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

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.