My Gramma wrote down most of her recipes, but she made some of our favorites so often that the only “recipe” she had was a scrap of paper with some scrawled-out ingredients. My mom and aunts were able to figure out the instructions for most of these recipes, but the family favorite Cherry Cream Cheese Pie took a bit more trial and error. I remember my mom making a fresh pie every day for a week trying to figure out exactly how my Gramma had done it. With lots of trial and error and collective memories from all of us (that’s not how she used to mix it!) my mom finally figured out Gramma’s Cherry Cream Cheese Pie. When my brother finds out I made this, he’ll flip out – it’s his favorite (and he’s pretty picky).
Cherry Cream Cheese Pie
You need:
1 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 can cherry pie filling
9-inch baked pie shell
First, either bake a pie shell or buy one already made. I baked a Trader Joe’s frozen pie shell, then set it aside to cool.
Mush up your softened cream cheese, then put it in a mixing bowl with the vanilla and powdered sugar.
Mix it all together until it’s smooth. It’s much easier to do this by hand (says my mom).
Beat the whipping cream until it’s stiff.
Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream.
Fold together the cream cheese mixture and the whipped cream.
Feed your child. This counts as lunch, right?
Pour the mix into the center of the pie shell and spread it out evenly.
Stick the pie in your freezer for about 45 minutes to help it set, then put in your fridge until you’re ready to serve it!
Don’t let any pie filling go to waste.
When it’s time to serve, add the cherries to the top of the pie. If you’re not going to eat the pie all at once, add the cherries to each individual slice.
We are obviously going to eat our pie all at once. Look, I made a heart for Valentine’s Day. AWWWWWWWW.
The crust is flaky and the filling is sweet and the cherries are tangy. YUM.
Annie was excited to eat, almost as if the lunch I’d served her earlier wasn’t enough.
After I took this picture, Annie leaned forward and stuck her fork into the rest of the pie that’s just out of frame. So yeah, she likes it.
P.S. I texted my brother a picture of Annie eating the pie and he replied, “I will be there in forty minutes.”
Happy Valentine’s Day!
- 1 8-ounce package of softened cream cheese
- 1 cup whipping cream
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 can cherry pie filling
- 9-inch baked pie shell
- Bake pie shell
- Hand mix together cream cheese, sifted powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth
- In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until peaks form
- Gently fold in cream cheese mixture until incorporated
- Pour mix into baked pie shell
- Place in freezer for 45 minutes to set
- Chill in fridge until ready to serve
- Add cherries just before serving
pgoodness says:
I’ll be right over!!!
Wait.
Dammit.
Kayla says:
Seconded!
Wait.
Also dammit.
Melanie says:
I had to pin this one so i don’t loose it! It’s a must try!
Beckie says:
OH, yum! I sure wish that you lived in my neighborhood! I will be making this, but I will have to make one cherry pie and one blueberry. Dear hubby doesn’t like cherry pie filling. More for me.
Kristina says:
Annie is so beautiful she stole all the attention away front the pie!!!
Kristin says:
Yum…I had to pin that!
Jenn says:
OMG Mama – That looks A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!!! You are REALLY coming along with your cooking & baking!! So PROUD of you!!! You can really use any topping….Yes? Did Kyle make it over for his piece?
You’re family is so LUCKY to have you….and NOT just b/c you make some pretty amazing meal & desserts!!! You’re the BEST Heather!! xo
Candice says:
Looks yummy! Adorable pics of Annie!!
Emily says:
How cute are those bakers? Love the hat and aprons. The pie looks delish! I don’t bake, and this looks like something I could actually pull off. I bet it would be good with strawberries too. Mmmm.
Gwen says:
Fantastic! My son’s favorite dessert is cheese cake so I can’t wait to make this, he is going to flip
Lisa F. says:
That looks delicious! I love making pie crusts, so this would be another excuse to do one. Now excuse me while I whip out my Crisco!
monica says:
I am going to make this, looks delish!
Colleen says:
Had to Pin it too! Can’t wait to make it… yummy!
Becca_Masters says:
that looks good. i’ll have to share my no bake cheese cake recipe with you.
so easy to make. crushed cookies of your choice (i reccommend oreos, if you go for a chocolate topping) but you can use plain cookies, or ginger cookies, or a mixture of cookies. mix with melted butter and pack into small glasses.
then for the filling you need a large container of vanilla yoghurt. and about 500ml of heavy cream. whip the heavy cream until it is stiff and then fold in the vanilla yoghurt. place on your cookie base and place in the fridge to cool for at least 2 hours.
the top with a drizzle of melted chocolate, or fresh fruits.
it’s amazing!
Suzy says:
Bet strawberry would be awesome, too!
Bianca S says:
Sounds great!! I’ll just have to work out how to make my own cherry topping and then I’ll get baking
(I don’t ‘do’ ready-made mixes/toppings, and I doubt they sell them here anyway :p)
michele wallace says:
Looks YUMMY – I love all your recipes (keep posting more)
Nadine says:
I love this recipe!! We’ve simplified it a bit….8 oz cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 cup cool whip or similar whipped topping. Then we put it in a zip lock, snip a corner and pipe it into those little pre-baked tart shells *and top wih the pie filling (or fresh fruit or chocolate shavings or nuts or sprinkles) for bite sized Heaven. Great for parties!!!
* usually found in the frozen food section near the pie shells
Kat says:
Pie party at your place? I’m IN!!
Mike’s face in that photo looks like he’s pretty genuinely in love with that pie. SOLD!
Nikki says:
Yum! Looks amazing!
And I love that Annie still hasn’t mastered the thumbs up. Cracks me up every single time, LOL.
A says:
That sounds amazing. I want pie now!
Jenny says:
So the question is…did your brother actually come over? And was there any pie left when he got there?
mariel says:
I really love how you always show the ingredients in their packages, love this series! Can’t wait to make it!
p.s.
Saw you and family at the YGG concert a few months ago and really wanted to say hello – I was being shy.
Jenny says:
So? Did Kyle make it in time for pie? We need to teach Annie to lick the whole pie. Then it’s “hers”.
You are rocking out that kitchen! Are you enjoying cooking and baking more now?
gayatri.life.unordinary says:
love the chef hat! and a wonderful demo, as always!
Cierra says:
I make this but I put banana pieces on the bottom before I add the filling. It’s so yummy with blackberry pie filling too.
Barb says:
can’t believe no one’s mentioned this — we make this, but use a graham cracker crust. Even better, mix together smashed up graham crackers, melted butter and a little sugar, and make the crust in a big ole 9×13 cake pan, then double the recipe! I also cheat and use cool whip.