Grandma Rosie's award winning cherry cheese pie is a favorite family recipe — it's incredibly easy to make and impossible to screw up. If cherry cheesecake and pie had a baby, this would be it! It is so good it will blow your mind... and it's prepped and ready in just 30 minutes.
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Why You'll Love Cheesecake Pie
This cherry cheese pie has been making its way to dessert tables at many of our family gatherings for as long as I can remember. For years, Grandma Rose guarded this recipe with her life, only sharing it with her innermost circle.
Luckily, in her later years, she began sharing it freely, especially after she won an award for it at her local senior center! And thank goodness because you guys, this pie is no joke! I need you to drop everything you're doing and make it. This is not a drill. It really is that good!
I mean, think about it. It's essentially two of the most magical things on earth combined: cherry pie and cheesecake. You're setting yourself up for a win from the get-go. Here are just a few more reasons to try it:
- Full of fruity and creamy flavors
- Made with simple ingredients
- Impressive presentation
- Perfect for the holidays or any dessert table!
- It's pretty hard to screw up (and as we all know, I'm really good at screwing up pies)
Ingredient Information And Substitutions
- Cream Cheese- The main component for the filling. It adds tangy flavor and a velvety texture — soften it first to make it easier to mix.
- Heavy Cream- Also important for that creamy filling- you'll use this to make freshly whipped cream. This also helps create a light and fluffy texture that balances out the cream cheese.
- Confectioner's Sugar- Or powdered sugar, whatever you want to call it! I use it over granulated sugar for the filling to avoid any grittiness.
- Pure Vanilla Extract- Adds a light, warm flavor to the entire pie.
- Pie Crust- I almost always use a store-bought frozen crust. This recipe makes enough cheese filling for a 10-inch pie, but if you make a smaller one, I encourage you to enjoy the leftover filling with graham crackers and the cherry syrup.
- Cherry Pie Filling- Where all of the cherry goodness comes from! I like the cans that say "extra fruit." Please note: In the past few years, the canned cherry pie filling has gone through a bit of "shrink-flation" and I've found myself needing 3 cans to completely cover the pie.
How To Make Cherry Cream Pie
Step 1- Whip the cream.
Add the heavy cream to a large bowl and beat on high until fluffy peaks form. Scrape it all into another bowl and set aside.
Step 2- Combine with the cream cheese mixture.
In the same bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, and vanilla extract together until well combined.
Step 3- Combine the cream cheese mixture and whipped cream.
Next, gently fold the cheese mixture into the whipped cream.
Step 3- Assemble & chill.
Pour the filling into the baked and cooled pie crust and smooth the top with a spatula. Place each cherry from the cherry pie filling one-by-on until the entire pie is covered. Place the pie in the refrigerator to chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
Most traditional cheesecake recipes are baked (unless it's a no bake, of course), while the only thing that needs baking here is the crust.
Homemade really does have the best flavor and texture. I wouldn't encourage you to stray from this as most store-bought whipped cream has sugar added to it and the whole pie will end up being too sweet.
Nope, this is a no bake cream cheese pie! Start with a pre-baked pie crust, then all that's left to do is add the filling and topping before you chill.
Absolutely! I like to bake off the crust and make the cheese mixture the night before so that all I have to do is assemble it in the morning. That said, the pie will be just fine if you've made it the night before!
Starting with softened cream cheese will be really helpful. And make sure to fully combine it with the sugar and vanilla before folding it into the whipped cream for the smoothest texture.
Tips For Making This Cheesecake Pie Recipe
- Work smarter, not harder, and buy a frozen pre-made pie crust. Spend the time you would have spent battling with homemade pie crust watching The Office on Netflix and marveling at how it never stops being funny.
- I've found that the only really labor-intensive part of assembling this pie is putting the cherries on. Now you may be tempted to just dump a can of cherries on top and call it a day. I was. And one time, many years ago, I actually did. Let me tell you, Rosie had some choice words for me, expressed in a way that only Rosie could (let's just say she really wasn't one to mince words!). She was clear that you must put the cherries on top one by one so that each and every piece of pie was fully covered in all of those delicious cherries.
