Homemade Cherry Pie Filling

Here’s an easy recipe for homemade cherry pie filling that you can use in pies, cakes, cheesecakes, or simply eat with a spoon.

Just one spoonful of this rich and delicious cherry pie filling and you’ll never go back to canned cherry pie filling.

The easy recipe can be naturally sweetened and doesn’t require high fructose corn syrup, Red 40 or gelatin.

Also try our popular Oreo cupcakes

How to use cherry pie filling

This cherry filling is perfect for chia pudding and overnight oats.

Stir it into parfaits and yogurt, top Black Forest cakes and cheesecakes, and spoon it onto pancakes, crepes, French toast, and waffles.

Or use a thick cherry sauce to create turnovers or pop tarts, hand pies or bars, cherry fluff salads, or cherry cobblers or crumbles.

Of course, the most common way to use cherry pie filling is in homemade cherry pie.

Perfect topping for keto cheesecake and no-bake cheesecake.

Watch the step-by-step cherry pie filling recipe video above.

Ingredients for homemade cherry pie

The cherry topping recipe calls for cherries, water, lemon juice, your favorite sweetener, cornstarch, an optional pinch of salt, and either pure vanilla extract or almond extract.

Sweeteners can be granulated like regular sugar or coconut sugar. Alternatively, you can use unrefined liquid sweeteners such as honey, agave or pure maple syrup. For unsweetened cherry desserts, use erythritol or xylitol.

I have not tried arrowroot, tapioca, agar, flour, or other substitutes for cornstarch. Be sure to report it when you can.

What kind of cherry?

Both sweet or sour cherries work in the recipe, and I like sweet black cherries such as Bing, Lambert, Chelan, and Sweetheart. If using tart or red cherries, add sweetener if desired.

I prefer to use frozen cherries. Because cherries are usually already pitted. Then you won’t have to pierce the cherries by hand.

Fresh cherries are fine as long as you first pierce them with a chopstick, knife, or cherry pitter.

extra cherries?make cherry frozen yogurt

How to make cherry pie filling

Mix all ingredients except vanilla extract in a saucepan.

Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat and reduce the heat when it starts to boil. Stir frequently until the cherries are very soft and the juice thickens. This will take about 10-15 minutes on the stove.

turn off the fire. Add vanilla essence. You can also add a drop or two of almond extract if desired. Taste and add sweetener if desired.

Let the cherry mixture cool, then transfer to a mason jar or container with an airtight lid. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to a week. Alternatively, thaw and freeze for up to 3 months before use.

fresh or canned cherries

There are many brands of canned cherry pies on the market, including Comstock (Duncan Hines), Solo, Lucky Leaf, Musselman’s, Giant, Walmart, and Target.

Most canned options either contain artificial colors or corn syrup or are expensive.

As mentioned earlier, a homemade cherry filling also tastes better.

easy cake and pie recipes

pumpkin pie

deep dish cookie pie

pineapple pie

keto cake

vegan apple pie

vanilla mug cake

applesauce cake