This Chocolate Cherry Bourbon Slab Pie is baked in a quarter sheet pan and blends a thick cherry filling with a touch of vanilla bourbon and ribbons of dark chocolate, all encased in a homemade all-butter pie crust. It’s rich, balanced, and ideal for a small dinner or office gathering.
Table of Contents
- What is a Slab Pie?
- How to Make the Recipe
- Recommended Baking Tools
- Can I Make Cherry Pie Filling the Day Before?
- Quick Recipe Tips
- More Beyond the Butter® Pie Recipes to Try
- Chocolate Cherry Bourbon Slab Pie Recipe
What is a Slab Pie?
A slab pie is a larger, thinner version of a traditional 9-inch pie. Made in a sheet pan, it’s great for serving a crowd: quarter sheet pans work well for smaller gatherings, while half-sheet pans suit larger events. You can cut portions to whatever size you prefer.
For this Chocolate Cherry Bourbon Slab Pie I used a quarter sheet pan and two pie crusts—one for the base and one for the top—so the method is essentially the same as making a standard pie.
How to Make the Recipe
This recipe is adapted from a classic homemade cherry pie. The steps mirror a regular 9-inch pie—the main change is the pan size. You’ll prepare an all-butter pie crust, cook a thick cherry filling with bourbon, swirl in melted dark chocolate, and bake until golden.
Homemade All-Butter Pie Crust
Ingredients: all-purpose flour, salt, very cold unsalted butter, and ice-cold water.
This crust is made entirely with butter—no shortening—resulting in a flaky, flavorful base. The dough benefits from chilling for at least one hour and makes two crusts, which is perfect for a slab pie with a top and bottom crust. Blind baking is not required for this recipe.
If you prefer to save time, store-bought crusts work fine—two crusts are needed, one for the bottom and one for the top. When using pre-made crusts, roll them out a bit beyond the edges of the quarter sheet pan for proper coverage.
Chocolate Cherry Bourbon Pie Filling
Ingredients: red tart cherries in water, bourbon (vanilla bourbon works well), granulated sugar, cornstarch, salt, almond and vanilla extracts, 70% cacao dark chocolate, and an egg for egg wash.
The filling is straightforward: combine the cherries (undrained), a bit of reserved water, bourbon, sugar, cornstarch, salt, and extracts in a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and stir until the mixture thickens. Cool the filling almost completely before assembling.
I prefer a vanilla-flavored bourbon for its complementary notes, but any bourbon will do. If you’d rather omit alcohol, the filling is still delicious without it.
Melt the dark chocolate in a microwave-safe glass bowl in short increments (about 30–45 seconds at 50% power), stirring between bursts until smooth. Use a glass bowl for safe microwave heating.
Recommended Baking Tools
This recipe is low-tech: no stand mixer required. You will need a large pot for the filling, a glass mixing bowl or jelly roll pan for cooling, and a quarter sheet pan for baking. Basic tools like a rolling pin, pastry blender (or forks), and a pastry brush are also helpful.
Can I Make Cherry Pie Filling the Day Before?
Yes. The filling stores well in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Wait to add the melted chocolate until you assemble the pie—mix it into the filling right before you place the top crust.
Quick Recipe Tips
Homemade All-Butter Pie Crust
- If using store-bought crusts, roll them a couple inches past the pan edge. You’ll need two crusts for this recipe.
- Shape dough portions into rectangles before chilling—that makes rolling them to fit a sheet pan easier.
- Chill the bottom crust once it’s in the pan. Chill the top crust for 15–30 minutes after cutting decorative shapes; chilled dough is easier to handle.
Chocolate Cherry Bourbon Pie Filling
- I recommend red tart cherries packed in water for bright, balanced flavor. These maintain a good cherry texture and don’t make the filling overly sweet.
General
- Keep the top crust simple if you’re new to slab pies: cut vents or decorative Xs with a knife, or use small cutters for shapes.
- Preheat the oven with a larger sheet pan on the rack beneath the pie to catch any drips and help keep the bottom crust from getting soggy.
More Beyond the Butter® Pie Recipes to Try
Easy Lemon Cream Pie
Pumpkin Pie Cake Bars
Mini Lemon Meringue Pies
Gingerbread Whoopie Pies
Chocolate Cherry Bourbon Slab Pie
Ingredients
Homemade all-butter pie crust
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 4–6 tbsp Ice Cold Water
Chocolate cherry bourbon pie filling
- 29 oz Red Tart Cherries in Water (two 14.5 oz cans) plus 1/2 can of the water
- 1/2 cup Bourbon (vanilla bourbon suggested)
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 3 tbsp Cornstarch
- 1/8 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Almond Extract
- 1/4 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 oz 70% Cacao Dark Chocolate, chopped and melted
- 1 egg, beaten (for egg wash)
Instructions
Homemade all-butter pie crust – part 1
- In a large bowl, cut the cold butter into the flour and salt with a pastry blender or two forks until pea-sized pieces remain.
- Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing until the dough just comes together. Be careful not to overhydrate—the dough should hold when pressed.
- Form a ball, divide into two portions, pat into 1–1½ inch-thick rectangles, wrap tightly, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
Chocolate cherry bourbon pie filling
- In a large pot, combine the undrained cherries, the additional 1/2 can of cherry water, bourbon, sugar, cornstarch, salt, almond extract, and vanilla extract. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce to a simmer and stir constantly until the filling thickens. Remove from heat and spread into a large bowl or jelly roll pan to cool almost completely.
Homemade all-butter pie crust – part 2
- Roll out one dough on a lightly floured surface into a rectangle that fits the quarter sheet pan with about 1 inch extra to fold over. Press it into the pan and chill to firm up.
- Roll out the second dough for the top crust. Chill the top crust in the freezer for 15–20 minutes if you plan to cut shapes or need the dough to be easy to handle.
Assembling the chocolate cherry bourbon slab pie
- Preheat oven to 425ºF and position a larger sheet pan on the middle rack to catch any drips.
- Melt the chopped dark chocolate in a microwave-safe glass bowl in short bursts until smooth; set aside.
- Fill the chilled bottom crust with the cooled cherry filling. Spoon the melted chocolate over the filling and gently swirl it through. Top with the second crust, trim any excess, and crimp the edges to seal.
- Brush the top crust lightly with beaten egg. Bake on the preheated sheet pan at 425ºF for 15 minutes.
- Reduce temperature to 375ºF and bake an additional 40–45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Shield the edges with foil after the first 15 minutes if they brown too quickly.
- Remove from oven and allow the pie to cool completely before slicing.
Notes
- Recipe adapted from a classic Homemade Cherry Pie.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients used.