I blame my Grandmama’s Cherry Cream Cheese pie almost entirely for my childhood weight issues – and man was it ever worth it! Grandmama used to make this around the holidays and she’d send an entire pie to our house! Fortunately, my brother was dropped on his head as a child and didn’t eat things like this, which meant I got to eat his share. My sister pretty much came out of the womb counting calories so I’m pretty sure I ate her share as well. Opening the refrigerator and finding this looking back at you sure was a beautiful sight!
Did you have a grandmother who made you a special holiday treat as a child?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments below! Let me show you how easy this pie is to make!
For Cherry Cream Cheese Pie, you’ll need: Cream cheese, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, and a graham cracker crust. You’ll also need one can of your favorite pie filling. I’m using cherry because that is what Grandmama always used.
Ironically, Grandmama could never eat this pie when she used cherry because she is allergic to red food coloring.
Place your softened cream cheese in a mixing bowl and add your sweetened condensed milk.
Add in your lemon juice and vanilla.
Mix that up until creamy and smooth.
Spread into pie crust.
Like so.
Cover that and put it in the refrigerator for several hours.
I also refrigerate my pie filling at this time as well, just stick the whole unopened can in there.
After several hours, top with your favorite pie filling.
Oh my. Look how pretty that is! Return this to the refrigerator to firm up some more until ready to serve.
Note: This is a soft pie so it never gets truly firm. Just keep it cold and serve it cold.
Look at this photo…
Isn’t it time you made cherry cream cheese pie for someone you love?
P.S. You should love yourself!
Ingredients
- 8 ounce pkg cream cheese softened
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 1/3 cup lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla use the cheap stuff like me if you want, no shame in that!
- store bought graham cracker crust
- 1 Can of pie filling of your choice I love cherry or blueberry
Instructions
- Make sure cream cheese is softened at room temperature to prevent pie from being lumpy. In mixing bowl, place cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix until creamy and smooth. Spread into pie crust and cover. Refrigerate several hours. Top with pie filling and return to refrigerator until completely chilled. Serve cold.
- Note: This is a soft pie. It won't get firm so keep it in the refrigerator and serve cold.
Notes
You might enjoy this post: Cream Cheese Divinity
This recipe featured on Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck!
Did you have a grandmother who made you a special treat as a child?
I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Yum 
Oh I love this pie! My grandma just made one for Thanksgiving. It’s super easy too!
My maternal grandmother made a delicious and very rich old fashioned butterscotch pudding that takes a while to cook. It was my mother’s favorite dessert. I made it one year for her birthday, along with other family favorites. She enjoyed it so much. Three days later she went into hospice where she later died. This recipe is so special to me. My paternal grandmother died when I was four but I remember watching her make a pineapple upside down cake and explaining how to make it to me. It is another family favorite that my late father always requested for his birthday. One birthday his brother was in town and he had a piece of cake. He took a bite, looked at my dad and said “it is just like mother’s”. Best compliment ever! I love family recipes – everyone’s, not just mine. Thank you to all who have shared recipes and stories. I have enjoyed reading them! I am going to try quite a few!
I made these pies for my kids as they grew up and now I’m a grandmama and my kids make them for their kids… thank you for sharing ! Love this pie!
My “Grannie” made this pie especially for me as a kid! I loved it and still do. Hiwever, my Grannie’s pie filling was firmer and held its shape. Any suggestions for doing that? Also, she made a “lemon icebox pie” that was a no bake recipe. Im trying to find her recipe as it was fabulous. Of course, back then (early 60s) you had to make your own graham cracker crust!
Michael, I have been making a version of this pie that might be what you’re looking for. Instead of sweetened condensed milk & lemon juice, use 1 C heavy whipping cream beat with 2 TBSP granulated sugar & 1 tsp vanilla til stiff peaks form. Beat the room temperature cream cheese in another bowl. Add to the whipped cream, beat till well mixed. Spread into graham crust. Top with pie filling & chill.
The lemon ice box pie is 1 container of cool whip 1- 6 oz. lemonade and 1 can sweetened condensed milk! Mix the lemonade and the milk together and stir in the cool whip. Pour into the graham cracker crust and chill! We make this every summer! <3
Do you recommend tart or sweet cherry pie filling? I bought both. Thanks in advance for your response.
