I’m on a pretty serious cherry kick, meaning I have a bag on hand at all times. And although eating them by the fistful is certainly satisfying, I’ve decided to use this gorgeous summer fruit for more than just snacking.
First I made Frozen Cherry Mojitos that were knock your socks off good and I then I got the hankering for cherry pie. But anyone who knows me well, knows that I have an adverse reaction to anything cherry flavored.
Cherry flavoring or perhaps the red dye, makes me cough like crazy which then triggers a sneezing fit, like 15 sneezes in a row…I kinda like to sneeze though. Anyway, canned cherry pie filling is pretty much out of the question. I have the same reaction to banana and green apple flavored things as well. Weird, I know.
I set out to turn the huge bag of cherries that I purchased into a homemade cherry pie filling. I used a recipe from About.com as a guide, but of course threw in a couple of extra ingredients to create an incredible cherry pie filling that left me super happy and free of any crazy coughing fits.
Stay tuned in coming weeks to see what deliciousness I have in store for you using this simple homemade cherry pie filling recipe.
Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
Ingredients:
5 to 6 cups fresh pitted cherries, about 2 1/2 to 3 pounds ( I used Bing)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon almond extractDirections:
In a saucepan over medium heat, combine cherries, water, lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low and cook, stirring frequently, for about 10 minutes. Stir in almond extract. Cool slightly before using as a topping.
Notes:
- If using sour cherries, you will need to adjust the amount of sugar. I’d recommend starting about ¾ cup and working your way up if more sweetness is needed.
- Refrigerate leftover fresh cherry pie filling in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
- I have not tried freezing this cherry pie filling, but if you do, please let me know.
- Recipe adapted from about.com
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{ 58 comments… read them below or add one }
Looks delicious, can’t wait to see what you baked up with it!
Cherries are a favorite at our house too. Hopefully, I can pick up a bag at the farmer’s markets and give this a try soon.
Our cherries aren’t ripe yet, but I’m stock piling recipes so I’m ready when they are.
I can’t wait to see what else you have planned. I love cherries and they are so healthy
Perfect timing, now I know what to do with the bunch of cherries we bought yesterday…cherry tarts!
Ohh I really want to try this! Cherries wont be ready here for at least another 2 months haha. I am hoping to try canning cherry pie filling this summer. I think I will use this recipe as a starting point!
Yum! I love cherries.
Hooray! Cherry pie is my favorite kind of pie, and I love that you made the filling by itself in its own jar. Great idea
Can’t wait to see what you make!
I can’t wait to make this!
I almost used the exact same recipe for some Mini Cherry Pies on a Stick I made yesterday, but ended up using one from Taste of Home instead. Do you know that it actually called for red food coloring?!?! Absurd! I omitted it, of course, because what is the point of making homemade pie filling and adding that yuckiness?!
I also ended up having to use frozen cherries because I wasn’t able to make it to whole foods and had to pick some up at a grocery store that didn’t have any. Anyway, cheers to cherries! 
Beautiful, Jamie. I have a freezer full of tart cherries right now . . .
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing this recipe, I can’t wait to see how you use it
This makes me SOOOO happy! I have been struggling with the cherry pie thing because I have a killer recipe for cherry pie but I want to adapt it to use in my Breville Pie Maker! I can’t use a recipe that is supposed to bake for 45 to 60 minutes in the piemaker – it only bakes the mini pies for 10 minutes – and I assumed I’d have to cook the filling on the stovetop for some time period. I have NO experience. Voila! You’ve given me a starting point!!!
this looks so delicious,,,thnks for the recipe
You must be reading my mind, have been wanting to whip up a “Real” cherry pie this summer! Thanks a bowl of cherries for the how to & the recipe. Off to pick up a cherry pitter!
Although not allergic, I can’t stand banana and green apple flavored things, or anything fake flavored for that matter. My husband always teases me about that, he’s always asking me if things are “too fake flavored” for me when I say I don’t like something.
Thank you for such a great post. I also love anything cherry, but the canned cherries are not for me either. I think I’ll go pick up some fresh ones today, and give your recipe a try.
I am wondering if I can can this so I can enjoy year round? Does anyone know?
Thank you!
Looking forward to your posts involving these cherries. Glad that you came up with a recipe that you can enjoy these beauties without having a reaction to them.
Cherry pie is one of my FAVORITES. I bet the almond extract really makes this filling extra good (I always think that almond extract has a cherry-ish smell/flavor)
Never would’ve thought to make my own cherry pie filling! Great recipe
so, without having a pitter…what’s the easiest way pit cherries?
Wondering if I could use dark sweet cherries…
Hi there,
how long can these preserve be kept in dark place?
Lovely! I can’t wait until we find some fresh cherries at the farmer’s market… I will have to make this (or at least, get my husband to make it!).
Yum! I love fresh cherries and have a giant bag of them myself right now. Can’t wait to try this!
You make everything so beautiful and attainable… great job!
Thank you for this. I’ve always used sour cherries and can never find them when I’m looking. I will definately give this a go as it’s my husbands favourite pie. As for the filling, my sour cherry filling freezes very well and our recipes are very similar.
thanks, K
What a fabulous idea! I so have to find a way to can this so I can have it all year long!
Someone asked if you could can this filling. As the recipe is written, no. However, if you replace the cornstarch with modified cornstarch, made from waxey maize (usually sold under the name clear-jel or therm-flo), the filling could be canned or frozen. The amount of starch must be reduced by 25%, because the modified starch has a higher thickening ability. I live in an area with a significant Amish population; since they can almost everything, clear-jel is readily available in my area (Central Pennsylvania). I know it can also be purchased online if it’s not available in your area.
