How To Make Cherry Pie Filling

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Cherry Pie Filling Ingredients:

How to Make Cherry Pie Filling – The Hillbilly Kitchen

You only need 5 ingredients to make your own cherry pie filling!

cherries: I used fresh cherries for my filling. If you want to make cherry pie filling from frozen cherries, the recipe is the same. You just may need to cook the filling a bit longer because of the extra moisture found in frozen cherries. No need to defrost though!sugarlemon juice: it adds a nice freshness that I find canned fillings lack!watercornstarch

How To Pit Cherries

It is easy to pit a bowl of fresh cherries with or without a cherry pitter. Here are few ways to take the pit out of a cherry with household items. To keep your fingers from being stained, wear food safe gloves.

Chopsticks/Straw remove the stem, place the cherry on top of a bottle, press the chopstick or straw through the cherry until the pit pops out

Paring Knife cut open the cherry and remove the pit

Cherry Pitter the OXO cherry pitter easily removes the pit. BRUCREW TIP: Dont wear white when you pit cherries with this kitchen tool because it may splash a little if you are not careful.

How To Store Cherry Pie Filling

Having jars of cherry pie filling on hand means whipping together a cherry pie without the stress of making the filling and the benefit of not having to use store-bought!

  • On the shelf: Unopened jars of filling can be stored on the shelf in your pantry or another cool, dark place for up to 3 years. Be sure to label the jar with the date and contents.
  • In the fridge: Once you have opened a jar of filling, you can store the leftovers in the fridge for up to a week.

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How To Pit Cherries Without A Cherry Pitter

We have a small kitchen. That means that we only buy what we need on a weekly basis and while we would love to eat a slice of this cherry pie every night that just cant happen. So, we dont have a cherry pitter in the house. That didnt stop us, though. We just looked around and figured out two ways to pit cherries without a cherry pitter.

On the top, youll see we used a chopstick. We used the thicker round end to push the pit out of each cherry. The second option was to use a small piping tip. Place it onto the work surface then push the cherry down onto the tip the pit pops right out. Of the two, we preferred using chopsticks. Both work, but the chopsticks were a little less messy.

Recipe updated, originally posted May 2013. Since posting this in 2013, we have tweaked the recipe to be more clear and added a quick recipe video. Adam and Joanne

Does Pie Filling Need To Be Refrigerated

Homemade Cherry Pie Filling

This sweet cherry pie filling does need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You are able to can it but it will lasts for up to two weeks in the refrigerator.

My favorite recipe for using cherry pie filling are these amazing Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies.seriously, theyre like the best dessert treat ever. I make them for Christmas now every year.

You can also make a quick and easy Cherry Pie with this easy Homemade Pie Crust. Its super simple to whip up and I tend to make extra to keep in the freezer to solve pie emergencies.

If you want to make a classic cherry pie recipe.this is the one for you. Ive been making it for years now and the lattice crust is super simple to make.

We also LOVE this easy Black Forest Trifleusing this homemade pie filling recipe. Best of all..its NO BAKE!

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Can I Freeze Canned Cherry Pie Filling

Yes, place the cherry pie filling in the freezer inside a heavy-duty freezer bag or airtight container. By doing this, it maximizes the shelf life of canned cherry pie filling. Because of this, you can freeze it for approximately two months.

In addition to that, it will remain safe to use beyond that time as long as you stored it correctly.

Moreover, when you defrost canned cherry pie filling in the refrigerator. It can last for approximately three to four days before using it. On the other hand, if you thawed the cherry pie filling in cold water or the microwave, you should use it right away.

What Type Of Cherries Are Best For Pies

Typically for cherry pie filling, you want to use sour cherries, but they can be very hard to find. Sweet, bing and Rainer cherries work great though! Once you have the right cherries, all you need is to get the correct sugar, cornstarch, and water ratio down. Then all you need is a splash of fresh lemon juice and a hint of vanilla for the BEST cherry pie filling ever!

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How Do You Thicken Cherry Pie Filling Without Cornstarch

Yes, you can use other ingredients to thicken a pie filling without cornstarch.

