Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
Learn how to make homemade cherry pie filling with fresh or frozen cherries! Perfect for pies, cheesecakes, and cakes, this easy cherry filling is fruity, not overly sweet, and so much better than canned. A quick 15-minute recipe every baker needs in their kitchen for summer desserts and holiday pies!
When I was running my cake decorating business, cherry filling was one of my secret weapons. It wasn’t just about the beautiful pop of color it added between cake layers; it was the fresh, bright cherry flavor that made clients remember their cakes long after the celebration ended.
I learned early on that homemade cherry pie filling is miles better than any canned version, especially when layered inside a Black Forest cake or spooned generously over a cheesecake. The canned stuff is often overly sweet and thick with cornstarch, while a homemade cherry filling lets the natural tart-sweet cherry flavor shine, giving your cakes and desserts a freshness you simply can’t get from a tin.
Even now, though I’ve shifted from cake decorating to sharing recipes with you here, this cherry filling remains a staple in my kitchen. It’s not just for cakes either! I love swirling it into yogurt for breakfast, draping it over waffles for weekend brunch, or using it to fill a flaky pie crust for a classic cherry pie that makes the whole house smell like summer.
Once you make this homemade cherry pie filling, you’ll see just how versatile it is—and why it was always one of my favorites when creating cakes for my clients.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy—ready in 15 minutes.
- Works with fresh or frozen cherries.
- Naturally sweet, fruity, and bright in color.
- Perfect for pies, cheesecakes, cakes, and desserts.
- Freezer-friendly for up to 3 months.
Ingredients and substitutes
- Cherries: Fresh or frozen, sweet or tart, pitted. Adjust sugar to taste based on cherry variety.
- Sugar: White sugar keeps the filling bright; adjust to taste.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the filling; can substitute with arrowroot or potato starch.
- Lemon juice: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
- Flavoring: Optional ¼ tsp almond extract for classic cherry-almond pairing, or ½ tsp vanilla.
Step-by-step: How to Make Cherry Pie Filling
- Prep: Pit the cherries and collect any juices.
- Cook: In a saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water. Cook until sugar dissolves, mashing some cherries for texture.
- Thicken: Mix remaining water with cornstarch, stir, and add to the saucepan. Cook on low until thick and glossy, coating the back of a spoon.
- Cool: Remove from heat; it will thicken further as it cools. Store in a mason jar in the fridge or freezer.
Tips for Success
- Use fine white sugar for color clarity.
- Stir the cornstarch slurry before adding to prevent lumps.
- Don’t overcook; remove once thick and glossy.
- For frozen cherries, reduce the added water.
- Cool fully before using as a cake or pie filling.
How to Use Cherry Pie Filling
- Cherry Pie: Classic use between double crusts or as a slab pie.
- Cakes: Layer with a buttercream dam
- Cheesecakes: Spoon over baked or no-bake cheesecakes.
- Tarts: Fill pre-baked crust with pastry cream and cherry filling.
- Breakfast: Spoon over pancakes, waffles, yogurt, or oatmeal.
- Pastries: Use as a filling for Danish pastries, turnovers, or hand pies.
More cherry recipes for you to try
- Moist Chocolate Cherry Cake
- Vanilla Cherry Cupcakes
- Best Cherry Pie Recipe
- Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes
- Cherry Ice Cream
Frequently asked questions
Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months.
Yes, ensure they are pitted and adjust sugar if sweetened. Use less water initially.
If too runny, simmer with a cornstarch slurry until thickened.
Cherry filling is a classic pairing with chocolate cake, as in my chocolate cherry cake and chocolate cherry cupcakes. So, it’s often used in a black forest cake. And yet, it can also work well with a vanilla cake or cupcakes like my fresh cherry cupcakes. Cherries also pair well with almond cake or fruit cakes, such as apricot, nectarines, or plums. Also, try my cherry crumble bars.
I have a detailed video and progress pictures showing how to level, tort, and fill a cake. The process is simple
– Bake your favorite cake batter in the right-sized cake pans.
– Cool cake layers, then level or torte them using a serrated knife.
– Brush the cake with simple syrup using a pastry brush.
– Pipe a buttercream frosting dam around the edge of the cake.
– Fill the center with the fruit filling, e.g., cherry filling
– Top with the next cake layer.
– Continue with the dam and filling until you have used all cake layers.
– Chill the cake for 15 minutes, then frost the top and sides
The BEST Cherry Pie Filling
This homemade cherry pie filling is easy, fruity, and perfect for pies, cheesecakes, cakes, and more. Made in 15 minutes using fresh or frozen cherries, it’s a staple every baker needs.
Video
Ingredients
- 200 g (2 cups) Cherries
- 50 g (¼ cup) White sugar
- 1 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1 tbsp Cornstarch
- 120 ml (½ cups) Water (divided)
- ¼ tsp Salt (optional)
Method
- Prep: Pit the cherries and collect any juices.200 g Cherries
- Cook: In a saucepan, combine cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and ¼ cup water. Cook until sugar dissolves, mashing some cherries for texture.50 g White sugar, 1 tbsp Lemon juice , ¼ tsp Salt
- Thicken: Mix remaining water with cornstarch, stir, and add to the saucepan. Cook on low until thick and glossy, coating the back of a spoon.1 tbsp Cornstarch, 120 ml Water
- Cool: Remove from heat; it will thicken further as it cools. Store in a mason jar in the fridge or freezer.
Notes
Tips for Success
✅ Use fine white sugar for color clarity.✅ Stir cornstarch slurry before adding to prevent lumps.
✅ Don’t overcook; remove once thick and glossy.
✅ For frozen cherries, reduce added water.
✅ Cool fully before using as a cake or pie filling.
Equipment you will need
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Mention @veenaazmanov_kitchen or tag #veenaazmanovkitchen!- Fresh cherry cupcakes or Chocolate cherry cupcakes
- Classic cherry cheesecake or Chocolate cherry cheesecake
- Cherry Eggnog
- Cherry Champagne Cocktail
- Best Cherry Pie Recipe
- See all cherry recipes
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I would like to try this cake. You don’t say what kind of cherries you are using. It looks like tart red cherries in one picture and then the darker sweet cherries. Which kind of cherry are you using? Thanks.
Mary, I use whatever cherries I have or can get my hands on. And then adjust the sweetness accordingly. If you use the sour cherries you can add a tablespoon or more of extra sugar. Personally, I don’t mind them a bit sour too. It tastes delicious in cakes.
What a great cherry filling. It turns out well every time. Only problem is when I go to get any the jar is always nearly empty. My husband has it with his no churn black cherry ice cream.
Thanks Veena for sharing.
Aww Val. In our home, it’s the kids.. The thing is I never see them eat..!! When?
I’m planning to make a black forest cheesecake next week in the instant pot with a brownie base. Do you think I can place the cherry filling on top of the brownie base which i will freeze for a few minutes to set and maybe add your filling on top and put it back in the freezer to set the filling before pouring the cheesecake filling on top and then cooking it in the instant pot? Do you see any issues with that?
Hey Michelle. This will work perfectly over a cheesecake as I used it on my cherry cheesecake. I suggest you bake the cheesecake oven or instantpot, then pour the filling over it and chill it. I hope that makes sense
Hi,
I’m gonna try and make my first frosted cake for my niece’s birthday. Just wanted to ask if I add this filling to buttercream, will that work? As in, I want a pink buttercream because it’s my niece’s favourite colour and since its cherry season here, I figured might as well use cherries instead of food colouring.
Yes, you can replace the liquid in the buttercream recipe with cherry syrup from this filling. That should give you a pretty pink
Wanting to use this for a cake filling, but don’t want something as sweet as pie filling- something more tart. Would this work if I just cut out some of the sugar or is there a better recipe for me to use?
Yes, you can definitely reduce the sugar as per your taste, Ashley
If I don’t have lemon juice, would lime juice work? Thanks!
Yes, lime juice would work too Emily
Veena! Thanks so much for this recipe! I had originally planned to make the Chocolate Cherry Cake in which this Cherry Sauce is referenced, but, after making it, decided to skip the cake and use the sauce on ice cream, angel food cake, and…by the spoonful! It’s so good! We’ve switched out the cherries for blueberries and peaches…and they are amazing as well! Thanks again…SO GOOD!!
You are very welcome Jeff. So happy to hear you had success with this recipe and enjoyed it so much. Yes, it works great with other fruits as well.
If you use frozen cherries, how much do you need? And when you give me the weight, could you please indicate if that’s measured when frozen or thawed? Thanks ahead of time.
Hey Anthony. I substitute 1:1 – meaning 1 kg fresh cherries to 1 kg of frozen cherries. You do have ice crystal but that does not really matter much in terms of weight. There is a huge difference when substituting canned but in this cake the difference is negligible. Hope that helps.
Just finished making this for a cake filling. Used a little less sugar, cause me friend is diabetic, and didn’t have cornstarch….so I subbed flour. Came out so yummy!! Will definitely make it again!!
Thank you Jennifer. So happy to hear you had great success with this recipe. I like using less sugar for myself too. I once used agave syrup instead of sugar for a customer who was diabetic. I made her my diabetic chocolate cake with cherry filling and she still raves about it.
Yum! Just what I was looking for! Can you tell me how long it can be stored and how to store it. Thanks!
Fillings can last usually a week to 10 days in the fridge. Frozen for 3 months in the freezer. If you add it to a cake you can keep it out for 2 days. The sugar acts as a preservative.
This looks great, thank you for sharing! What tool do you use to remove the pits?
Andrea I have shared three Amazon links for the removing the pits. I used the very first and I had to do it one at a time lol. The other two look more efficient but have not tried them. Thanks