How to make Homemade Cherry Pie Filling {gluten free} using fresh, frozen, or canned cherries. Delicious in pie, on pancakes, on cheesecake, or on ice cream! The best part is it can be frozen and saved for another day!
It's SO good on top of Cherry Cheesecake Cookies or in No Churn Cherry Cheesecake Ice Cream.
Originally published June 11, 2018.
✏️ Ingredients
Here's what we're working with:
- Cherries - dark for this recipe. Fresh or frozen works best.
- Cornstarch
- Lemon Juice & zest
- Salt - for flavor
- Sugar-white granulated
- Water - for added filling
- Vanilla
What To Expect
Ease: This is a pretty straightforward cherry filling recipe. It's made on the stovetop in just a few minutes, and a beginner could easily do it.
Taste: This filling is made with dark sweet cherries, and has some added sugar and lemon juice to balance everything out. It's on the tart side, with the beautiful cherry flavor as the hero. The vanilla enhances the flavors and doesn't overpower like the other spices would.
Time: Since this recipe is prepared on the stovetop, it cooks in just a few minutes! If you're using fresh cherries, it may take some time to pit and slice them.
Can you use frozen or canned/bottled cherries?
- Yes! At least partially thaw the cherries before you use them, or if you use canned/bottled cherries reserve a ½ cup of juice to use in place of water. I reduce salt, lemon juice and sugar if I'm using canned. See recipe below.
Can homemade cherry pie filling be frozen?
- Again, yes! I would thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or on the counter and give it a stir to get any lumps out, especially if you're using it to bake a pie. I would not recommend using a microwave to thaw.
Can you use honey instead of sugar in pie filling?
- It's my preference to use normal sugar, but honey tastes delicious in place of sugar if that is what your heart desires. If you find that the pie filling is a little too runny for your taste, add a ½ teaspoon extra cornstarch at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. I also LOVE vanilla in pie filling!
Lucky for you, I have the BEST recipe for Cream Cheese Pie Crust. It is flaky. It is delectable. It is my favorite. Enjoy my friends. ❤️
Also, if you're a fan of cherry desserts, make sure you try my recipe for Cherry Cheesecake Brownies!
📝 Printable Recipe
Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 4 cups pitted cherries - fresh frozen, or canned
- 3 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice - fresh (use only 1 teaspoon if using canned cherries)
- ⅛ teaspoon salt (leave out if using canned cherries)
- ½ cup sugar (use ¼ cup if using canned cherries)
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Instructions
- In medium saucepan, combine cherries, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, sugar, and water over medium heat until mixture starts to bubble. Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Remove from heat and add vanilla, lemon zest, and almond extract (optional). Cool for 10-15 minutes before using as a dessert topping, or bake in a pie!
Renee says
Made a half recipe of this late last night when I was already tired and was so glad it was straightforward easy and quick. For the record, I used tart red cherries (what I hadj) and - because they’re tart (and I was tired) - i used unsweetened tart cherry juice in place of both the lemon juice and the water (plus a single drop of confectioners lemon oil at the end instead of the zest). It turned out great and made a delicious topping for the tapioca puddings. I had a little sample when it had that 15 minutes to cool and was glad I’d made barely enough because if there had been any extra I probably would have eaten it right then.
Caye Carruth says
I was making filling for pre baked mini tart and pie shells for my daughter's salon open house. It turned out too thick once refrigerated. I have read it can be thinned by adding some water or fruit juice. My question is do I need to heat it up again in microwave before adding liquid. I need it fairly thick as to not get my shells soggy but don’t want it to look congealed.
Sara says
Good question! I would heat it to at least a warm temperature before adding liquid or the gelatin could become lumpy in a bad way.
Melissa Frentzel says
Caye, hope the cherry tarts turned out perfect for Alicia's salon opening!!! I'm making the pie filling for a friend that requested cherry turnovers and had to smile when I saw your name and comment : )
Kathleen Ann Woller says
My favorite tart cherry pie filling.
Sallie says
Do you bake the crust beforehand? And no baking after putting pie filling in crust?
Sara says
Hi Sallie, I usually put cooled filling into a raw pie crust to bake it. You can also bake the pie crust first but when I’ve used that method the crust tends to be over baked and a little hard for my taste.
Jennifer O'Dell says
Hi! I am dying for cherry pie and need to make it migraine trigger safe! Your recipe looks great! Citrus is a trigger. Is there something I can use instead of lemon or is it ok to leave it out?