  • Tapioca Flour use 1 1/2 tablespoons and let the filling rest at least 30 minutes, so it can absorb properly
  • Instant ClearJel use 3 tablespoons of this thickening agent
  • Flour you will need up to twice as much flour per teaspoon to thicken this recipe.
  • Finally Bake The Canned Cherry Pie

    Recipe for Cherry Pie Filling
  • Bake the pie for 60 minutes. At this point, all thats left to do is bake the pie. Bake the pie at 375 for 60 to 65 minutes, or until the top crust is a pale, golden brown. The filling should be bubbling slowly along its edges and in the center of the pie.
  • Cool for at least 1 hour before serving. Although you can serve pie while its warm, allowing the pie to cool for at least 1 hour on a wire rack works magic. Why? This cooling time sets the canned cherry pie filling, ensuring that filling wont get leaky and run when sliced.
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    Next Make The Cherry Pie Filling For The Canned Cherry Pie

  • Prep the ingredients for the canned cherry pie filling. Because youre using canned cherries, prep for this recipe is pretty minimal! All you need to do is have your cans ready and open, measure out ingredients like the sugar and cornstarch, and prep your lemon accordingly.
  • Drain the cherries and reduce their juice. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Pour the canned cherries on top of the sieve so that their juices drain into the sauce pan. Set aside the cherries , and cook the juices, over medium-high heat, until reduced to ¼ cup. Pro-tipthis step is what makes the most flavorful cherry pie!
  • Add the cherries, sugars, cornstarch, lemon zest and juice, and salt and cook until thickened. Add the rest of the ingredients and continue cooking, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes until the cherries have released their juices and the mixture has thickened. Your goal here is to get the filling close to your ideal texture for pie filling. It should be thick and slightly glossy, like jarred cherry pie filling!
  • Let the filling cool completely before using it in the pie. Under no circumstances can you use the filling in your pie before its cooled. If you use it while its still warm, it could potentially melt the pie dough that you worked so hard to bring together! To cool the filling faster, transfer it to another bowl and set it on a wire rack. If you leave it in the pan you cooked it in, the filling will take longer to cool.
  • Sour Cherry Pie Filling

    · Modified: Jun 13, 2021 by Kelli Avila · This post may contain affiliate links · This blog generates income via ads ·

    Cherry pie filling is super easy to make at home, and perfect to have on hand or stored away in the freezer for whenever you need it. This recipe is perfect for pies, desserts, or any other sweet treat that calls for cherry pie filling.

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    How To Pit The Cherries

    A great way to pit cherries is by the use of a cherry pitter. Place the cherries in the pitter and squeeze until the pit pops out. If cherry pitter is unavailable, you can push a skewer or a chopstick through a cherry to remove the seed. To remove a stem, insert the rounded end of a paperclip shaped in an S form to pull the pit out in that hole.

    Benefits Of Making Homemade Pie Filling

    Homemade Cherry Pie Filling Recipe

    Why make your own cherry pie filling? First of all, you can control everything that’s going into your pie, including what’s in the filling. Often , canned pie filling will include artificial colors. If you’re not into that, making your own is a great option.

    You can also adjust the sweetness of your filling. Add more sugar to suit your tastes.

    I also like to add a dash of cinnamon to my cherry pie filling. It adds an extra layer of warmth and flavor, which is especially nice for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

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    Fresh Cherry Pie Filling Recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Diana Mocanu

    Calcium 24mg 2%
    *The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

    Fresh, juicy cherries are one of the highlights of summer, and this easy, homemade cherry pie filling with fresh cherries is a great way to use them.

    If you have an abundance of cherries, you can scale the recipe up and freeze the extra pie filling in containers to use later.

    • 5 to 6 cups fresh pitted cherries
    • 1/2 cup water
    • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    • 4 tablespoons cornstarch

    The Best Cherries For Pie

    Look for dark, sweet Bing cherries for this pie. Yellow-red Rainier cherries will also work just fine, but they have a milder flavor than Bings and will therefore make a more mild-tasting pie.

    Make sure your cherries are firm and plump. Avoid cherries that look shriveled or blemished.

    Frozen cherries can also be used to make pie. Just let them thaw completely in a colander before making your pie.

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    What Kind Of Cherries To Use

    There are quite a few types of cherries out there, and many of them will work for this recipe. Most cherries can be categorized as either sweet or sour. This recipe calls for sour cherries. The reason this matters is because the amount of sweetener called for is based on the cherries being sour.

