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This spooky Halloween pie is a hauntingly festive twist on the classic cherry pie. The rich, deep red of the cherry pie filling perfectly with the Jack Skellington inspired pie crust, making it a show-stopping treat for the fall season.
Spooky Halloween Cherry Pie
If you are looking for an easy and tasty treat for Halloween, this pie is perfect. It’s bursting with tart cherry flavor, and the crust is beautifully golden and flaky. We are pie lovers in our house, and this is the best time of year to make a pie. I’ve made countless pies, including fruit like apples and cherries, and this one is one of our favorites. The dark cherries are a great balance of tart and sweet. We love “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” so a Jack Skellington pie Halloween dessert is fitting for the spooky season!
Why You’ll Love This Halloween Pie
- Budget-friendly. These ingredients are very inexpensive, so you won’t have to worry about spending money on extra items.
- Only 6 ingredients. It only takes 6 everyday ingredients to make this tasty Halloween pie.
- Crowd pleaser. I promise that if you bring this to a party or make it for your own, you will wow your kids and guests.
What You’ll Need
Below are all of the ingredients needed to make the cherry pie filling and the egg wash on top. These ingredients are inexpensive and mostly pantry staples! Find the exact measurements on the recipe card below.
- Frozen cherries: I use frozen and pitted dark cherries. The deep color adds to the spooky factor. You may use fresh cherries instead if you prefer. I just find the frozen variety easier to find in October.
- Sugar: Simple white sugar is used in the filling and sprinkled on top of the crust for extra sweetness and texture.
- Cornstarch: Adding cornstarch to the pie filling will help it thicken so it doesn’t run out when you cut out a slice.
- Lemon juice: The acidity balances the sweetness of the cherries and sugar.
- Spices: Warm cinnamon compliments the cherries, while sea salt enhances the cherry flavor.
- Pie dough: I use refrigerated pie dough for this recipe for convenience. If you like, you may make Homemade Pie Crust.
- Egg and milk: These ingredients are combined to make the egg wash mixture. This will be brushed on the top of the pie to ensure it browns as it bakes.
How to Make Halloween Cherry Pie
The preparation for this Halloween pie is quick and easy. The hardest part is waiting for it to bake and cool so you can taste test!
- Prepare the oven and pie dish. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F and spray an 8-inch pie dish with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the cherry filling ingredients. Add the frozen cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt to a large saucepan. Stir to combine the ingredients.
- Thicken and cool. Heat the pan over medium heat and allow the cherries to thaw and the ingredients to thicken. Set it aside to cool completely.
- Roll out the dough. Take one of the pie dough sheets and roll it out over the pie dish. Overhang is fine!
- Add the filling. Pour the cooled filling into the bottom pie crust and ensure it is spread evenly.
- Roll and cut the second dough sheet. Take the remaining dough sheet and roll it out on a clean, flat work surface. With a sharp knife cut out the two eye holes, two slits for the nose, and a smile with small slits on either side to look like stitches.
- Top the pie. Carefully place the dough on top of the pie filling, making sure the face is in the center. Press and seal the crust edges using a fork.
- Add egg wash and sugar. Combine the egg and milk. Then, brush it over the top of the pie crust. Sprinkle some sugar over the top as well.
- Bake. Place it gently into the oven and bake it for 45-50 minutes or until it is evenly golden brown.
- Serve. Allow the pie to cool for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Cover the edges with foil. If you notice that the edges are browning faster than the middle, cover them with aluminum foil and let the pie continue to bake until the middle is golden.
- Make sure the filling is cool. If the filling isn’t cooled before it’s transferred to the pie crust, it will become too thin as it bakes and cause a mess.
- Try blueberries. The blueberries become a dark purple color when cooked and would work great as a filling in this spooky pie recipe.
- Use a stencil. If you want to ensure you get the Jack face looking how you want, feel free to print out or purchase a stencil to use as a guide.
Proper Storage
Cover the pie with foil or plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. To freeze, add the filling to the pie crust, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and store it in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator before baking it. I do not recommend baking it before you freeze it.
More Fun Halloween Recipes to Try
- Halloween Stuffed Peppers
- Graveyard Pudding
- Mummy Fudge
- Bloody Eyeball Cocktail
- Spinach Monster Muffins
Halloween Pie
This spooky Halloween pie is a hauntingly festive twist on the classic cherry pie. The rich, deep red of the cherry pie filling perfectly with the Jack Skellington inspired pie crust, making it a show-stopping treat for the fall season.
Servings: 8 Servings
Ingredients
- 32 ounce frozen dark cherries pitted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1 squeeze fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon sea salt finely ground
- refrigerated pie dough 2 sheets
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large saucepan, combine cherries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and lemon juice. Stir to fully coat the cherries, then heat on medium heat until cherries are thawed and mixture is thickened. Stir frequently to keep mixture from sticking to the bottom of the saucepan.
- Once the cherries have thickened, set aside to cool slightly.
- Roll out one pie dough sheet to a 10 inch circle then transfer the dough to your 8-inch pie dish. there will be overhang and that's okay.
- Pour your cherry filling into the pie dish and spread evenly.
- Roll out your second pie dough sheet to a 10 inch circle and cut out two holes for eyes, two slits for the skull nose, and a crooked smile.
- Gently roll the dough sheet over your pie dish, making sure the skull face is in the center. Press the edges down, slightly sealing the bottom and top crust edges.
- Use a fork to fully seal the edges then brush the pie with an egg wash (1 egg + 1 tbsp milk) and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
- Bake on the middle rack for 45-50 minutes. Pie should be golden brown.
Last Step:
Please leave a rating and comment letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business to thrive and continue providing free, high-quality recipes for you.Notes
- It is important to cool the filling before baking, so the cornstarch can activate and thicken it.
- If the edges of the pie are browning faster than the middle, cover the edges with foil until the middle is golden.
- The pie will store well for 3-4 days wrapped in foil.
Nutrition
Calories: 190kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.4g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 292mg | Potassium: 254mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 73IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 0.5mg
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