I live in a cherry belt and freeze sour cherries every summer. Ours come pitted in 10lb pails (with or without sugar). I purchase w/o sugar. I divide the pail into 4 cup containers, which is perfect for pies, and freeze them as is. When thawed in January (!!!) the top few are a bit brown but the ones underneath are perfect in colour. When you cook them up in a pie filling recipe (as above), the discoloured ones make no difference . Definately a must have if you like to freeze fruit to enjoy over the long winters!
Cherry and almond together again…sounds delish. Isn’t Amaretto liquer cherry/almond flavored? Humm. sounds great !
My husband LOVES cherry pie. I may have to make a pie for him for father’s day. Thanks for the recipe!
I made this last weekend. It was AMAZING! It took me back to when my great-grandma would make me cherry pie.Thank you!
Jeanie–
I am so glad you enjoyed this!
–Jamie
Wow. It’s been a while since I cooked up some cherry pie filling. I’m going to have to do that again. It’s delicious on top of a grahmcracker crust cheese cake.
It’s been a while since I cooked up some cherry pie filling. I’m going to have to do that again. It’s delicious on top of a grahmcracker crust cheese cake.
Cherry season has just arrived here and so far I’ve only been successful at eating them as is. I have been convincing myself all week that as delicious as they are on their own, I have to be sure to make at least one dessert with them. Looks like I’ll be making a cherry pie!
Hi, the filling sounds amazing!!!! And I would definitely like to try it, but had a question first… MUST I cook this on top of the stove? Or would it cook down properly in a pie shell, as blueberries do? I’ve never tried to bake a cherry pie before, so I’m just wondering before I get started
)
Thanks for your help.
Hi!
Personally I would cook them down first. I actually made cherry hand pies today and used this cherry pie filling as a base. Enjoy and thanks for stopping by!
–Jamie
Hi Jamie! Just came across your blog. So beautiful, you’re really good at this. I’m connecting with this post right now because of the spree I just went on for sour cherries at the farmer’s market this weekend. I haven’t made any pies yet this summer…and this seems like an amazing simple recipe to have around. Also, I like that you added some touches. Almond extract?? Mmm. I heard that if you grind up the pitts of cherries, the flavor is reminiscent of almonds. Cherry pit flour? Interesting. A batch of this in the fridge is probably great to spoon at, quick too. Thank you!
SB.
Sarah–
Thanks so much for stopping by and for your kind words! I just got done pitting a ton of cherries too! Very interesting about the pits! Enjoy your sour cherries!
–Jamie
Great picture
Funny enough, I just made my first ever cherry pie the other day, and I (like you) thought a canned filling just wouldn’t do, so I made the filling from scratch. It turned out pretty good for my first pie! But I do have a question for you: the recipe for the filling I made didn’t require boiling it down on stovetop (but it still turned out good). How would the filling differ if I boiled it down first? Thanks.
Jamie – what are your thoughts on using frozen cherries? (I HATE pitting cherries in bulk!!)
) Should I thaw them first? Or start from frozen??
Love this idea, by the way! Can’t wait to try it soon!!
Annalise-
I think it would be fine. I’d start with them frozen. Let me know how it goes. Thanks!
-Jamie
This SUCKS! no offense, but I followed it step by step and turned out extremely horrible. It was a complete waste of 5 cups of perfectly good cherries. It taste like poo and looks like cheeries in red water in a pan. I would never recomend this to a rat let alone a person. Waste of time.
Hi, Rick. I’m sorry it didn’t work for you. I know several others (including Jeannie who commented above you) have been able to replicate this with success. I have made this several times this season without incident, so I am uncertain how to troubleshoot this with you – mine has certainly never resembled sub-par watery cherry rat food.
-Jamie
I am sure it is not the recipe, but most likely the person making the recipe that is the problem.
Rick,if the recipe turned out like poo, OBVIOUSLY you didn’t foolow the recipe step by step!
I can’t wait to make this. I love your site! I would love you to check out mine and become a follower! I just signed up to get your updates by email and I’m so excited! So check out the nummy little blog and see what you think! Thanks!
Jilly
I would eat this pie filling by the spoonful for breakfast!!!!
This is sooooo good! Thank you! I used this for homemade cherry pop tarts, and ice cream topping.
And, I’d like to add: there’s nothing weird about your body having an adverse reaction to chemicals!
I’ve always been frustrated with canned cherry pie filling, too! Even just plain pitted cherries in cans don’t taste fresh and wholesome to me, so I’m excited to buy a cherry pitter and make this asap!
thanks!
I stumbled across this wonderful recipe. I love cherry pie but I do not care for the canned cherry pie filling. I can’t wait till next year to give this wonderful recipe a try. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Jamie….I am looking for a good cherry pie filling…my husband canned them this summer and wants me to make him a pie but I can’t find a recipe using jarred cherries…could you help me with this?? I am sure I can improvise as I do with everything. I made him a peach pie from the spiced peaches he put up too. O Henry peaches are the best…let me know as soon as you can .PS am so surprised how many people did not know how well almond and cherry go together….thanks for your blog
Norajean-
Thanks so much for visiting. Unfortunately, I don’t have a recipe on MBA that uses jarred cherries, but I am guessing you can pretty much adapt any recipe and play around with the sugar and thickening agent. Sorry I am not more of a help.
-Jamie
Just found your site via a Pinterest post, glad now that I dropped by. You recipes are fabulous but I am more amazed at your photography. Great job and I’ll be coming back to get further ideas.