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Foolproof Thick & Juicy Homemade Cherry Pie Filling Recipe

A spoonful of thick, glossy cherry pie filling being lifted from a white bowl filled with vibrant red cherries.
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Learn how to make the best thick and juicy homemade cherry pie filling from scratch. This recipe prevents runny results and works perfectly for pies, cheesecakes, and tarts.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. If using frozen cherries, do not thaw them first. Place the cherries and water in a medium saucepan.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch with the sugar until fully combined. This prevents lumps.
  3. Pour the sugar and cornstarch mixture over the cherries in the saucepan. Stir gently to combine.
  4. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens significantly and begins to bubble. This usually takes 5 to 8 minutes.
  5. Once boiling, continue to cook and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw starch flavor. The filling should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon heavily.
  6. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice, almond extract, and salt.
  7. Allow the cherry pie filling to cool completely before using it in your pie crust or dessert. Cooling allows the filling to set to its final, thick consistency.

Notes

  • For a more tart flavor, use sour cherries and increase the sugar by 1/4 cup.
  • If you want a bakery style cherry filling, use only sweet cherries and add a few drops of red food coloring for a deeper color.
  • This filling is excellent as a topping for waffles or spooned over vanilla ice cream.
  • If you are canning this filling, follow proper safe canning procedures for high-acid fruit fillings.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastetaught.com/cherry-pie-filling-thick-juicy-recipe/