Hey Yvonne! I’m not sure if you’re talking to me or Mary Jane, but just in case it is me, I use sweet 🙂
try apple pie filling on top with a little caramel sauce drizzled over. Very good as well!!!
Awww , this would have to be my husbands favorite pie , and is sooo easy to make , thank you Christy for sharing.Have a very blessed day.
Could you make this in a 9 x 13 pan if you doubled the recipe?
Yes, and I think that is a wonderful idea! Just keep in mind its very soft 🙂
Thanks so much for this! Growing up, my mom would let us choose whatever we wanted her to make for our birthday desserts. This was always my choice.
🙂 You have good taste Moni!!
My grandmother made this pie! Only thing she did different was she mixed the cherry pie filling into the the mis itself. Not a heavy pie but fluffy and darn delicious! I’ve tried to make it but i think im forgetting an ingredient becuase mine turns out heavy, good but not grandmas. Does anyone know if I’m missing an ingredient? Oh and it was a no bake pie.
It sounds like your making the millionaire pie. Add chopped pecans!
This looks delicious. I love blueberries. I’m thinking about making one blueberry,
and one cherry. Ummmm.
Wonderful recipe – I’ve made it twice – once with a chocolate crust!
This was the first pie I learned to make as a girl with my mother. It was called Cherry-O Cheese Pie on the EB milk label and so that name stuck for us but later my Hubs referred to it as Your Mother’s pie as it was always requested for holidays. Love your photos!
This stuff is absolutely delicious, but wish it would be firmer like the picture of yours. Mine turns out mor like soup than pie. I have in the fridge (for about 24 hours) at a temperature slightly above freezing and it will not firm up. Any suggestions?
Double the cream cheese!
Will this be thick enough if I double recipe and put it in a 9 x 13 pan ? Want to make it for New Year’s. Thanks
oh mercy that sounds wonderful. I think it will work fine, just make sure it’s chilled really well and that you know it is a softer pie. Also, I’m gonna need your address and what time the meal is 😉
My grandma always made my two favorite items when I would stay with her and grandpa on Christmas vacation. Old fashioned chocolate fudge and sugared popcorn! Yummy! I am going to try this pie looks so good! I make one similar with vanilla pudding and cherry pie filling on top. But I love cream cheese so I have to try it!
I see as I read the comments along with these posts that the pie is soft…I saw someone making a refrigerated cheese cake such as this and she added a packet of plain gelatin to the lemon juice and let it dissolve and added..maybe that would thicken it? Also, would just make it plain and serve it with a fresh fruit sauce…straw or raspberry cut up with a little sugar and let is set a bit to get juicy..or even a rhubarb/strawberry sauce or peaches or you can buy canned fruit..apple with a carmel drizzle would be great too…hope this helps…I also saw that someone used 1 cup heavy whipping cream with 2 Tbsp sugar and 1tsp vanilla…that might make if firmer than the sweetened condensed milk…also if you check out the Knox gelatin sight…they may have the recipe with the gelatin…
I made this for a get together and though it was delicious, it was very runny. I understand it’s a soft pie but I’d assume it’s not that soft. We just ate it with fresh fruit and graham crackers ❤️
mmmm.. cherries.. cream cheese… graham crackers…commences drooling down front of shirt…
My paternal grandparents lived down the block from us. My grandmother would bake cookies and bring a paper bag of them over to us. She also baked delicious yeast rolls once in a while. They were so good when they were warm. She always sprinkled sugar on the tops of the rolls. I can still remedy how good they smelled and tasted.
My grandmother always made French almond cookies (Pandema’s) and gallettes (one at a time). Delicious!!!
I have been making this pie for years and years. It’s a really good one. Mine have always been thick enough to stay together. Maybe add a little more cream cheese to it. Thank you so much for reminding me of it. All the family stories were great. My grandmother used to make an Apple and orange cake. I am the only one left who remembers how to make it in our whole family. I am 72. That recipe has been around for 3 generations. Have fun baking!!
