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No hate on traditional holiday foods, but is it just us, or are most of the classics brown, beige, or some other non-descript color? Sure, we love the tastes of cinnamon, nutmeg, caramel, and gingerbread, but sometimes what the holiday table needs is a vibrant splash of color. If this ordeal sounds familiar to you, Nancy Fuller, author of Farmhouse Rules, has the answer: a sweet and tangy sour cherry pie with a bright red color that rivals that of Santa’s velvet coat.
There are a few different things that Fuller does to make this pie holiday-worthy. For one thing, the pie dough is homemade with real butter, for a rich and flaky crust. Fuller also uses a lattice-weave design on the top, so the crimson interior can be seen, giving you that much-needed holiday pop of color. Then, rather than using a can of cherry filling, Fuller makes a simple pie filling out of jarred, pitted sour cherries. These cherries have a naturally tart flavor, so the pie filling never ends up tasting cloyingly sweet.
Another fun holiday touch? Instead of topping the pie with whipped cream, Fuller serves it with what she calls sprinkle balls. You can tell the kids at the table that they’re magical snowballs, but in reality, they’re just scoops of vanilla ice cream that get rolled in sprinkles. You can pre-scoop the ice cream, roll it in your favorite festive sprinkles, and place the balls on a baking sheet in the freezer until you’re ready to serve.
On Instagram, one person said it was their “favorite pie,” and another called it “my favorite fruit pie.” If you’re bored with making the same old holiday desserts year after year, give Nancy Fuller’s brightly colored sour cherry pie a try. Who knows, it might just become a new family favorite.
Before you go, check out these Ina Garten-Approved holiday gift ideas:
Watch: Peppermint Bark Is the Perfect Holiday Gift That You Can Make Right at Home