Midwest Tart Cherry Pie

By kelsa94

Ingredients

• 2 cans (14-1/2 oz. each) pitted tart cherries in water, undrained
• 1 cup plus 1 tsp. sugar, divided
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 6 oz. (3/4 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 2-1/4 cups flour

Preparation

Step 1

DRAIN cherries, reserving 1 cup liquid. Mix 1 cup sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Add cherries and reserved liquid; stir. Cook on medium-high heat 12 min. or until mixture comes to boil and thickens, stirring constantly. Cook and stir 1 min.; cool completely. Stir in extract.

HEAT oven to 375ºF. Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually add flour, mixing well after each addition. (Mixture will be crumbly.) Shape into 2 balls; flatten slightly. Roll out half the dough on floured surface to 11-inch circle; place in 9-inch pie plate. Fill with cherry mixture.

ROLL out remaining dough to 11-inch circle; cut into 10 (1/2-inch-wide) strips. Reserve remaining dough for garnish. Weave strips over filling to make lattice design. Fold edge of bottom crust over ends of strips. Cut remaining dough into shapes with small cookie cutters; arrange on pie. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

BAKE 35 to 40 min. or until filling is hot and bubbly and crust is golden brown.