Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
Homemade cherry pie filling, or most other fruit fillings are positively quick and so easy to make. Don’t be afraid, just follow these simple directions for perfect results.
Originally published August 20th, 2013.
Do you know how easy it is to make your own homemade cherry pie filling? Or apple, peach, blueberry or strawberry rhubarb pie filling, for that matter? Well, I’m going to show you just how super easy it is!
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If “life is like a bowl of cherries”, does it mean that there are endless things you can do with your life, just like those cherries?
Does it mean some cherries are sweet, and some are sour, and that somehow equates to the good and bad in our lives? Instead of pondering life’s analogies, I’d rather do something with that bowl of cherries.
Why substituting ingredients sometimes doesn’t work.
I spied some Balaton Cherries (a type of sour cherry) at the grocery store the other day. They looked so good and I wanted to make boozy cherries like Nonna used to make in Italy. However, when I got home and tried to push them tightly into jars, I realized they were much too big to make Nonna’s alcohol soaked fruit. There was too much sugar in the jars due to all the space between the large cherries.
You may also enjoy this Cherry Cheese Streusel Coffee Cake Recipe
Apparently, according to my cousin Gianfranco, I need to use tiny sour cherries (amarene). The problem is that I don’t even know if I can find them here in the US. I bought one type of small sour cherry a few years ago, but haven’t seen them since. (Sigh.)
Those boozy cherries are one of my favorite things in life! I did keep one jar to try, but I don’t think it will meet my standards of tasting like Nonna’s original. Sometimes, there can be no substitutions in a recipe, and this is a case in point.
So, onto Plan B: homemade cherry pie filling with fresh cherries is infinitely better than its canned counterpart, so that’s what I did, and you can too.
You may also enjoy this strawberry rhubarb cobbler recipe.
How do you make homemade cherry pie filling?
It’s so easy, and this method works for making most fruit fillings. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3.
- Just put the fruit and sugar in a pot.
- Next, add corn starch (see the printable recipe below for instructions on how to add the corn starch so it won’t be lumpy).
- Lastly, stir until it comes to a boil and you’re done! It’s that simple.
Use the filling as you desire, but remember that sweeter fruit will need less sugar (peach, eg.) and more sour fruit will need more sugar (rhubarb, eg.).
Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
(or Apple, Peach, Blueberry or Rhubarb)
recipe by Christina Conte FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Place the cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a pot over medium heat.
Stir to dissolve the sugar. Add the cornstarch (see printable recipe for directions so you don’t get a lumpy sauce) to the cherries and mix well.
Continue to stir with a wooden spoon just until it comes to a boil and is slightly thickened and glossy. Remove from heat.
Ta dah! You now have homemade cherry pie filling! Remember, you can use these directions for other fruit, too. Just adjust the sugar to fruit ratio depending on how sweet or sour the fruit is (taste it to see if it needs more sugar). Here’s my recipe for a super quick, homemade pie crust.
How do you make a cherry pie or crumble?
This filling perfect for pies, crumbles, crisps, and cobblers. It’s amazing topping for cheesecake, blintzes, pancakes, or ice-cream. The thickened fruit is also a delicious filling for crepes, turnovers and in Black Forest Cake–the list goes on and on.
If you’d like to make a cherry pie (or other fruit pie), make this easy crust Pie Pastry in Under One Minute, then fill it with your pie filling. Bake as per my apple pie recipe.
Maybe you’d like to make a fruit crumble instead, as it’s quite a bit easier than rolling out pastry. If so, here’s another super simple recipe for the crumble topping. I made a cherry crumble with my cherry pie filling. Just pour the cherry filling into an 8×8 pan and top with my super-simple, homemade crumble. See the finished crumble photo at the very bottom of this post.
Homemade Cherry Pie Filling (or Apple, Peach, Rhubarb...)
Ingredients
- 3 cups pitted sour cherries (you can use sweet, but cut down the sugar)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 heaping tsp corn starch (water to mix)
Instructions
- Place the cherries, sugar and lemon juice in a pot over medium heat.
- Stir to dissolve the sugar. Meanwhile, mix the corn starch in a small bowl with just enough water to form a smooth mixture, then add to the cherries and mix well. Add the mixture before the cherries come to a boil, or it will be lumpy.
- Continue to stir the cherries and sauce, just until it comes to a boil and is slightly thickened and glossy. Remove from heat. Use as desired.
Notes
- Perfect for pies, crumbles, crisps, and cobblers; amazing topping for cheesecake, blintzes, pancakes, or ice-cream; a delicious filling for crepes, turnovers, and in Black Forest Cake-the list goes on and on.
Nutrition
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I’ve been meaning to make my own pie filling for a while now- I no longer buy pies at the grocery store just because of the amount of ingredients in them! Thank you for the wonderful recipe, will be trying soon!
Good for you, Julie! Happy to hear it! You’ll taste the difference, and just feel better knowing it’s not full of chemicals! :)
Does this need to be used right away, or can you can this?
I’ve always used it right away, but as long as you can it properly, using the appropriate hot water bath, I can’t see any reason why not. Much better than the tinned version from the stores. Enjoy, Lindsay!
Have you worked on noonas boozy cherry recipe. I’m very interested in process if your willing to share
I haven’t as I can’t get the proper cherries, Linda :( I need amarena cherries and can’t get them here. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amarena_cherry
how sad you cant find what your looking for. if i ever come across any ill for sure keep you in mind. How did the batch turn out from the one jar you kept.. Is there really alcohol in it or just the sugar that dissolves and ferments a bit. I am always intrigued by how things work..lol just ordered a cheese press cause im wanting to learn something new….
Oh, I just don’t think they exist here, Linda. There is another type of tiny sour cherry, but I don’t know the name of it to source it. I didn’t make the ones in the jar as it was just not working, but yes, once the sugar melts after about 30 days, you add pure alcohol and let it sit. That’s all that’s required, but the right ingredients are a necessity. Good for you! I love cheesemaking too! Had photos of my mother making cheese and ricotta, but never posted it. Too much to share and not enough time! ;)
Never seems to be enough time in the day to get done all we want/need to do. I am however finding the time today to make your cherry pie filling. 6 cups cherries pitted, leaving me with very discolored hands . I will be omitting the cornstarch and adding in minute tapioca instead.. hope it doesnt alter the end results much. Promised the hubster a scratch made cherry raspberry pie today. Whats your fav cheese to make… I am hoping to start with a easy soft and then graduate to a harder longer aging cheese.
So true!
Here’s an FYI regarding using tapioca: it will be fine today, but tapioca doesn’t hold like cornstarch, so it will turn runny later on.
I’ve only made fresh cheese and ricotta (which isn’t truly cheese) the way my Nonna and mum made it. Love them both!
Yep we are runny lol lesson learned. Great taste tho.
This sounds absolutely delicious. Thank’s for sharing this recipe.
Simon
You’re welcome Simon!
There is a White House Fruit Farm in Canfield Oho. They are the largest fruit farm in Ohio. They sell sour cherries and take orders for them.
Good to know, thank you, Pam!