Christy, I have made this pie for YEARS!!! My mother used to make it and I got the recipe from her. Everybody LOVES it!!! It is soooooooo delicious! 🙂
This pie has been a favorite of mine since I first married . . . 54 years ago. Anything with cherries is my favorite.
I love this pie! My precious Grandmother made the most delicious fried pies! Precious memories! Thank you for posting this! Love your blog!
Thank you Rebecca!! I appreciate your encouragement!
what size pie crust do you use
Yummm! I made one of these for Thanksgiving. They are lucky to get it cause I couldnt stop licking the spoon and scooping out spoonfulls from the pie after I had poured it in the shell! 😉
My granny (actually my great grandma) used to make divinity and pralines for the holidays. We never had big holiday celebrations but we never wanted for anything. My favorite thing she made for me was my daily lunch, either mashed potatoes and gravy or just buttered bread and gravy. Those were the good days!
My sweet grandma always made homemade custard for Christmas. I couldn’t wait too visit with her..
My grandma always made all of us (each family) Ice Box fruitcakes. No one in our family likes candied fruit so it is made with fresh coconut, red and green maraschino cherries, and pecans, instead of candied fruit, but you use it if you do like it. It was always packaged in a Honey Maid graham cracker box. I loved them. Still do!!!
could you share her recipe? my mom made them also , I failed to get recipe
BJ, please share your recipe for Ice Box Fruitcakes. My family like yours does not like the candied fruit but loves coconut, cheeries and nuts. Thank you.
BJ and Linda here is my 1970’s Ice Box Fruitcake recipe: 1 lb. pkg. marshmallows, 1 small can evaporated milk (5-oz.), 1 lb. box graham crackers, 1 small bottle each red marschino cherries and green cherries, cut up, 1 16 oz. pkg. (or however, it comes now) flaked coconut and 1 quart pecans. Melt the marshmallows in the evaporated milk in a small saucepan. In a large bowl, crush the entire box of graham crackers (nowdays you can use the food processor for this), Mix the cracker crumbs and melted marshmallows together. Add the red and green cherries, coconut and pecans. Mix all thoroughly and pat firmly in a buttered tube pan. Chill. Turn out on a plate and cut in slices to serve. Dianne Evans, Waleska, GA
Thank you so much for your recipe. You are so sweet to share. Bless you.
I hope you get the chance to try it soon Dolores! Enjoy!!
I have been looking for this particular recipe my entire adult life, and I am 73 years young. I remember eating this as a child. I wanted to make one , never could find recipe. Thanks for sharing it . Can’t wait to make it.
My grandma was from England and made jam cake every year with strawberry jam and homemade whipped cream. I couldn’t wait to see it on the table when we went over.
That sounds delicious!
Forgot to mention that I LOVE the quote J. McMurray sent in. And I only had 1 grandparent, Mamaw, my daddy’s mother lived with us. She died when I was 12. My other grandparents all died before I was born. Well, Mamaw used to make tea cakes. Unfortunately, nobody has the recipe.
Tammy, I have the recipe; also got it from my maternal grandmother. I hope it’s the same one; these are wonderful, not overly sweet and really easy to make.
2 sticks oleo, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1/2 tsp vanilla
Cream together (with mixer) oleo and sugar. Stir in remaining
ingredients. Drop by teaspoon on greased (with PAM) cookie
sheet. Bake at 375 til bottoms begin to brown and tops are
set. Cool and store in airtight container.
Janice
Janice, thanks so much for sharing this recipe. It is the same as my grandmother’s and noone in the the family can find it. We absolutely loved our Baba’s tea cakes.
Missy DuRant
You are very welcome, Missy. Since I’m pushing 70 and I got this from my grandmother, it’s a really old recipe. One of the reasons I love Southern Plate–I was born & raised in the South (Ark) and sometimes we lose recipes and someone surely has it and is glad to share. Hope you enjoy the cookies. If you want to get fancy, you could “ice” them with frosting, but I prefer them plain.
I saw your reference to Arkansas. Do you or does anyone know of a fruit salad, bananas, cherries, other fruits, sugar & pecans. All mixed together, then left unrefrigerated to sort of ferment. Made after Thanksgiving & eaten at Christmas. I’ve been looking for recipe since it was lost when father in law died. THANKS!
