Imagine deep crimson cherries encased beneath flaky dough, steeped in a thick, rich sauce made from bourbon, honey, and fresh rosemary. This gorgeous fruit pandowdy comes alive with the addition of a sugar-crusted topping and a delicate scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s the perfect way to showcase fresh cherries in the summertime or bring a taste of summer joy during the colder months with frozen ones.

Dating back to the 19th century, a pandowdy is a unique American dish known for its intriguing structure—no bottom crust and a rustic open top crust. Instead of being uniformly flat like a pie, a pandowdy presents a haphazard style of pie crust or puff pastry that allows the luscious filling to bubble up beside the crust bits.

While reminiscent of a pie and often utilizing pie crusts, a pandowdy is distinct. Unlike a traditional pie that features both a top and bottom crust, a pandowdy flaunts only a partial top crust. It’s a fantastic way to repurpose leftover pie dough and filling, adding creativity to your baking.

There are over a thousand varieties of cherries cultivated in the United States. In the summertime, you can typically find around three types in grocery stores. This recipe calls for fresh black cherries, which are usually dark red to burgundy in color. These delightful cherries are available for a brief period during June, July, and August.

Absolutely! Whether you opt for fresh or frozen, you can create a delightful berry pandowdy. While fresh cherries are ideal when they’re in season, frozen ones can easily star in this dish as well. Just remember that using frozen fruit may require some extra cooking time on the stovetop before heading into the oven. For additional guidance, check out the recipe notes.

If you’ve enjoyed a cherry-picking adventure and have surplus cherries left over after making your pandowdy, why not freeze them for later? Start by pitting the cherries, then lay them on a sheet pan to pre-freeze. Once they’re solid, transfer them to a plastic bag for deep freezing, where they can be stored for up to six months.

As a stone fruit, cherries house a hard seed inside that you definitely want to remove before cooking. Pitting might sound tedious, but it can be quite simple with a cherry pitter, and it’s a great activity to do with eager little hands who want to help in the kitchen!

Even though this pandowdy is so delicious that there might not be any leftovers, if you do find yourself with some, scoop out the portions into an airtight container and refrigerate them for up to four days. You can even bake it in the skillet ahead of time, allow it to cool, cover it, and refrigerate overnight if you want to prepare it for a gathering.

If you’ve baked this dessert the night before, it’s best to remove it from the refrigerator about 30 to 60 minutes prior to warming it in the oven. Avoid putting cold cast iron directly into a preheated oven to prevent cracking. To reheat, cover the skillet with foil and place it in the oven set to 350°F. Let it warm until bubbly, then remove the foil for the last five minutes to get a nice crisp on the crust.

Ready to embark on this delicious journey? Gather the following ingredients:

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh or frozen cherries
• 1 pie crust
• 1/4 cup good honey
• 1/2 cup good bourbon
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary (or 2 teaspoons dried, crushed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 egg + a splash of water for egg wash
• Optional: sugar crystals for garnish

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Pit the fresh cherries or, if using frozen ones, coat them lightly with flour. In a 10-inch skillet over medium heat, combine the cherries with freshly chopped rosemary and sauté until the cherries soften and begin releasing their juices, about 5-10 minutes. The flour will work its magic, thickening the mixture.
2. Step 2: Introduce the bourbon, honey, lemon juice, vanilla, and salt to the cherry mixture. Allow it to cook for another 10 minutes to burn off the alcohol and thicken the sauce.
3. Step 3: While the cherry mixture is reducing, use your pie crust and cookie cutters to create fun shapes. Brush each piece with egg wash for that golden finish.
4. Step 4: Once the mixture has thickened to your desired consistency, top it with your decorative pie crust pieces. A sprinkle of coarse sugar on top adds a lovely crunch.
5. Step 5: Bake your pandowdy in the preheated oven for approximately 10 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and enticing.
6. Step 6: Serve your warm pandowdy as is, dressed with whipped cream, or accentuated with a scoop of ice cream to indulge.

The classic pairing is a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream that melts beautifully when drizzled over the warm pandowdy. For a richer experience, consider layering this delightful dessert with a dark chocolate fudge brownie, crowned with ice cream, sprinkled with chopped walnuts, and finished with a dollop of whipped cream.