This Simple Cherry Pie Filling goes absolutely perfectly with a homemade crust. It’s sweet, tart, and full of juicy cherries that go great in pie, with ice cream, or cakes.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
What better way to use up those sweet plump summer cherries than making homemade Cherry Pie Filling? I think that there is just something so nostalgic about a homemade cherry pie.
- TASTE: Sweet cherries and buttery pie crust is simply a winning combination! You’ll love the mix of sweet and tart in this filling.
- TEXTURE: The Cherry Pie Filling is syrupy and thick with whole berries throughout. They’re super juicy.
- TIME: It only takes 20 minutes to make.
- EASE: This recipe is so easy and only takes a few steps. The hardest part is pitting the cherries, which you can do with a special cherry pitter.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Cherries- Sour cherries are preferred for cherry pie filling, but you can also use sweet ones like Bing and Rainer cherries.
- Sugar- This sweetens the filling.
- Cornstarch- This is used to help thicken the sugar and cherry juices to a nice syrupy consistency.
- Lemon juice- This adds a citrusy flavor that contrasts the sweetness of the fruit.
- Vanilla extract- For a light vanilla flavor.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Substitute the cornstarch– Use arrowroot powder or tapioca starch if you prefer not to use cornstarch.
- Substitute other fruits- You can make this recipe with cut up strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, peaches, raspberries, or raspberries. Just adjust the sugar for each fruit.
- Use other extracts- You can experiment with other flavors like almond extract, lemon extract, or lime extract.
- Substitute frozen cherries- This can be done if they are thawed and drained of excess liquid. Keep in mind they may not hold their shape as well as fresh cherries.
How to Make Cherry Pie Filling
- Pit your cherries. You can do this by hand with a paring knife or use a cherry pitter to save time.
- Combine the ingredients. Then add the pitted cherries to a saucepan along with the cornstarch, sugar, water, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.
- Boil and simmer the filling. Mix it all together and let it come to a boil. Then bring the heat down and let simmer on low for about 10 minutes.
Pro Tip: I only do this with a cherry pitter. It is an absolute must in this recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Use a cherry pitter to remove the pits. To make this process faster, I highly suggest using a cherry pitter.
- Add extra sugar for sour cherries. If you are lucky enough to find tart sour cherries, you will need to add more sugar.
- Use fresh lemon juice- This just adds more flavor than concentrate, as well as great aroma. You can even add some lemon zest, too.
FAQs
Yes, you can. Save some of the liquid to replace the water in the recipe as this will add flavor and thickness. Also adjust sugar levels with canned instead of fresh.
A basic cherry pie filling is made of fresh cherries, sugar, cornstarch, and water. Lemon juice and vanilla extract add extra flavor. You can use sour or sweet cherries.
Serving Suggestions
This homemade Cherry Pie Filling is sweet and thick with juicy cherries throughout. It tastes amazing with ice cream, pastries, cakes, and pies.
- Ice Cream: Bake this filling in a Homemade Pie Crust and serve it alongside some No Churn Vanilla Ice Cream, Easy Ube Ice Cream, or Honeydew Melon Sorbet.
- Pies/Cobblers: Pair it with other pies, such as this Homemade Apple Pie, Perfect Peach Pie, Cherry Cobbler, or Chocolate Cream Pie.
- Pastries: Enjoy it with a Pear Tart, Peach Galette, Easy Raspberry Cheese Danish, or Peach Crisp.
- Cakes: Serve this filling with a slice of New York Style Cheesecake, Cherry Jello Cake, Lemon Pound Cake (VIDEO), or Berry Chantilly Cake.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can pit the cherries and store them in the fridge for a few days before making the filling.
Storing: The best way to store homemade pie filling like this is to place it into clean mason jars and place it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Make sure the lids are tightly screwed on to preserve the pie filling as best as you can.