This is my recipe for those cookies, also called Russian Tea Cakes or Snowballs or a lot of other names. Beat together 1 cup butter, softened, 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 2 tsp. vanilla and pinch of salt till light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour until well blended. Stir in 1 cup chopped pecans. Roll into small balls or finger shaped pieces and place on un-greased cookie sheets and bake 350 degrees for about 15 minutes until lightly browned. Roll hot cookies in powdered sugar. Cool and then roll in powdered sugar again. Makes about 60 cookies. A Southern Christmas staple!!! Dianne Evans
Don’t you love those family favorites that everyone always looks forward to each year? And all the memories that come with the recipe!!
My grandmothers homemade chicken & noodles. Every member of our family drooled at the table every holiday. I make her recipe every year for Thanksgiving. (and any other chance I get. 😉
Cherry-O-Cream Pie is what we called it. Mama must have found the recipe on the back of a can in the ‘60s. It’s been my birthday pie every year and a requirement for Christmas. We’ve always doubled the recipe and used a regular pie crust. Maybe because that’s the way I’m used to it, but that’s my preferred crust. Love love a flaky crust. Used to, you could find Cherries Jubilee to go on top but they’ve become almost impossible to find.
Love this recipe!
Thanks for the memories!
The pie filling is the same as the one we use but we make a homemade strawberry topping. In fact this is our family favorite that my husband has named “The Right Kind of Strawberry Pie” We use the pie for birthdays and one of my sons had me made this for him for his groom “cake”. It is a favorite that everyone loves and I rake in the compliments.
How do you make the strawberry topping? Would love to give it a try.
Wow that pie looks sooooo good. I would never have thought it would be so simple to make! Lovely to read all the differen comments and memories of everyone’s grandmothers. I grew up with no grandparents, not one set!
Today is my birthday. I made this pie this past Sunday because I wanted it and I love myself. Lol. I put it in cupcake papers so I had a dozen mini pies. I have shared most of them with family. But I got my share too. Love this recipe. Love how you shared it for my birthday. ♥️
Happy Birthday Amy!!! I hope you have a wonderful day!
I have made this Cherry-O-Cream Cheese Pie for nearly 50 years. Do not remember where I got the recipe. Just know that it is my husband’s and son’s favorite pie and it is always welcome whenever it appears! The only change I have made is using an almond meal crust so that I, being gluten free can still enjoy it! An easy, oldie but goodie! I do not add the vanilla, because we prefer to taste the lemon.
So happy that even more people are enjoying this pie.
When I was in high school, we used to make this in cupcake papers with a Nilla wafer as the crust! It’s yummy and you can feel like you aren’t overindulging when you just have one little mini-pie! Of course, who can stop with one!
That is mouthwatering! I am going to make this for my family this weekend.
My sister just made this pie for Thanksgiving.It is wonderfu! I enjoyed your story about your siblings. I only have one sister but our body types are totaly different. She has always been like a size 2 and I have always been like a 12 or more.
Oh, I love this pie!! And haven’t thought about it in years! Now i have to go make one (or will once the Buttermilk pie is gone!) Now I have YOU to thank for MY expanding waist line, LOL!! Happy holidays!
I bet my son would love it. Except he would have to have strawberry pie filling.
I have a key lime tree with a million ripe limes on the ground right now. Has anyone tried this with fresh lime juice instead of lemon? Thinking it could be kind of like a key lime-ish pie w/ cherries??? (cherry limeade is my all time fav drink:)
Hey Christy,
Are you sending out your newsletter?
I have not received your cooking newsletter for a
few months. What’s up.
Hope your family is good with covid 19
Stay strong!
My Grandma always made me a 10 layer yellow cake with her freshly cooked chocolate icing… I think I finally found her recipe (unlabeled). I will be trying to make it this week. The whole family is trying to figure out her recipe for the icing.
