Homemade cherry pie filling is delicious and easy, perfect in pies, cobblers, on top of cheesecakes, ice cream, swirled into yogurt or oatmeal. Make this with fresh or frozen cherries for a treat all-year-round!
While cherries can be hard to grow here in the Pacific Northwest, when rain tends to split the skin just as they’re ripening, their so delicious one should do so anyway. For longer-lasting cherries, choose fruit that still have the stems attached. This keeps oxygen from entering the cherry and causing it to break down faster, giving you a few extra days to preserve your cherries with this delicious cherry pie filling recipe.
To store cherries in the fridge, place unwashed in the crisper drawer for 4 to 7 days.
Best cherries for pie filling
Bing and Lapin cherries are dark red sweet cherries, with firm flesh, perfect for pies or fresh eating. You can use sweet or sour cherries for pie filling.
Many people believe sour cherries (these are the smaller tart cherries) are best for pies. However, they’re only available for a few short weeks of the year and require more sugar.
Ingredients for cherry pie filling
washed and pitted cherries (do yourself a favor and get a multi-cherry pitter, this one does 4 cherries at once)
sugar
ClearJel- make sure you purchase the cook-type for canning (optional, but the only safe thickener to use for canning)
bottled lemon juice
What makes cherry pie filling thick
Both flour or cornstarch are used when making cherry pie filling to bake immediately, but if you’re wanting to can your cherry pie filling, you SHOULD NOT use cornstarch, flour, tapioca, or any other thickeners except for CearJel.
Newer testing shows that those starches can create uneven thick spots inside the jars, preventing the heat to get all the way through the product to evenly kill bacteria. Flour and cornstarch break down over time, making your lovely pie filling weepy and runny by mid-winter.
ClearJel is modified corn starch that doesn’t break down with the heat of canning and doesn’t create thick spots (this brand is Non-GMO)
To make your pie filling without Clearjel, simply can this cherry pie filling recipe without any thickener and then at the time of baking, take 1/3 cup of the liquid from the jar into a medium bowl and whisk together 3 Tablespoons cornstarch until smooth.
Dump remaining pie filling into the cornstarch slurry and mix until combined. Pour into prepared pie crust (you better be using this best-ever flaky pie crust recipe from my Great-Grandmother) and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, or until crust is golden.
How to make cherry pie filling
Begin by washing and draining cherries. Pit cherries, I highly recommend getting a multi-cherry pitter, place pitted cherries in a large bowl.
Note: You can use frozen pitted cherries, allow to thaw (save the juice as they thaw) and follow the recipe same as fresh.
Measure cherries, juice (or water if using fresh cherries), sugar, and Clearjel (if using) into a large saucepan, stir until combined and bring to a boil. Stir for 5 minutes, until mixture is thick and bubbly.
Stir in lemon juice and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add your cherries and fold in gently, don’t stop stirring, until it reaches a boil. Remove from heat.
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How to can cherry pie filling
Cherry pie filling may be water bath canned in either quarts or pints. One quart cherry pie filling is perfect for a 9-inch pie whereas the pints are perfect for topping a cheesecake. I do both!
Fill the canner with enough water to completely cover the top of the jars by at least 1 inch. Heat over medium-high heat so the water temperature is 180 degrees F.
Place jars in hot soapy water (no need to sterilize as the processing time is over 10 minutes for this recipe, just hot and clean). Rinse jars in hot water and place on a folded towel next to your hot cherry pie filling.
Ladle hot pie filling into warm jars to a 1-inch headspace, remove air bubbles, and place into the prepared hot water bath.
Process jars for 30 minutes (see notes in recipe card for adjusting based on your altitude).
Best recipes for cherry pie filling
Best Ever Flaky Pie Crust (if you made homemade cherry pie filling you definitely want to use a homemade from scratch pie crust, and this one is easy peasy to roll out!)
Homemade Pop-Tarts are delicious with this pie filling inside!
Best Cherry Preserving Recipes
Low Sugar No Pectin Cherry Jam
129+ Best Canning Recipes to Put Up this Year
Cherry pie filling recipe
Cherry Pie Filling Recipe (Canning Instructions)
Equipment
- Cherry pitter
- Water bath canner
- Quart or pint sized canning jars
Ingredients
- 12 cups fresh or frozen then thawed cherries
- 4 cups water or cherry juice from thawed cherries
- 2.5 cups sugar
- 1 cup ClearJel (optional)
- 1/3 cup bottled lemon juice
Instructions
- If using fresh cherries, put 6 cups at a time in 1 gallon boiling water and boil for 1 minute. Drain and process next batch of cherries. Keep boiled cherries in a bowl or pot with lid to keep warm.
