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Homemade cherry pie filling with two cherry components for depth of flavor, including a concentrated cherry base and whole cherries coated in a thick sauce, enhanced with optional red wine. Suitable for fresh or frozen cherries.

  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: About 22 servings (¼ cup each) 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1600 g pitted cherries (about 3.5 lbs / 10 cups; recommend 2/3 fresh and 1/3 frozen for best texture)
  • 50 g sugar (¼ cup, white or brown)
  • ¼ tsp fine sea salt (not table salt)
  • 80 mL red wine (⅓ cup; can substitute with pomegranate juice, cherry juice, orange juice, or other non-alcoholic options)
  • 150 g white sugar (¾ cup)
  • 45 g cornstarch (4½ packed tbsp; can substitute with Instant ClearJel for freezing)
  • 30 mL lemon juice (2 tbsp)

Instructions

  1. Pit the cherries using preferred method (cherry pitter recommended).
  2. Divide the pitted cherries into two portions: 600 g (3⅓ cups) and 1000 g (6⅔ cups).
  3. In a large saucepan, combine 600 g cherries, 50 g sugar, salt, and red wine. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes until jammy and thick.
  4. While the cherry base cooks, place remaining 1000 g cherries in a large bowl.
  5. Whisk together 150 g sugar and cornstarch. Add the mixture to the cherries in the bowl and toss to coat.
  6. Add the coated cherries and any remaining sugar-cornstarch mixture to the saucepan with the cooked cherry base. Stir to combine.
  7. Cook over medium heat, stirring, bring to a gentle boil. Continue cooking for 5-10 minutes until the mixture is thick, glossy, and cherries remain mostly whole but softened.
  8. Add lemon juice and cook for about 1 minute.
  9. Remove from heat and let cool.
  10. Store in clean airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.

Notes

Using 2/3 fresh cherries gives best texture as they hold shape better during cooking., Frozen cherries break down more, so they are best used in the cooked down base portion., Non-alcoholic substitutions for red wine include cherry juice, pomegranate juice, or orange juice with spices like cinnamon or cloves., To freeze, substitute cornstarch with Instant ClearJel for better freeze-thaw stability; filling lasts up to 1 month in freezer., Canning not recommended with cornstarch; use ClearJel starch for canning or thicken after canning., Variations can include adding spices such as cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, cloves, or adding berry purees for flavor complexity., Serving size: ¼ cup., Approximate nutritional information per serving: 92 kcal, 23 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 0.2 g fat, 2 g fiber, 18 g sugar, 27 mg sodium.

  • Author: mapps6841@gmail.com
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes (includes pitting cherries)
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: ¼ cup
  • Calories: 92 kcal per ¼ cup serving
  • Fat: 0.2 g per ¼ cup serving
  • Carbohydrates: 23 g per ¼ cup serving
  • Protein: 1 g per ¼ cup serving