This recipe for easy cherry pie filling will have you eating straight from the jar with a spoon and wondering why you didn’t try it sooner!
Growing up I pretty much avoided cherries, I didn’t care for maraschino cherries at all and I didn’t have much exposure to many fresh cherries. I didn’t mind cherry pie filling, but it still didn’t excite me all that much. Fast forward to the first year I lived in Michigan, I had a friend give me a bag with enough cherries for a pie and a recipe to make the pie. Considering that my husband is a pie lover, I couldn’t miss the chance to make one of his favorite desserts. Oh.my.goodness….my eyes were opened to the goodness of freshly picked cherries and my life has never been the same.
The flavor that fresh cherries bring to a dessert is remarkably different than a can of cherry pie filling. Every year since that first summer, I have gone back as much as I could to load our freezer with fresh cherries to make cherry desserts all year long. After all, Michigan produces 20% of the US’ sweet cherry crop. This year I decided to try to make cherry pie filling. It’s ridiculously simple and, as most fresh fruit is, absolutely gorgeous!
Take this easy cherry pie filling and eat it straight from the jar, make it into a cherry crisp with a simple crisp topping, it would be great served over ice cream or in place of the cherry pie filling in these Puff Pastry Cherry Blossoms.
I used my OXO Good Grips Cherry Pitter (best thing ever!) to pit my fresh cherries and here are a few tips for you: Chilled cherries pit more easily than room temperature ones, sometimes I had a hard time telling if the pit came out of the room temp ones. Use a deep bowl (I used the bowl from my stand mixer) to minimize cherry juice splatter. Seems a little obvious, but it’s a great idea to wear a dark shirt 🙂
HOW TO MAKE EASY CHERRY PIE FILLING:
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- 5 - 6 cups of FRESH SWEET CHERRIES, pitted
- ½ cup WATER
- 2 Tablespoons FRESH LEMON JUICE
- ⅔ cup SUGAR
- 4 Tablespoons CORN STARCH
- 1½ teaspoons VANILLA EXTRACT
- Place cherries in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add water, lemon juice, sugar and corn starch. After it comes to a boil, turn the heat to low and stir often while cooking for about 10 minutes. After removing from the heat, stir in vanilla extract and allow to cool.
Recipe Source: My Baking Addiction
*OXO did provide me with a cherry pitter, but the pickin’, pittin’ and cherry eatin’ was all done by me!
AMAZING CHERRY DESSERTS:
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Michele says
This is a keeper. Now I don’t have to buy it in a can. Thanks for posting at Anyonita Nibbles: Tasty Tuesdays. That’s how I found your post.
Michele
Michele recently posted..Eggs and Soldiers
Becca@CrumbsandChaos says
Thanks, Michele!
Ritika says
Looks soooo delish!! 🙂 Just the perfect moment for this recipe as its the Cherry season out here in India 🙂 🙂 Wanted to ask, how long will this pie filling remain good? And do we simply pour in a sterilized bottle? Need to refrigerate it or keep outside?
Thanks!!
Becca@CrumbsandChaos says
You should store this in a jar in the fridge for 2-3 days. Enjoy!
keri @ shaken together says
Those pictures … stunning! Cherry pie is my favorite so I definitely pinned this to make this summer!
keri @ shaken together recently posted..apple pie snickerdoodle cookie bars
Becca@CrumbsandChaos says
Thanks, Keri!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says
I agree, fresh cherries are so much better! I didn’t even like cherry pie until someone made me try a piece that they had made with fresh cherries!
Jessica@AKitchenAddiction recently posted..Blueberry Cream Cheese Crostata
Julie @ This Gal Cooks says
Ah, these look lovely. I just love cherries. I think I might try this out and make some kind of goodie this weekend.
Stopping by from the Six Sisters. Pinned! Have a wonderful weekend!
Julie @ This Gal Cooks recently posted..Broiled Tilapia with Chipotle Peach Salsa
Gail @ BibleLoveNotes.com says
Although I’ve never made fresh cherry pie filling, your photos are so delicious that I want to give it a try. And it has to be much healthier than what we buy in a can. Thanks
Gail @ BibleLoveNotes.com recently posted..Skype is Good, but Never Enough (TGIF # 10)
Becca@CrumbsandChaos says
Thank you, Gail!
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl says
LOVE this, Becca! My mother-in-law has a cherry tree…so I’m going to have to give this recipe a try. Pinnd!
Ashley @ Kitchen Meets Girl recently posted..Spicy Mustard Chicken Skewers
Anyonita says
Given a few quantity differences, this is the EXACT recipe I use for my cherry pie and cherry crumble filling! 🙂 So I KNOW it’s delicious! Thank you so much for linking up with me this week at Tasty Tuesdays! I’ve pinned this & shared it with my followers! Please be sure to stop back by the party and check out some of the other links!
Anyonita recently posted..Kale Berry Smoothie or How to Lose Your Breakfast to a Toddler
Anyonita says
Becca!
This post has been featured in this week’s roundup! You can see it and grab a featured button here: http://anyonitanibbles.blogspot.co.uk/2013/07/tasty-tuesdays-18-10-stunning-food-photos.html
Congrats on the feature! I’m now following you on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter & Bloglovin!
Anyonita recently posted..Tasty Tuesdays #18 + 10 Stunning Food Photos
Becca@CrumbsandChaos says
Thank you so much!
Kelly @ Semi Homemade Mom says
WOW I’m SO trying this – cherries are finally hitting our farmer’s market this week. I’m featuring this on tomorrow’s Show & Share Wednesday party! 🙂
Kelly @ Semi Homemade Mom recently posted..Fruttare Frozen Fruit Bars and a Giveaway! #sponsored
barb says
hi there- what is the portion that his makes all together? a quart jar? several, etc…?
thank you, looks so good for the 4th of July!
Becca@CrumbsandChaos says
This makes enough for one pie, probably about a quart jar full.
melanie says
wow this is such a great cherry filling. amazing taste, thank’s.
Susan says
It’s Christmas Day and I realized with all the bustle of the season, I do not have a dessert for dinner! BUT I do have a huge bag of cherries from our yard in the freezer and a box of puff pastry and this recipe! Thank you!
Christine Ketcherside says
Can this be frozen?
Becca@CrumbsandChaos says
I haven’t tried to freeze it. Let me know how it works for you.
Jackie says
Hey there, do you know if you could can this and save it for later?
Becca@CrumbsandChaos says
This would be ok kept in the fridge for about a week, but I’ve not tried to store it longer or freeze it, so I can’t speak to that.