- For frozen cherries: In a colander over a large bowl, drain thawed cherries until you have 4 cups or more cherry juice (you can use the extra for whatever your heart desires but I recommend using it for homemade fruit vinegar) https://melissaknorris.com/how-to-make-homemade-fruit-vinegar/
- Get your water bath canner ready with rack and water. Wash jars in hot soapy water and place in canner rack (in lifted position) to keep warm with canner on medium heat.
- In a large stainless steel pot, whisk together 4 cups cherry juice, sugar, and ClearJel (and cinnamon if using). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring almost constantly until its thick and bubbling (about 5 minutes or less). Add lemon juice, stir, and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add your cherries and fold in gently, stirring constantly, until it reaches a boil. Remove from heat.
- Place warm clean jars on a towel and using your canning funnel (highly recommended) ladle hot pie filling into jars to a 1 inch head space (if NOT using ClearJel Ball recipe states 1/2 inch headspace). Remove air bubbles and recheck headspace, add more filling if needed. Wipe rim of jar clean and put on lid and band. Tighten to finger tip tight and place into canner.
- Make sure jars are fully covered with water and bring to a boil. Process jars (both pints and quarts) for 30 minutes. If above 1,000 feet see notes for adjusting processing times to altitude.
Notes
- for altitudes 1001 to 3000 feet above sea level process for 35 minutes, if 3,001 to 6,000 feet above sea level process for 40 minutes and if above 6,001 feet process for 45 minutes.
- you can add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1/8 teaspoon per quart jar)
- if NOT using ClearJel Ball recipe states 1/2 inch headspace
- Recipe adapted from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
I made three or four batches of this last year and it is wonderful! I use pint jar in between the sourdough chocolate cake and it is amazing! Thanks for sharing this with us!!!
That sounds delicious!
Can you use dried cherries instead of fresh or frozen? What would be the water adjustments? Thanks!
If I use cherries which is preserved in water with preservatives chemicals then what is your recipe
Hi! If my frozen cherries don’t produce a full four cups of juice, can I make up the difference with water?
Thanks!
why indo you boil fresh cherries for 1 minute? If using tart cherries is the lemon juice still required?
How much sugar should I use if I’m using pie cherries?
Until it tastes sweet enough for you
Love this recipe – I added some cinnamon and increased the liquids and clearjel by 1/2 and still used the 12 cups of cherries – turned out great
Hi I noticed someone had asked if this recipe can be frozen instead of canned. I would like to make this recipe but I’ve never canned and would like to freeze it instead. Is this possible? Thanks!
Yes, you can always freeze any canning recipe instead of processing (just not the other way around).
Great thank you so much I’m so excited to try it!
Hi, can I water bath quart and pint sized jars at the same time or do I ‘water each size by itself? Thanks
Yes, the instructions state processing both quart and pint size jars are the same time.
Even with 11/2 head space it siphoned and was a mess. this was canned in a Nesco electric canner.
I don’t use electric canners, siphoning happens because of uneven temperature fluctuations, which you have no control over with an electric canner. Siphoning isn’t because of the recipe.
Hi Melissa, my husband and I are huge fans! I’m excited to try this recipe – it’ll be part of a Christmas gift for my father in law who loves cherry pie.
Do I have to use bottled lemon juice, or will fresh squeezed lemon juice work as well?
Thanks!
Hi Hana, always use bottled lemon juice to maintain the required acidity level.
Nice recipe!! Good flavour and quite reasonable on time and resources!
I already have quarts of canned cherries. How can I use them to make this filling? Thank you.
I’ve had problems with clear jel clumping even after mixing it into the sugar.
Can I make a slurry by adding the clear jel with 1/2 the juice or water then add it to the sugar following up with the remaining juice or water?
All of the instructions say to mix it evenly with the sugar, I’ve never attempted a slurry.
If u want to elevate ur cherry pie filling to an entirely new level, add 1 tsp almond flavoring! It’s over the moon unbelievable!!!! This is what my great grandmother did!
Can almond extract be added to the recipe? I’ve always added that to my cherry pies. Thanks!
Can almond extract be added to the recipe? I’ve always added that to my cherry pies. Thanks!
If you’re using fresh cherries, can you use bottled cherry juice rather than water? Also, you mention using cinnamon. How much cinnamon do you add? Thank you!
The cinnamon amount is in the notes section. You could use bottled cherry juice as long as it doesn’t have any additives, just juice and/or water.
