Cherry-Bourbon Pie

Cherry-Bourbon Pie
Original recipe by Bon Appetit

Buy the 24.7 ounce "Dark Morello Cherries" from Trader Joe's.  If you do not have a Trader Joe's in your neighborhood, don't worry, . . . other brands will work too. 

Ingredients:

Pie
1    pie crust, homemade or store-bought
3    24.7-ounce jars pitted sour cherries in syrup (about 6 cups)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup bourbon
3    tablespoons cornstarch
2    tablespoons fresh orange juice
1    tablespoon finely grated orange zest

Crumble
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

The cherry pie will bubble over while baking, so place aluminum foil over a baking sheet and set aside

DRAIN THE SYRUP FROM THE CHERRIES. 

Combine cherries and the remaining 5 ingredients (pie ingredients) in a large bowl.  Using a rubber spatula, gently mix until cherries are coated and mixture is evenly distributed.

Pour the cherry mixture into the pie crust, and set aside.

Stir all ingredients (crumble ingredients), except butter with a wooden spoon in a medium bowl until no lumps of sugar remain.
 

Cut the butter into 1/2-inch cubes.  Rub the butter into the oat mixture with your fingertips until it's completely incorporated.  Top the cherry pie with the crumble.  HINT - AFTER INCORPORATING THE CRUMBLE MIXTURE, GRAB A SMALL HANDFUL OF CRUMBLE WITH YOUR HANDS AND RUB THE MIXTURE WITH YOUR FINGERTIPS ABOVE THE PIE, SPRINKLING THE CRUMBLE OVER THE PIE.

Bake the cherry pie for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until pie crust and center of crumble are a deep golden brown and the juices from the cherries has thickened and bubbling. 

Let pie cool for at least 2 hours at room temperature to allow the filling to set properly.  CUTTING THE PIE BEFORE IT'S SET WILL RESULT IN A RUNNY FILLING.  Cover and let stand up to 1 day at room temperature.

8 servings