Triple Cherry Lattice Pie
This Triple Cherry Lattice Pie recipe is so good it received perfect marks across the board from an entire judging panel at the Durham Fair in Connecticut.
By Yankee Magazine|Aug 17 2026|
Triple Cherry Lattice Pie
Credit: Joseph Keller/styling by Catrine KeltyTo understand how good this pie is, consider the words of Megan Boyles, Durham Fair baking superintendent and founder of the Connecticut Triple Crown of Baking: “Reena’s cherry lattice pie is the only one I have ever judged that received perfect marks across the board from an entire judging panel. It is exceptional.”
Reena Kapoor of Branford, Connecticut, started competing in ag fairs in 2016, about a decade into her career as a forensic psychiatrist. “Baking became a way for me to bring joy and pleasure into the world, balancing the tragedy I encountered in my work,” she says. “Truly, what is more joyful than a herringbone lattice crust topping a sweet-tart cherry filling?”
The secret to her pie? “The three types of cherries give this pie more depth than any single variety could manage on its own. Tapioca flour thickens the filling cleanly, without the starchy aftertaste cornstarch can leave behind. The lattice is worth the effort: It lets steam escape and shows off the glossy filling beneath.”
For optimal results, Reena measures her key ingredients by weight, not volume, so grams are included here.
Note: Tapioca flour (sometimes labeled tapioca starch) is not the same thing as minute tapioca. Look for it in the baking or gluten-free aisle of your supermarket.
This winning Triple Cherry Lattice Pie recipe first appeared in “Blue-Ribbon Buffet” in the September/October 2026 issue of Yankee.
Yield
8 to 10 servings
For the crust
Ingredients
2½ cups (350 grams) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
¾ teaspoon table salt
2 sticks plus 5 tablespoons (280 grams) unsalted butter, cold, cut into ¼-inch cubes
5–6 tablespoons very cold water
Instructions
Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Add butter and pulse until it breaks down into ½-inch pieces. Add 5 tablespoons cold water and pulse until dough just comes together, adding another tablespoon if necessary. Gather dough into a ball and divide into equal portions (740 grams each), then flatten each into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
For the filling
Ingredients
3 cups (350 grams) frozen sour cherries (such as Montmorency), unthawed
2 cups (280 grams) frozen sweet cherries, unthawed
1 cup (140 grams) dried cherries
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons (15 grams) tapioca flour
¼ teaspoon table salt
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
Instructions
Combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice, tapioca flour, and salt in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the mixture thickens and the cherries have released their juices, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Roll one portion of dough into a 12-inch circle and fit into a 9-inch pie pan. Add the cooled filling. Roll the second portion into a rectangle roughly 11 by 17 inches, then cut into ½-inch-wide strips with a pizza cutter or sharp knife. Weave the strips into a lattice over the filling, press the edges together to seal, and trim any excess. Brush evenly with egg wash.
Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake at 400°F for 20 minutes. Shield the crust edges with foil, then continue baking until the filling bubbles actively in the center and an instant-read thermometer inserted through a lattice gap reads 212°F, 40 to 60 minutes more. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting, at least 3 hours.