This made 3 quarts for me. I used clear gel but I put the warm cherries into the clear gel, sugar mixture with a slotted spoon. That may have reduced the amount of all over mixture but certainly not a quart’s worth. I’m going to try to halve this recipe and make a pie and some dessert topping. Thanks so much. I’m happy with the recipe!
Hi Melissa- I made your cherry pie filling last week, and I’m so excited to try it. I did have a little less than a quart that I didn’t end up canning because it wasn’t full enough. How long will it last in the refrigerator? I did it without the clear gel, so it’s still need to do that step before actually making a pie. Thanks so much for any insight!
A few weeks, you can freeze it though
Sounds delicious. At what point do you pit the cherries?
I noticed that omission from the recipe, as well. Give your cherries a thorough rinse then pit them prior to proceeding with the recipe.
I followed the recipe exactly, twice. Both times it only made 3 quarts. Oh well. I made cherry turnovers the first time I made this to be sure I liked it and they were fantastic! Love this recipe. Our Bing Cherry tree exploded this year with so many cherries so I’ve been busy making this pie filling recipe as well as cherry jam. We will be serving cherry pie for our Thanksgiving this year. Thanks for this recipe!
Hello Melissa,
I have been following you for a while now, and attended a couple of your free classes. We had some cherries go on sale, and I needed other than jam/preserves. I made this recipe, and it made 7 1/2 pint jars. I had an issue with the Cleargel clumping, when I poured it in the pot. Why would that happen? This happens to me a lot.
Rochelle, did you mix the clear jel with the sugar before adding the liquid? My understanding is that mixing them together before adding the liquid keeps the clear jel from clumping. I haven’t made cherry pie filling, but I’ve never had any issues with the clear jel in my apple pie filling.
Hey Melissa,
If I want to make a cherry pie right away, could I put some of the filling aside to bake immediately? Does it need to go through the canning process before it can be used? Newbie here with some tart cherry trees.
Thanks for all you do and share with the rest of us! What a treasure! 🙂
Yes, just use it as is!
I had made some canned cherry pie filling (not your recipe) and used cornstarch as per the recipe. Now the liquid has separated. Is there any way I can save this? The jelled cherries are a huge lump. I had never done this before and was unaware that this would happen. It was a lot of work and I would hate to throw it all out. Thank you.
I’m sorry, there’s no way to fix it, and this is one of the reasons you don’t want to use cornstarch (sorry you learned the hard way). You can try boiling the pie filling and then see how the texture is if it allows the cornstarch to dissolve (and if there were any safety issues the boiling for 10 minutes will kill anything harmful).
Hi there. Just a quick question. I have a similar recipe to make cherry pie filling however it doesn’t call for lemon juice. Do I need the juice in order to process the filling properly? Thanks
Yes if you’re using sweet cherries, it’s other for safety reasons.
Thank you so much for your quick reply! Love listening to your podcasts and I use a lot of your recipes!?
How many quart/pint jars does this recipe make?
In the recipe card it says servings, 4 quarts 🙂
4 quarts wreck jars?
So so if your recipe is good for one, 9 inch pie, then that would be 1 quart?
I hope I’m not asking a question that was already answered but could I make this and freeze it instead of canning? Can you freeze other canning recipes instead of canning them.
When u meadure the cherries to decide how much you have. Is it from the start are after boiling them?
We have Bing Cherries in our yard, and this year we got 12 cups of Cherries off of 4 trees. I now have two quart jars of canned Cherries that will be made into pies later this year. No clear jelly at the time so I will add cornstarch when I bake the pies. Thanks for the recipe!
I haven’t canned for a few years due to illness but my best cherry pie filling had almond extract in it.
If you are canning this without the clearjel would you change the headspace any? That much headspace is due to the clearjel expanding in the canner right? Thanks
My ball book pie filling recipe without ClearJel says 1/2 inch headspace, I’ll update the recipe to reflect that.
Melissa, Just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate you. When I read your e-mails I always feel a sense of peace roll over me. I have your book and it gives me the same affect. You are a blessing!!
I’m so happy to hear that and thank you for getting the book!
We have corn allergies and cannot use clearjel so I thank you for this! I always thought pie filling was off limits because of this, but now I know I can go ahead and thicken it after opening. Thanks again!
I think I’ll can some cherry pie filling this year! Melissa, do you use the black cherries or the red pie cherries? Also, I see the recipe calls for 12 C cherries. Using 4 cups at a time, are the rest of the ingredients for 4 cups of cherries at a time? Making 3 batches? Sure appreciate all you do to help us!
Melissa thank you for sharing your Cherry pie filling recipe
My journey begins. Since cherries are stone fruit would this recipe also apply to other stone fruit ; peaches, apricots, etc. Thank you