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The Complete Guide to Sugar Alternatives: Everything You Need to Know →Classic Cherry Pie with Jaca
A beautiful homemade cherry pie with a flaky double crust and a glossy, deeply red filling that mounds in every slice. The granulated sugar in the filling is replaced with Jaca (allulose) at double the amount, so the cherries still macerate, the juices still thicken, and you still get that bright sweet-tart bite — without the conventional sugar. Adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction. This is a Jaca-adjusted healthier version.
Ingredients
- 1 1/3 cups Jaca (allulose) (replaces 2/3 cup granulated sugar at 2x ratio)
- 4 1/2 cups fresh sweet or sour cherries, pitted, halved or quartered
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter, cubed (dotted on top of filling before sealing crust)
- 2 discs all-butter pie dough (enough for one bottom and one lattice top — your favorite recipe or a quality store-bought double crust)
- 1 whole large egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon milk (for egg wash)
Sweetener Used
1 1/3 cups Jaca (allulose) Allulose
Replaces: 2/3 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- 1
Pit the cherries and cut them in halves or quarters. In a large bowl, toss the cherries with the Jaca, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract until everything is evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate while you roll the crust (or up to 24 hours).
- 2
On a lightly floured surface, roll the first chilled disc of pie dough into a 12-inch circle. Carefully transfer it to a 9-inch pie dish, easing it into the corners without stretching. Trim any extreme overhang to about an inch.
- 3
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries into the lined crust, leaving the juice behind in the bowl. Refrigerate the pie uncovered while you reduce the juices.
- 4
Pour the reserved cherry juice into a small saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes until slightly reduced and thickened. Note: Jaca-sweetened juice will reduce a touch faster than a sugar-based juice — pull it the moment it coats the back of a spoon to avoid a bitter, scorched flavor. Let it cool for 5 minutes.
- 5
Pour the reduced juice over the cherries in the pie shell and gently toss to redistribute. The reduction may seize up against the cold cherries; that is normal and will loosen during baking. Dot the cubed butter across the top of the filling. Refrigerate the pie while you finish the lattice.
- 6
Roll the second disc of dough into a 12-inch circle. Cut it into roughly 3/4-inch strips with a pastry wheel or sharp knife. Lay half the strips parallel across the pie, then weave the remaining strips perpendicular over and under to form a lattice. Press the strip ends into the bottom crust to seal, trim the excess, and crimp or flute the edges.
- 7
Brush the lattice and edges with the egg wash. Refrigerate the assembled pie for 20 to 30 minutes while the oven preheats. A cold pie going into a hot oven is the trick to a flaky, well-defined crust.
- 8
Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch any bubbling juices. Bake for 20 minutes at 400°F, then reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for 30 to 40 minutes more, until the crust is deep golden brown and the filling juices are bubbling thickly through the lattice for at least 5 minutes.
- 9
If the edges brown too quickly, tent them with foil or use a pie shield after the first 20 minutes.
- 10
Cool the pie on a wire rack for at least 3 to 4 hours before slicing — the filling needs time to set or it will run. Serve at room temperature with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
- 11
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days. Reheat individual slices in a 325°F oven for 10 minutes to crisp the crust back up.
Pro Tips
- Fresh cherries make the best filling, but a 1:1 swap with thawed and well-drained frozen cherries works in the off-season. Drain them aggressively — extra moisture will turn the filling soupy no matter how much cornstarch you use.
- Sweet cherries (Bing, Rainier) give a softer, jammier filling. Sour cherries (Montmorency) give that classic bracing, bakery-style cherry pie tang. A 50/50 mix of both is the gold standard if you can find them.
- Almond extract is not optional. Even a quarter teaspoon transforms the filling — it amplifies the cherry flavor and gives the pie that nostalgic, old-school bakery taste.
- Allulose-sweetened fillings can read slightly less viscous than sugar fillings right out of the oven. The full set happens during the cool — do not be tempted to slice early, even if the lattice looks ready.
- Roll the dough cold and work quickly. If the butter starts melting, slide the dough back into the fridge for 10 minutes and pick up where you left off. Cold butter is what creates the flaky layers.
- If your bottom crust ever turns out soggy, try blind-baking it at 400°F for 10 minutes before adding the filling next time. With this Jaca-adjusted version the filling is already on the loose side, so a partly-set bottom crust is your friend.
- Skip the optional coarse sugar sprinkle on the lattice — Jaca crystals do not behave the same as conventional sanding sugar and tend to dissolve into the egg wash. The egg wash alone delivers a beautiful golden shine.