Cinnamon Pie Crust Leaves

/ Jodi

cinnamon-pie-crust-leaves

I consider myself a pretty good pie baker.
But we all have “those days” – eh?

This past Sunday, I decided to bake a cherry pie.  It’s been quite a while since I got my hands on tart red cherries, so when I found some in the frozen food section at our local supermarket recently, I swooped them up with all good intentions of baking a surprise cherry pie for my guys.  Sunday, especially with Fall approaching, is always a good time to have dessert as a special treat.

cherry-pie

The simple recipe I found online in a quick search called for using cornstarch as the “thickener.”  I typically use flour, but found a box of cornstarch in the back of my spice cabinet and decided to follow the recipe and use it.

I prepared the pie and baked it (10 minutes longer than the recipe called for because the filling was not bubbling out of the slits on top yet – and Grandma always told me a pie is never done until it bubbles over).  I decided it had to be done, so removed it from the oven, cooled it, and looked forward to serving it to my guys who had been working hard chopping and splitting and stacking wood in preparation for Fall and winter fires.

Well – the pie filling just didn’t thicken.  My guys ate their whole slices like champs, even though they were more like cherry soup topped with crust and vanilla ice cream.

I had a major cherry pie FLOP!

I’m glad I also followed Grandma’s guidance and made cinnamon pie crust treats with the leftover dough that wasn’t needed on the pie.  Grandma typically just cut the leftover dough into strips, brushed with milk, sprinkled with cinnamon-sugar, and baked until brown.  I had fun cutting mine out into maple and oak leaves with cookie cutters to make them a little fancier.

The cinnamon pie crust leaves didn’t make it to the next day.  Glad something turned out right!

Does cornstarch go bad?  Does it loose its “thickening” ability?  I must admit it wasn’t sealed very airtight, and what I used was at the very end of the box.  Or did I just not bake the pie long enough?  I actually put it back in the oven for 15 more minutes after serving the two pieces to my guys wondering if it might thicken up.  No luck.

I guess we all have “those days” right?!

Cherry Hugs,
Jodi

30 thoughts on “Cinnamon Pie Crust Leaves”

  2. From someone who does not know how to cook, bake or make anything edible….even a flop as you said will be a winner. I’ve often ate my cousin’s food ‘experiments’ and most times they taste yummy. So yup…flops still make one full. 🙂

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      • Yes, we have had the benefit of having a helper since I was born up until now. Fe, has been with us for the past 8 years. She helped took care of my Mother when she was sick. Basically, she is the one who teaches me how to cook and do local desserts but for the life of me I can only do simple Filipino food and no dessert at all. Lol. Other chores we split or do them together. I am more of a carpenter girl than a cook and baker. I’d rather clean the car, buff it and clean the engine than cut veggies . When I got married and could not afford to have help, I cooked the same menu every week with no complaints from my husband. Thank God. Then Fe patiently helped me with other food varieties but the very simple ones.
        You may want to read this to know more about my ‘sister’…..

        https://carriecorderodesigns.wordpress.com/2016/04/24/self-love-day-94/

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  4. When I was making blueberry pies and using cornstarch as a thicker it seemed I had to use a lot more cornstarch than it called for to make it thicken right and my cornstarch wasn’t “old.” I had to bake about 3 pies before I finally got it right and I had to use considerable more cornstarch. I bet your pie turned out really yummy even if it wasn’t perfect.

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  5. First, I have always added cinnamon and sugar to extra pie crust and baked it, too! It’s a treat I loved when I was a child, and I still do. Second, I’ve had the same problems with cherry pies, both home-made and even the frozen ones (Mrs. Smith’s Natural Goodness, or something like that). I don’t know if cornstarch can go bad or not, but I do know that sometimes, no matter how long I bake a pie, it still doesn’t quite “set.” I thought maybe God was trying to tell me to eat less pies……

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  7. I am interested to know that as well, I have had corn starch in my pantry for a real long time too.
    If that is a photo of your pie, it’s lovely! My crusts taste good, but always look like a 5 year old made it. I have zero flair!
    My mom always smeared the leftover dough with butter, sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, and rolled it up and cut to look like cinnamon rolls. We ate them so fast it burnt the roof of my mouth!

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    • LOL! The pie did turn out pretty on the outside – LOL! I usually don’t take as much care, but felt like it this time. Better to taste good than look good! Unfortunately – it was the opposite this time! I must try your mom’s method next time! LOVE THAT IDEA! 🙂

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  9. oh I just hate it when a recipe doesn’t turn out!!! Makes me crazy!! Don’t know the answer except maybe it was old or the recipe wasn’t written correctly. I have had plenty of flops, luckily you could drown your sorrows in cinnamon sugar pie crust leaves!
    Jenna

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  10. Thanks for sharing your human side, Jodi! Some things just don’t turn out! 😉💕 I don’t know if cornstarch can get old but I know that sometimes it just doesn’t thicken properly. I love your pie crust maple leafs! 🍁 Brings back such wonderful memories of being a kid and my mom. Thank you friend! 💜

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