Freeze: You can simply place the cooled pie filling into a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Lay it flat and try to press all the air out before sealing it up. Freeze it for up to 4 months. For pies, you can fill the bottom of a pie pan with the cherry pie filling and freeze it in the pan until solid. Then transfer the frozen pie-shaped filling onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and wrap it really well.
More Tasty Pies and Cobblers!
Full Recipe Instructions
Simple Cherry Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 6 cups sweet cherries pitted
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Using a cherry pitter pit 6 cups of sweet cherries into a bowl.
- Add the cherries to a large saucepan along with 3/4 cup water, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch, and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Give everything a thorough mix and bring it to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 10 minutes with stirring frequently. 
Notes
- For pies: You can fill the bottom of a pie pan with the cherry pie filling and freeze it in the pan until solid. Then transfer the frozen pie-shaped filling onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and wrap it really well.
- For other uses: You can simply place the cooled pie filling into a gallon-sized ziplock bag. Lay it flat and try to press all the air out before sealing it up. Freeze it for up to 4 months.
- Cherry jello cake
- top it over a New York cheesecake
- Make a homemade pie with best pie crust
- Make it into a cherry cheese danish
Nutrition
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HK says
Can I use frozen cherries? Should I thaw them first?
Dina says
Yes you can use frozen cherries. And yes you will need to thaw them first.
Hilary Shaw says
Turned out delicious! I love the simplicity.
Dina says
Thank you so much Hilary! I am so glad you loved it! 🙂
Kelley Colaluca says
I used some frozen cherries I had in the freezer. I did add a little almond extract with the vanilla. This was so easy and delicious. I’m using this for Cherry cheesecake shooters for a party! I hope everyone loves it.
Dina says
What a fun idea Kelley! I hope everyone loves it! 🙂
Bonnie Goodwin says
Love this recipe, it couldn’t have been easier. Plus it ended up being delicious. I made them into a pie and it reminded me of my childhood. So good!
Dina says
Bonnie, I am so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you for taking the time to write your kind feedback!
Joanne says
Can I start with frozen cherries?
Dina says
Hi Joanne, you can use frozen cherries, just make sure to that and drain the extra liquid before using them.
Caye Carruth says
I need to thin my fillings as it looks congealed. Do I need to heat in microwave before adding water or fruit juice to thin?
Dina says
Hi Caye, yes I would definitely recommend heating the water first. Great question!
Kim says
Could I use frozen cherries for this recipe
Dina says
Hi Kim 🙂 Yes, you can use frozen cherries for this recipe. There may be a little extra liquid so you may need to cook it a little longer. Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Christine Goeppinger says
Hi. I’m wondering how much does this make and can it be canned by pressure canner?
Dina says
Hi Christine 🙂 This recipe makes enough filling for a 9-inch pie. I have never tried canning this cherry filling so I am not sure if that would work. I hope that helps. If you give it a try let me know how it goes! 🙂
Virginia says
This is the best cherry pie filling ever. I had a cherry tree at my old house and it gave us a lot of cherries last year. So I am still working frozen one from last year. Works every time. Makes a great cobbler. One of the best pins ever, thank you for the recipe. Virginia
Dina says
Oh, what a dream to have a cherry tree right at home! It doesn’t get any better! I am so glad that you loved this recipe Virginia!
James says
I followed the recipe to the letter and it is not only a wonderful cherry filling but so easy as well. It turned out nice and thick with the right amount of sweetness. It cherry season and I will be putting up a dozen pints, thanks for the recipe.
Dina says
James, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this cherry pie filling so much! Thank you for taking the time to write your feedback!
Pam S says
This is very similar to the recipe I use, except that I use almond extract instead of vanilla, and I add it after the filling is cooked. I also add in about 1 tbsp of unsalted butter at the end. It gives it a nice, silky look and finish. I especially love this recipe when I can find sour cherries, but it’s good with sweet cherries, too, though adjustments may be needed, depending on whether using sour or sweet cherries.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the recipe tips, Pam. I will have to try it with the butter next time!