    You can use fresh or frozen sour cherries. Some common varieties that are good for pies are Montmorency or Morello. I love using frozen cherries personally, because they’re already pitted and taste just as good. But this recipe is great with fresh cherries too.

    Want to make this recipe but have sweet cherries? That’s fine! You can use this recipe, but reduce the amount of sugar to ½ cup.

    Recreate Grandma’s Cherry Pie

    How to Can Cherry Pie Filling

    Cherries are grouped into two main types sweet and tart. The most well-known type of sweet cherry is the Bing variety, which is typically eaten fresh. Tart or sour cherries, especially the Montmorency variety, are used in food processing. According to a March 2018 review published in Nutrients, 97 percent of tart Montmorency cherries are used for cooking and baking products, such as pie fillings.

    Because canned cherry pie filling is made from sour cherries, manufacturers often add sugar to sweeten their product. According to the USDA, cherry pie filling contains 66 grams of sugar per cup. Since not all cherry pie fillings taste the same, you may need to try a few different brands to find the one most closely suited to your palate.

    When baking a cherry pie with pie filling, instead of just dumping the contents of the can into the crust, taste it first and consider some of these tips to improve the flavor and sweetness of your dish. This way, your cherry pie will taste amazing just like from the very best cherry pie recipe.

    Add a few tablespoons of pineapple tidbits or pureed canned pineapple, which compliments the flavor of cherries in the pie filling. A teaspoon of almond extract will enhance the flavor too.

    If your canned filling is too tart, add natural sweeteners, such as honey, maple syrup, agave nectar, stevia or yacon syrup, to add sweetness without drastically altering the overall texture and consistency of the mix.

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    How To Make Cherry Pie Filling At Home

    Surprisingly easy to make and super flavorful, this easy cherry pie filling recipe makes me wonder why even bother with the canned stuff!?

    I totally understand the appeal of ready-to-go store bought filling. But the only real difficult and tedious part about making your own at home is pitting the cherries.

    Otherwise, it takes less than 10 minutes on the stove, and it tastes a million times fresher and more flavorful than the pre-made stuff!

    And if all of that wasnt convincing enough, its also much more customizable when you make it yourself. Do you like larger cherry pieces? Smaller cherry pieces? A thicker filling? A looser filling? More sugar? Less sugar? YOU CAN DO ANYTHING YOU LIKE!

    Okay, not annnnything . like maybe dont add cheddar cheese to it. But you can do a lot!

    Trust me! If youve never made your own cherry pie filling at home, nows the time to give it a go!

    Ingredients In Cherry Pie Filling

    Cherries: For this recipe, you will need fresh cherries that you will need to pit. The easiest way to pit a cherry is with a cherry pitter. You will also need to remove the stems. You can also use frozen cherries!

    Dont have a cherry pitter? Learn how to pit a cherry with a straw.

    Water: When you cook the cherries, you will need to add some water. Cooking the cherries in water helps break them down and release the juices.

    Sugar: You will need some granulated sugar to sweeten the pie filling.

    Cornstarch: To thicken your filling, you will add a slurry which is made with cornstarch and cold water.

    Lemon Juice: You will also need some lemon juice which helps balance out the sweetness from the sugar.

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    Tips From The Pillsbury Kitchens

    • tip 1 Have strips of foil or aluminum pie crust shields at the ready to prevent over-browning around the top edges of the pastry. You dont want to underbake the pie, or you may have a gummy bottom crust.
    • tip 2 Place a large piece of heavy-duty foil on lower oven rack to catch any juices that may bubble over.
    • tip 3 For a decorated look, before placing top crust over the filling, use small cookie cutters to cut out small shapes which create vents to release steam. For more of a glazed top crust, brush cream and sprinkle coarse sparkling sugar over top, before sliding it into the oven.
    • tip 4 Two cans of apple pie filling can be substituted for cherry pie filling.
    • tip 5 To expand the flavor of the cherry filling, try stiring in 1 teaspoon almond extract.
    • tip 6 For a pretty pie, cut shapes out of your top crust using a small cookie cutter or knife.
    • tip 7 For perfect crimps in your pie crust, use the handle of a wooden spoon to mark evenly-spaced sections, then pinch the crust around the handle with your fingers.
    • tip 8

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