Cherry Pie Filling is SWEET, TART, SILKY, and the perfect addition to a variety of desserts! EASILY made at home in a few minutes and never buy canned again!
If you’d rather skip my essential cooking tips and tricks and get straight to this delicious recipe – simply scroll to the bottom of the page where you can find the printable recipe card.
What kind of cherries do you use for pie?
Fresh cherries are the best but they are not always in season. You can get frozen cherries in the store year round. A benefit of using frozen cherries!
The best cherries for baking and of course pies are sour or tart cherries. Varieties of sweet cherries, like Bing or Ranier, are great for eating fresh.
The sour ones are better for desserts because of the sugar the recipe adds to the fruit. If you like a more tart filling, sour cherries are the way to go.
The most common varieties are Early Richmond and English Morello. These are a little harder to find in the store and usually are canned. A little rinse and they are good to go!
If going with fresh, grab a cherry pitter.
A few simple ingredients and you are ready to have the tastiest pie filling around. WAY BETTER than store bought.
Just add a good pie dough recipe and you are good to go!
Pie Filling Ingredients
- Cherry or other fruit
- Sugar or honey
- Cornstarch
- Lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
add sugar and cherries to a pot 
bring to a boil 
add cornstarch and simmer
I LOVE pie filling over ice cream in phyllo cups with a little cream cheese or whipped cream. Or I can just stand in the pantry and eat it out of the can with a spoon.
If you prefer homemade filling, follow this easy recipe to make it from scratch!
How do you make cherry pie filling from scratch?
STEP ONE: Add the cherries, cup of sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch to a sauce pan over medium heat.
STEP TWO: Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
STEP THREE: Reduce heat to low and simmer for 8-10 minutes until thickened.
STEP FOUR: Remove from heat and cool.
Looking for more comfort food? Follow LTB on Pinterest!
How to store pie filling
If you don’t inhale it right after it cools, or are looking to give it as a gift, you need to store it correctly.
Chilled: Homemade fruit pie filling will last for 7 days in the refrigerator in an air tight container. I like these jars!
Frozen: To freeze, cool completely and store in an air tight freezer safe container for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge for best results. Note that the texture will be slightly different upon thawing.
Uses for homemade cherry pie filling
Now that you have delicious, rich, silky pie filling, what are you going to do with it?
- Turnovers
- Pie recipes
- Cheesecakes
- Yogurt/Oatmeal Topping
- Ice Cream Topping
- Coffee Cake
- Pancake Topping
- Phyllo Cup Desserts
If you love this recipe as much as I do, please write a five-star review in the comment section below (or on Pinterest with the “tried it” button – you can now add pictures into reviews, too!), and be sure to help me share on facebook!
Easy Cherry Pie Filling Recipe
Cherry Pie Filling from Scratch
Cherry Pie Filling is SWEET, TART, SILKY, and the perfect addition to a variety of desserts!
Ingredients
- 5 cups cherries (pitted)
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch (with water to dissolve)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Put cherries and sugar in a pot over medium heat.
- Cook until the juices start to release and the sugar dissolves.
- Add the lemon juice and vanilla.
- Bring to a gentle boil.
- Add just enough water to the cornstarch to dissolve it.
- Add to cherry mixture and stir.
- Reduce heat to low and stir until the cherry pie filling thickens and turns glossy.
- Remove from heat and cool.
- Use in a recipe or store for later.
- Enjoy!
Notes
*If you like this recipe, please leave me a comment and rate it 5 stars. Thank you!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 10 Serving Size: 1/2 cupAmount Per Serving: Calories: 131Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 1mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 2gSugar: 29gProtein: 1g
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