Easy Homemade Cherry Pie Filling From Frozen Cherries
Make thick, juicy cherry pie filling from scratch using frozen cherries. This recipe yields a versatile topping perfect for pies, cheesecakes, or ice cream.
- Prep Time: 5 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 15 min
- Yield: About 5 cups 1x
- Category: Dessert Component
- Method: Stovetop Cooking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups frozen sweet cherries (do not thaw)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Combine the frozen cherries and granulated sugar in a medium saucepan. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes to draw out some liquid.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved. This creates a slurry.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the cherry mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Slowly pour the cornstarch slurry into the simmering cherries while stirring constantly.
- Continue to cook, stirring, until the filling thickens significantly, about 2 to 4 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the lemon juice and almond extract.
- Allow the cherry pie filling to cool completely before using it in a pie crust or as a topping. The filling will thicken more as it cools.
Notes
- For a sweeter filling, increase the sugar to 1 1/4 cups. For a tarter flavor, use tart cherries or increase the lemon juice slightly.
- If you use fresh cherries, pit them first and add 1/4 cup of water to the initial mixture.
- This filling can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/2 cup
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 35
- Sodium: 2
- Fat: 0.5
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 53
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 1
- Cholesterol: 0