Thanks for sharing Christy, it always brings pleasant and fun memories of my family/childhood days. 🙂
my mom made a frosting like a old timey fudge just didn,t cook it as long
One Grandmother made Fondant out of butter and powdered sugar. We’d color it pink and green, add flavors and role it out in many cool ways and cut it into bit sized pieces, my other Grandmother made a frozen wipe cream dish in ice trays that had green and red cherries, pecans, pineapple and a bit of Scuppernong wine – yum!
We just had this pie for Thanksgiving! My husband’s aunt that lives in Danville, VA used to make it for him for his bday every year so he just “has to have it” for Thanksgiving every year! Love it!
My Granny used to make this pie every year at Christmas. She rarely wrote any recipes down, they were all in her head. I sat down and got her to tell me how to make a lot of her “most famous” things, but for some reason I missed this one. I have not been able to find it until now. Thank you for posting this recipe! I am going to make one of these pies real soon!
This recipe used to be on the evaporated milk can label. I cut the label off and have had it for over 40 years.
This recipe sounds great and easy. A “must try”. I made the Party (fancy) Cheesecake for Thanksgiving. It was wonderful! My husband love, love, loved it! I had always wanted to try one but never would because of the spring form pan. Thanks for sharing it! It is now one of our famiy favorites!
My grandmother on my mother’s side had passed away before I was born but I will bet the Butter Pie my aunt made was her recipe. I loved it and just got the recipe recently from my mother. Mom also had a recipe for coconut tarts (my dad’s favorite) that I would bet also came from my grandmother.
Would you be willing to share your recipe for the coconut tarts? And what is “butter pie”
My grandmother does toffee every Christmas. It’s soooo good!
I have heard that the premade store bought graham cracker crusts now come with nuts. I would like to get the crust with pecans.
I have heard that the premade store bought graham cracker crusts now come with nuts. I would like to get the crust with pecans to use in this recipe.
Not my grandmother, but my brother-in-law’s mother and I , shared a birthday and she always brought me some little something every Dec. 13th. One particular year I had been very sick with the flu and was just getting better and she brought me a little skillet of her ever so delicious corn bread and a very pretty head scarf. I’ll never forget that year nor her.
This pie looks wonderful! Looking forward to tying it.
Thanks for the recipe.
My Grandmother used to make me either peach cobbler or these little cinnamon cookies. They are sooooo yummy! We make the cookies for Christmas each year and my girls love making Granny’s cookies.
My mom used to make lots of different kinds of cookies and candies, YUMMY sure do miss that. We used to go to Grandma and Grandpa Clarys house for christmas and there was always lots of good food, I looked forward to having a pice of mincemeat pie.
Thank you for posting this recipe. I used to make it years ago and have searched the web to try to find it. Unfortunately all of them included something I never used in my version. You have solved my problem. Will be making it this weekend.
Jackie – South Carolina
My paternal grandmother lived until I was 4 1/2 years old. As crazy as it sounds, I remember her orange layer cake with orange frosting. I don’t know whether it was served for special occasion or if it was just on most Sundays.
I was the first in my family to make a cherry cream cheese pie when my children were small, back about 1970something. It has always been my daughters choice for her birthday dessert instead of a cake, and also the dessert of choice for a family bar-b-que.
Instead of a graham cracker crust, crush up some oatmeal cookies or coconut macaroons with a melted 1/4 – 1/3 stick of butter and use that as your crust … mmmm.
Or those Girl Scout Shortbreads you have in your freezer – remember you’ll need to stock your freezer when the Girl Scouts start selling in January!
This is the exact same recipe my mother in law always used. She passed away November 2010 but now myself and all of her granddaughters have carried on the tradition. It’s not the holidays without it! My oldest daughter loves it but was also allergic to the cherry’s. Think it may be the red food dye. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you to J. McMurry for that wonderful quote (and thank you for submitting it in its entirety)!…BTW, Christy…thanks for another tasty and easy-to-make recipe! Great for the holi-daze!!
My late Grandma never had “special” treats for Christmas time. She had special recipes that she made throughout the year. She was a very professional business woman and bless her sweet heart, she just wasn’t the best cook. But her specialties were the BOMB!!! She had a few great recipes and she did them very, very well. She always was tickled that I turned out to be such a good cook.
I LOVE this pie! My Mom has made it for years and of course, I make it too!