- For placing the cherries, some people find it easiest to start in the middle and build the rest of them around that middle cherry, removing extra syrup before adding each cherry. My mom goes from the outside-in, but it's fine either way.
- This pie is meant to have a soft texture, so don't stress if it doesn't fully set in the fridge! That said, popping it into the fridge for an hour or two will help.
- Try other flavored pie fillings. I won't tell Rosie if you don't. Blueberry would be insanely good!
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Remember you can fully prep this pie the night before, or go so far as to assemble it! Refer to my tips in the FAQ section for more specific instructions.
- Leftovers and storage- Consider yourself lucky if you have leftovers — we usually don't! They'll keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. The cherries may start to bleed into the filling over time, but it will still taste great!
What To Serve With Rosie's Cream Cheese Pie Recipe
I love this pie for almost any holiday you can think of. Seriously, it works super well in the summer for things like Memorial Day or the Fourth of July, but it's just as good at Thanksgiving and Christmas! For cookouts, I usually pair it with:
- 7 Layer Taco Dip
- Hawaiian Burgers or Black Bean Burgers
- Hot Dogs with Meat Sauce
- Caprese Pasta Salad
Other Easy Pie Recipes To Try
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5 star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below ⬇️ and/or a review in the comment section further down. Check out my Amazon Store for all my favorite tools, including those used in this recipe. And follow @thelifejolie on Instagram and TikTok!
Cherry Cheese Pie
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
- 1 pint heavy cream
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 pie crust, baked and cooled (this makes enough cheese filling for a 10 inch pie, but if you make a smaller one, I encourage you to enjoy the leftover filling with graham crackers and the cherry syrup)
- 3 cans cherry pie filling (I like the Duncan Hines Comstock cans that say "extra fruit"- please note that Duncan Hines did not pay me to say that, and they probably don't even know that I mentioned their product. I just really like it)
Instructions
- In one bowl, beat the heavy cream until it becomes whipped cream, forming nice, fluffy peaks. Set aside.
- In another bowl, beat together the cream cheese, confection's sugar and vanilla extract until well combined.
- Gently fold the cheese mixture into the whipped cream to combine.
- Pour the cheese mixture into the baked and cooled pie crust and smooth the top.
- Arrange the cherries on top of the cheese mixture in concentric circles until the top is fully covered.
- Refrigerate until you're ready to serve.
Video
Notes
- Work smarter, not harder, and buy a frozen pre-made pie crust. Spend the time you would have spent battling with homemade pie crust watching The Office on Netflix and marveling at how it never stops being funny.
- I've found that the only really labor-intensive part of assembling this pie is putting the cherries on. Now you may be tempted to just dump a can of cherries on top and call it a day. I was. And one time, many years ago, I actually did. Let me tell you, Rosie had some choice words for me, expressed in a way that only Rosie could (let's just say she really wasn't one to mince words!). She was clear that you must put the cherries on top one by one so that each and every piece of pie was fully covered in all of those delicious cherries.
- For placing the cherries, some people find it easiest to start in the middle and build the rest of them around that middle cherry, removing extra syrup before adding each cherry. My mom goes from the outside-in, but it's fine either way.
- This pie is meant to have a soft texture, so don't stress if it doesn't fully set in the fridge! That said, popping it into the fridge for an hour or two will help.
- Try other flavored pie fillings. I won't tell Rosie if you don't. Blueberry would be insanely good!
- Ingredients to prep ahead- Remember you can fully prep this pie the night before, or go so far as to assemble it! Refer to my tips in the FAQ section for more specific instructions.
- Leftovers and storage- Consider yourself lucky if you have leftovers — we usually don't! They'll keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days. The cherries may start to bleed into the filling over time, but it will still taste great!
Nutrition
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