Easy Homemade Cherry Pie Filling Using Fresh or Frozen

5 from 1 vote

This easy homemade cherry pie filling is one of those staple recipes that lets you turn a simple harvest into something incredibly special.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

cooling time30

Total Time55

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: dessert recipe, fruit recipe, Holiday Dessert, no-bake recipe, summer dessert

Servings: cups, enough for 9-inch pie

Calories: 287kcal

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5 Cups Cherries Pitted, we love using fresh tart cherries, dark sweet cherries, or bing cherries, but frozen cherries work beautifully too
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar adjust depending on the sweetness of your fruit
¼ Cup Corn Starch or sub in tapioca starch/tapioca flour for a clear finish
2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice balances the sweetness and helps preserve color
½ Teaspoon Almond Extract adds a warm, old-fashioned flavor
Pinch Salt
Optional: ¼ cup water if the sauce seems dry

Pit the cherries. Use a cherry pitter, metal straw, paper clip, or even the blunt end of a chopstick. This part is hands-on but satisfying, especially if you’ve got little helpers.
5 Cups Cherries
Combine cherries, lemon juice, and sugar mixture in a large saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the cherries begin to soften and release their cherry juice.
¾ Cup Granulated Sugar, 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
Mix corn starch with a few tablespoons of water to form a slurry, then stir into the hot cherry mixture.
¼ Cup Corn Starch, Optional: ¼ cup water if the sauce seems dry
Lower the heat and simmer gently until thickened—about 5 to 8 minutes.
Stir in your almond extract, pinch of salt, and let cool to room temperature.
½ Teaspoon Almond Extract, Pinch Salt
Use a slotted spoon to check thickness. The sauce should cling but still flow.