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Cherry pie filling in a glass bowl.
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5 from 192 votes

Cherry Pie Filling

This homemade cherry pie filling has the perfect balance between sweet and tart flavors and is ready in 10 minutes! It's made with fresh or frozen cherries and thickened with cornstarch until it's glossy and smooth. Recipe adjustments are included for sweet or sour cherries. Makes about 3½ cups which is good for an 8 or 9 inch pie.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 8
Calories: 129kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 6 cups pitted cherries fresh or frozen; about 2 lbs
  • ½ to ¾ cup sugar start with less and adjust
  • ¼ cup water double the amount for fresh cherries
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice freshly squeeze
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract (optional)

Instructions

  • Cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water. If using fresh cherries, double the amount of water listed in the recipe as they release less water compared to frozen cherries. Set aside.
    ¼ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup water
    Cornstarch slurry and sugar added to cherries in a pot.
  • Cook cherries: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the pitted cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch slurry. Bring to a boil, stirring to avoid burning.
    6 cups pitted cherries, ½ to ¾ cup sugar, 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
    Cherries cooking in a pot with sugar and cornstarch.
  • Taste: Once the sauce thickens and cherries have softened, reduce the heat and taste. As cherries vary in flavor, adjust with more lemon juice or sugar as needed. Sour cherries may need more sugar and sweet cherries may need more lemon juice.
    Add the vanilla or almond extract at this point, if using. Avoid over-stirring to keep the cherries intact.
    ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract
    Cherry pie filling made with sour pie cherries in a pot.
  • Fill pie or serve: Once cooled, fill your pie crust according to the directions or serve with desserts. Store leftover pie filling in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
    Cherry pie filling with red cherries in a glass mason jar.

Notes

Makes roughly 3.5 to 4 cups of sauce, enough for an 8 inch or 9 inch pie. I used frozen sour (tart) cherries for this recipe. 
  1. Storing - To store, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. It will become thicker once cold. Reheat in the microwave or the stovetop to get a glossy finish again.
  2. Type of cherries - You can use sweet or sour cherries for this recipe. If using sour cherries, increase the amount of sugar to balance out the tart flavors. If using sweet cherries, increase the amount of lemon juice to balance the sweetness. Keep in mind that fresh cherries release less liquid than frozen cherries, which is why we recommend adding more water for fresh cherries. 

Nutrition

Calories: 129kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 234mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 26g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg