Canning Cherry Pie Filling is incredibly easy. Use fresh or frozen fruit. So many uses for this versatile ingredient. Homemade is so much better!
The best reward when you learn how to can and preserve seasonal fruits and vegetables is that you can enjoy the fresh flavors all year long!
It is best to source sour cherries for pie filling. You can use sweet cherries, but I always add a lot less sugar and some more lemon juice.
This recipe only has 5 ingredients, but you need one specialty ingredient, if you are canning with a water bath canning pot. Namely, ClearJel starch, which is a modified cornstarch specifically designed for canning.
It is not recommended to use flour or cornstarch (corn flour) thickeners when canning with a water bath. There are 2 reasons for this.
Thickeners can prevent the ability of the ingredients in the jar to heat through consistently, according to Iowa State University.
The other reason it is not suggested is that thickeners have a tendency to clump, when they are heated in the water bath, therefore, you will end up with lumpy pie filling.
If you don’t have enough time to make the cherry pie filling right after picking, just freeze the cherries. Then thaw in the refrigerator and proceed with the recipe.
What you need
- tart cherries
- sugar
- Clearjel
- lemon juice (use bottled lemon juice, not fresh)
- cinnamon (optional)
How to make it
- Pit cherries.
- Heat cherries in juice, if frozen and thawed, or water, if fresh. Separate juice from the cherries, by draining in a colander. Keep cherries warm in covered bowl.
- Add juice to large pan with Clearjel mixed with sugar.
- Stir to remove lumps.
- Constantly stir, until thickened.
- Stir in cherries. Heat through on low heat.
- Fill quart jars with pie filling.
- Wipe edges clean with paper towel.
- Top with lids. Tighten bands fingertip tight.
- Add to water bath canning jar. Process on a low boil for 30 minutes.
Pro tips for success
- It’s best to use sour cherries for this recipe. If using sweet cherries, reduce the sugar and increase the lemon juice, to taste.
- Use a cherry pitter to speed up the pitting process.
- Use ClearJel, a modified cornstarch, instead of cornstarch, if canning.
- If you don’t want to can this cherry pie filling, it lasts 2-3 days or freeze it up to 1 year.
- If you are not canning, the surejel can be substituted with cornstarch.
- Use proper canning techniques, if canning, to make the product shelf stable.
- Pack into quart jars. A quart is the perfect amount for a 9″ pie.
How to use Cherry Pie Filling
- cherry pie
- cherry crisp
- easy cherry parfaits
- topping for pound cakes, pancakes, crepes, ice cream or yogurt
- quick cherry bars
- cherry cheesecake
- cherry turnovers
- no bake cherry delight dessert
- cherry dump cake
- cherry fruit squares
Other dishes made with fresh cherries
Tools I Use
Want to learn how to grow your own cherries? These articles are packed full of information about how to get that big harvest by the end of the season!
Don’t miss How to Start a Garden Series! The first part is Planning Your Garden!
Second is Preparing the Garden Site. The third is Choosing Plants and Planting Your Garden
The fourth is Garden Maintenance
The last is Harvesting a Garden and Preserving the Harvest, this post has over 100 FREE recipes for preserving your harvest!
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If you have any questions or comments, please ask in the comment section below. We’d love to hear from you!
I hope you enjoyed the recipe today!
Enjoy. And have fun cooking!
📖 Recipe
Canning Cherry Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 3⅓ cups fresh or frozen sour cherries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1⅓ cups water
- ¼ cup Clear Jel modified cornstarch plus
- 1 tbsp Clear Jel modified cornstarch
- 1 tbsp Bottled Lemon Juice plus
- 1 tsp Bottled Lemon Juice
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon optional
Instructions
For Fresh Cherries
- For fresh fruit, add cherries to large pot. Cover with about 1/2 gallon of water.
For Frozen Cherries
- Thaw cherries in refrigerator.
- Add cherries and juice to large pan. Just barely cover cherries with water.
For fresh and frozen cherries
- Bring to boil. Once boiling, boil for 1 minute.
- Strain liquid from cherries. Keep cherries warm in covered container. Reserve water and juice.
- Combine sugar, clear jel and water back to large pot.
- Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until mixture starts bubbling.
- Add lemon juice. Boil for 1 minute.
- Fold in cherries.
- Pack immediately into hot jar. Reserving 1" headspace.
- Wipe edge of jar clean. Place lids. Screw on bands fingertip tight.
- Process 30 minutes, for sea level. Increase processing time for 5 minutes, for every 3000 feet in elevation.
See all of my favorite tools and gift ideas on my New Amazon Store!Check out Binky’s Amazon Store!Notes
- It’s best to use sour cherries for this recipe. If using sweet cherries, reduce the sugar and increase the lemon juice, to taste.
- Use a cherry pitter to speed up the pitting process.
- Use Clear Jel, a modified cornstarch, instead of cornstarch, if canning.
- If you don’t want to can this cherry pie filling, it lasts 2-3 days or freeze it up to 1 year.
- If you are not canning, the clear jel can be substituted with cornstarch.
- Use proper canning techniques, if canning, to make the product shelf stable.
Tania Summers
Is there a reason you use bottled lemon juice? I l prefer fresh lemon juice. Will it provide the same result?
Beth Neels
It is recommended to always use bottled lemon juice when canning because the pH of bottled lemon juice is consistent and the pH of fresh lemons varies.
Mahy
I’ve just saved a fantastic strawberry filling recipe – so glad that I’ve stumbled upon your cherry pie filling, too. My two favorite flavors that I would eat all year long, if that was even possible!
Beth Neels
If you can this one, you can enjoy it all year long!
Susan Roe
I am confused about the amount of water. Recipe says 1 1/3 cup but direction says 1/2 gallon. Please explain. Thank you
Beth Neels
When you boil the cherries to heat them, you will use about 1/2 gallon of water to cover them. Then drain them, reserve the water/ juice. Keep the cherries warm in a covered bowl and use 1-1/3 cups of the reserved water/juice to make the 1 pint of pie filling, which is what the recipe is written for. Does that straighten it up.
Anita
This is a great way to preserve extra cherries when they are in season. It’s so delicious, especially with ice cream and waffles. 🙂
Beth Neels
I could eat it on a spoon! Thanks Anita!
Matthew Edens
How much would you reduce the sugar for sweet cherries?
Beth Neels
I would say by at least half. Mix everything together, except the Clear jel. Then taste it. It will depend on how sweet the cherries are. Measure out 1/2 cup. Maybe don’t add that all. Just keep tasting until it is sweet enough for you. I prefer tart pies, so our tastes may differ. Thanks for checking out the recipe Matthew!
Jere Cassidy
I love canning and have never canned pie fillings, I can’t wait to try this for the cherries so I can have that fresh taste for my baked goods.
Beth Neels
It’s so easy and so delicious! Thanks Jere!
Pina
Such a great cherry pie filling recipe! And I love all the uses for it…the possibilities are endless!
Beth Neels
That’s true enough! Thanks Pina!
Carrie Robinson
Homemade cherry pie filling is the best! 🙂
Beth Neels
Agreed. Thanks Carrie!