Sara says
You are welcome to leave it out, it may taste sweeter than it normally would.
Kathy says
Hi Sara,
I used 4 cups of fresh, pitted, tart cherries in the filling (I live close to Door County, WI where fresh cherries are king! 😉). I increased the amount of sugar to 1 cup (the cherries were extremely tart!) and used Real Lemon instead of fresh squeezed. I kept all other ingredients and their measurements according to your recipe. The filling turned out just wonderful! Thank you for such an easy and delicious cherry pie filling recipe!
Kathy
Chris says
I will be using canned cherries that only has water. Would I still use less sugar, less lemon & whatever was required for sugarless cherry can & water I’m using?
Sara says
Hi Chris, generally canned cherries have some kind of preservative that can make them sweeter or more sour, I would start with half the sugar/lemon in the recipe and add more if needed.
Carol Pope says
Just made from frozen unsweetened cherries. Very good. Retired as NP this Jan after 51 yrs in nursing Enjoy cooking more than ever. I was always rushing before.
Sara says
Hi Carol, I enjoy cooking too and never seem to have enough time to make everything I would like to. 51 years in nursing! I bet you have some incredible stories. Thank you for your service, it’s definitely not a job for the faint of heart, I love it but oh my goodness it’s difficult sometimes.
Julie says
Can I use frozen tart cherries?
Sara says
Hi Julie, yes you can. 👍🏻
Julie says
Using 4 cups of cherries, will this recipe be equal to 2 large cans of store bought pie filling?
Katey says
How many store bought cans does this equate to?
Sara says
I would use 2 (14.5 oz) cans of cherries, however they are typically more difficult to find than frozen cherries and don’t taste as good in my opinion. Depending on the liquid to cherry ratio in the can you may need to add more corn starch to the recipe.
Katey says
My recipe calls for two cans of pie filling, does this yield the amount equivalent to one can or two I guess was my question. How many recipies of this filling do I need to equal two store bought cans?
Katey says
My cobbler recipe calls for two cans of pie filling. When prepared as per this recipe, is this equivalent to two cans or will I need to double the recipe?
Sara says
I see now 😆 yes, this recipe would equal a little bit more than two cans of pie filling.
Kathy Morgan says
What size pie shell will this recipe use
Sara says
Hi Kathy, I use a 9 inch pie shell for this recipe.
Teresa says
Thanks for the recipe Sara! It was just perfect. I’m 65yrs old this is the first time I made pie filling I am an RN myself. Retired now but almost every night I dream that I am working nights at the hospital!! I graduated from one of the old 3 yr hospital programs in 1975! I have some stories!
Thanks again Sara!!!
Teresa
Sara says
I’m sooo glad you like it and it turned out perfect for you Teresa!
It’s funny how you go home and still hear the call lights. 😆 And wow! If you’ve been a nurse since ‘75 I bet there are some crazy stories! I salute you, nursing has changed a lot since then and I definitely look up to nurses like you for wisdom.
Teresa Ashcroft says
Hi Sara. I just made your recipe again w frozen cherries this time. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
Teresa Ashcroft
Sara says
You are so welcome. I’m glad you enjoy it! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours ❤️
Patricia says
How long does this keep in the refrigerator?
Sara says
Hi Patricia, it can be kept for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
Tracy says
Hi Sara, great recipe! If I wanted to can your recipe, do I just fill the canning jars while filling is hot and then pressure can for 30 mins for quarts or pints?
Sara says
Hi Tracy! Before I made this recipe I researched bottling methods for canning pie filling. It’s inconsistent and considered unsafe to bottle with regular cornstarch, the heat distribution is uneven inside the jars and sometimes doesn’t kill all of the bacteria.
I usually just bottle the cherries plain and then make them into pie filling when I’m ready to use them. Hope that helps!
Tracy says
Great! Thank you for the info Sara! I really appreciate it! Can’t wait to make up your recipe, it looks amazing!
Shanta says
If you use sure jell you can, can the pie filling. Sure jell is a modified cornstarch just for canning. It can be hard to find in stores so I just order it online.
Dana says
Even though you aren't supposed to, I canned apple pie filling with cornstarch a couple years ago and it turned out just fine. 😁
Tracy says
Hi Sarah, great recipe! If I wanted to can your recipe, do I just fill the canning jars while filling is hot and then pressure can for 30 mins for quarts or pints?