartness and acidic bite. They tend to be smaller and heart-shaped. Common sour varieties are Montmorency, North Star, Danube, and Balaton. Montmorency is the most popular.
Duke Cherries
Duke cherries are hybrids that combine the characteristics of sweet and sour varieties. They are medium to large cherries with a round shape and have a pleasant sweet-tart taste. The most common Duke variety is Royal Duke.
Flavors
The different cherry varieties vary significantly in their flavor profiles, which greatly impacts their suitability for pie filling.
Sweet Cherries
Sweet cherries have a pronounced candied sweetness paired with very mild acidity. While the intense sugariness can be delicious eaten fresh, sweet cherries lack the complexity and balance required in a pie filling. Used alone, their one-dimensional sugary flavor overwhelms the pie. Sweet cherries are often best used in combination with tart cherries.
Sour Cherries
Sour cherries deliver an intense tart, fruity flavor with low sugar content. Their bright acidity and fruitiness stands up well during baking and adds lively flavor to the pie filling. However, sour cherries can be too sharp on their own and need some sweetness to counterbalance their puckery taste. They are often combined with sweeter varieties.
Duke Cherries
Duke cherries strike a perfect balance between sweet and tart, with a rich cherry taste and moderately high acidity. This makes them a versatile choice suitable for use alone or in combination with other varieties. The sweetness subdues the tartness but doesn’t eliminate it, creating excellent layered flavor.
Texture
The texture of the raw cherries directly impacts the consistency of the baked pie filling. Certain varieties hold their shape better and create a thicker filling.
Sweet Cherries
Bing and other sweet dark cherries have extremely tender, juicy flesh. When baked, sweet cherries tend to bleed juice and turn mushy, resulting in a thin, runny pie filling. While Rainier cherries have firmer flesh that retains its shape better, the filling can still be quite loose.
Sour Cherries
Sour cherries like Montmorency have tarter flesh that firms up when exposed to heat. They maintain their structure during baking, creating a thicker, richer pie filling. The skin of sour cherries is also thicker and holds the juice in. This prevents excessive runniness.
Duke Cherries
The flesh of Duke cherry varieties is moderately firm with a thinner skin. While they hold their shape relatively well when baked, the filling may be slightly more loose than Montmorency cherries.
Appearance
Pie eaters also feast with their eyes, so the look of the cherry pie filling is an important consideration.
Sweet Cherries
Sweet dark cherries like Bing turn an attractive garnet red when cooked and develop a glossy sheen. Unfortunately, their tendency to bleed juice can make the filling appear thin and watery if overcooked. Rainier cherries fade to a pinkish beige hue.
Sour Cherries
Sour cherries hold their vivid, bright red color well when baked. The thicker filling also has a luscious look on the plate. However, some sour varieties like Montmorency have lighter flesh near the pit which can detract from the appearance.
Duke Cherries
Royal Duke cherries retain a rich, intense red color through baking. As the flesh color is uniform, the filling looks dense and even. The moderate thickness has an appealing texture.
Nutrition
The nutritional value of cherries should also be considered when selecting a variety for pie filling.
| Cherry Type | Calories per 1 Cup | Sugar (g) | Fiber (g) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sweet (Bing) | 100 | 19 | 3 |
| Sour (Montmorency) | 70 | 12 | 2 |
| Duke (Royal Duke) | 85 | 15 | 3 |
Sweet Cherries
Sweet cherries contain more calories and sugar than sour and Duke varieties. However, they also provide more fiber.
Sour Cherries
With the lowest calorie and sugar content, sour cherries are the lightest option. They have slightly less fiber than other varieties.
Duke Cherries
Duke cherries fall in the middle for calories, sugar, and fiber. Their levels are only moderately high.
Cost
The price per pound of different cherry varieties is another point of comparison:
| Cherry Type | Average Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Sweet | $3.99 |
| Sour | $4.99 |
| Duke | $4.49 |
Sweet Cherries
Sweet cherries like Bing and Rainier have the lowest cost per pound. Their high availability makes them very budget-friendly.
Sour Cherries
Sour Montmorency cherries are the most expensive variety. Their smaller crop size increases the price.
Duke Cherries
Royal Duke cherries are mid-priced. While more costly than sweet cherries, they are often cheaper than sour cherries.
Winner: Best Cherry for Pie
When all factors are considered, Montmorency sour cherries stand out as the best variety for pie filling. Here’s why:
- Intense tart flavor provides excellent cherry taste
- Firm texture creates a thick, rich filling
- Vibrant red color is very attractive
- Lowest in calories and sugar
While Montmorency cherries cost more, their superior flavor, texture, nutrition, and appearance make them the ideal choice for both homemade and professional cherry pies. For the most authentic cherry pie experience, accept no substitutes!
Using Cherry Variety Blends
Though Montmorency sour cherries shine on their own, blending cherry varieties can also yield delicious results. Some blends to try:
- 3 parts Montmorency sour cherries to 1 part Bing sweet cherries – balances tartness
- Equal parts Montmorency and Royal Duke – nutty Duke flavor comes through
- 2 parts Montmorency cherries, 1 part Rainier cherries, 1 part Bing cherries – juicy, colorful filling
When mixing varieties, sample the raw cherry blend first to ensure you’re happy with the flavor. Adjust ratios as needed to suit your tastes.
Storage and Usage Tips
To get the best results from your cherries:
- Refrigerate cherries promptly in a sealed container. They last about a week.
- Wash and pit cherries just before use. Soaking causes loss of juice.
- If using canned cherries, drain well before use to minimize liquid in the filling.
- To prevent mushy texture, bake pies at 425°F until cherries soften but still hold their shape.
With the proper variety and handling, it’s easy to bake showstopping cherry pies with flavorful, beautiful fillings. While Montmorency sour cherries are the gold standard, don’t be afraid to test different cherry blends in your next pie. The possibilities are endless for creating cherry pie perfection.