Until this summer, my cherry desserts came from a can. But with a box full of cherries, compliments of the Northwest Cherries, I decided it was time to step up my game and figure out how to make cherry pie filling.
Apparently, cherry pie filling doesn’t have to come from a can. It comes from everyday ingredients and fresh cherries.
How to Make Cherry Pie Filling
HOMEMADE CHERRY PIE FILLING
Ingredients
- 1/2 CUP WATER
- 1/4 CUP SUGAR
- 4 TBSP CORN STARCH
- 2-3 POUNDS PITTED CHERRIES
Instructions
- COMBINE ALL INGREDIENTS IN A LARGE SAUCEPANBRING TO A BOIL, REDUCE HEAT TO LOW. STIR FREQUENTLY FOR ABOUT 10-12 MINUTESCOOL SLIGHTLY.REFRIGERATE UP TO A WEEK OR FOLLOWING CANNING INSTRUCTIONS TO FREEZE.
Making a cherry pie was a big deal for me. I was surprised at how fulfilling I felt making this recipe. It was similar to how I felt when I made these.
Full disclosure, there is some work on the front end of this recipe.When I finished pitting the cherries, my cutting board looked like a scene from Dexter. But the cleanup was easy and the reward was a homemade pie.
I may have to learn how to make a homemade crust. To play it safe and manage my expectations I used a pre-packaged crust. I added a few star cutouts and felt pretty darn amazing.
I had to remind myself it is just a pie! Or is it?
I was nervous about how my first cherry pie filling would taste. Would it be too sweet or too tart? Turns out it was just right.
My family devoured the pie and the compliments were legit!
Looking for more fresh cherry recipes? Check out this list.
**disclosure: I received Northwest Cherries for this post. But, I had no help with making this homemade cherry pie filling.
This looks soooo good! I’ve shied away from cherry desserts because I don’t want to pit the cherries but maybe I’ll try it now!
Glad your pie was successful. I often mix my pitted cherries with a can of lite pie filling (SO is diabetic) or other berries. Sometimes I use cornstarch, sometimes tapioca. It’s hard to beat a homemade pie–even with store-bought crust (mine are horrible!).
Hi kathy,
That is a great suggestion! Thank you for stopping by!