Cherry Pie Filling

Simple, five ingredient cherry pie filling made on the stovetop. Makes 4 cups of cherry pie filling, perfect for one 9-inch pie or a generous amount of topping for a 9 inch cheesecake!

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

Total Time 30

Servings cups

Author Heather

Ingredients

4 cups (616 g) pitted cherries if frozen, thaw
1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar *
2 tablespoons lemon juice
¼ cup (28 g) cornstarch
pinch of salt
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon optional

To make a cherry pie

2 prepared pie crusts top and bottom
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar optional

Instructions

In a saucepan over medium heat, add cherries, granulated sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, a pinch of salt, and cinnamon. Stir to combine.
If your cherries are not very juicy, you may want to add water (from a few tablespoons to ½ cup depending on your fruit) to thin the sauce.
Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 8-10 minutes, or until mixture has thickened (If your mixture is sticking to the pan, turn the heat down to low and add a splash of water). Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Baking into a pie

Preheat oven to 375℉. Place prepared pie crust into an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Fill with cherry pie filling, then place top pie crust over filling. Pinch the edges closed, then make a slit in the middle of the pie for steam to escape. Optionally, sprinkle with a tablespoon of granulated sugar before baking.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, then remove from oven to cool.

Video

Notes

Sugar quantity: *The amount of sugar can be adjusted to suit your tastes and depends on the sweetness of your cherries. Add as little as ½ cup for a less sweet filling. If using sweet cherries, I recommend reducing the amount of sugar to ⅔ cup.
Cherries by weight: 4 cups of pitted cherries weighs about 21 ounces/616 grams
Best cherries for cherry pie: Sweet or tart cherries can be used in this recipe.
Storage: Cherry pie filling will keep for 5 days in the refrigerator.
Freezing: Pie filling can be frozen for up to 3 months in a sealed, freezer safe container. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before using. Pie filling will thicken when chilled, but thins out again when heated in the oven.

Nutrition