Sweet Washington Cherry Pie

Ingredients

• 2 cups pitted fresh dark sweet cherries , such as Bing or Lambert
• 0.33 cups bottled cherry juice
• 0.33 cups brown sugar
• 0.33 cups white sugar
• 0.25 teaspoons almond extract
• 0.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 pastry for a double-crust 9-inch pie
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter , cut into small chunks

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. 2

   Mix cherries, cherry juice, brown sugar, white sugar, almond extract, and flour together in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved. Let stand while you prepare pastry dough, about 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Meanwhile, line a 9-inch pie dish with pastry crust. Fill with cherry filling. Sprinkle butter over filling. Top with remaining crust, and crimp edges to seal. Cut several steam vents into top crust with a paring knife. Cover with foil during the first 20 minutes of baking to prevent pie edges from browning too quickly.

4. 4

   Bake in the preheated oven until filling is bubbling and thick, and crust is browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool before serving.