Easy Homemade Cherry Pie Filling From Scratch
Make thick, juicy cherry pie filling using fresh or frozen cherries. This simple recipe avoids store-bought cans and works great for pies, cheesecakes, or as a topping.
- Prep Time: 10 min
- Cook Time: 15 min
- Total Time: 25 min
- Yield: About 5 cups 1x
- Category: Dessert Component
- Method: Stovetop Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups fresh or frozen pitted sweet or tart cherries
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Combine the sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan. Whisk them together well.
- Add the water to the saucepan and whisk until the mixture is smooth and no lumps remain.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture begins to thicken. This should take about 5 to 8 minutes.
- Once the mixture is thick, stir in the cherries, lemon juice, almond extract (if using), and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the cherries are heated through and the filling is glossy. Do not boil rapidly.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Allow the cherry pie filling to cool completely before using it in a pie or as a topping. The filling will thicken more as it cools.
- If you plan to use the filling later, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate.
Notes
- For a thicker filling, increase the cornstarch to 5 tablespoons.
- If using frozen cherries, do not thaw them before adding them to the mixture.
- This filling is excellent as a topping for ice cream, pancakes, or cheesecake.
- For canning, follow standard safe canning procedures for high-acid fruit fillings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 5
- Fat: 0.5
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.5
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 55
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 0