COPY-CAT GRAND TRAVERSE PIE COMPANY CHERRY STREUSEL PIE

I love the cherry crumb pie that the Grand Traverse Pie Company makes. On our trip to Michigan earlier this summer, we went to this restaurant twice. I have to say upfront, I am really picky about pies in restaurants. Pies are my thing. I rarely find pie in a restaurant that tastes good, or anywhere near like homemade. However, the cherry crumb pie made by the Grand Traverse Pie Company is an exception. This pie is delicious.

When I got home from Traverse City in early July, I got busy developing my own, copy-cat cherry crumb  pie recipe. It tastes pretty close to what you’ll get at the Grand Traverse Pie Company. I am sure you’ll like it!

CHERRY STREUSEL PIE

Streusel topping:

6 T. cold butter
¾ cup brown sugar
¾ cup all-purpose or unbleached white flour
¾ cup uncooked oatmeal, old-fashioned or quick-cooking

Blend topping ingredients with your fingers or using a pastry blender, under crumbly. Refrigerate until ready to put on top of pie.

Filling:

2 (1 lb.) cans pitted tart red cherries (juice pack)
1 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
Dash salt
1/8 tsp. pure almond extract
2 T. butter

1 (9-inch) unbaked pastry shell

Drain cherries, reserving 1 cup liquid. In medium saucepan, combine ½ cup of the sugar, cornstarch and salt; stir in reserved cherry liquid. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbling slightly. Reduce heat to low and cook one minute more. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ½ cup of sugar, the cherries, butter and almond extract. Spoon into pastry shell. Sprinkle topping over filling. Bake in 400 degree oven for about  40 minutes. Cool on pie rack at least an hour before serving.