This small-batch homemade cherry pie filling is a treasured recipe passed down from my mother-in-law. It produces wonderfully flavored cherry pies and desserts. The base uses cherry gelatin and sour cherries, though you can also use a dark hybrid cherry that is half sweet and half sour for a rich color and balanced flavor. This filling is excellent in Amish oatmeal cherry bars and classic cherry pie made with a flaky pie crust. The recipe yields about 4 quarts of cherry pie filling; store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or follow the canning notes below to preserve it longer.
Follow along for more Amish-style recipes, and please leave a rating or comment if you try this filling.
The Best Homemade Cherry Pie Filling
marilynpeight
Pin Recipe
Equipment
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Large pot (6–8 quart)
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Canning funnel
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Quart jars with sealable lids
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 3 cups granulated sugar (adjust to taste; see notes)
- 6 oz. cherry Jello (two 3 oz. packages or about 2/3 cup cherry gelatin)
- 1 cup quick-cook Clear Jel (see note)
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 10 cups sour cherries, washed and pitted (or a sweet/sour hybrid—adjust sugar)
Instructions
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In a large 6–8 quart pot, combine the water, sugar, cherry Jello, and Clear Jel. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly to prevent lumps, until the mixture comes to a boil and becomes clear and thickened. Remove from heat.
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Stir in the salt and almond extract. Gently fold in the cherries, adding them until you reach your preferred fruit-to-filling ratio.
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Ladle the filling into jars or use immediately. Refrigerate for up to a week, or process in a hot water bath for 15–20 minutes to can (see canning notes below).
Notes
If the filling loosens while baking, make a slurry of additional Clear Jel and cold water, then stir it into the warmed filling and bring to a boil until clear and thickened.
This recipe can be doubled or tripled for canning.
Equipment needed for this Homemade Cherry Pie Filling:
- Large pot (6–8 quart) — a roomy pot helps contain bubbling and splatters while cooking.
- Canning funnel — useful for transferring hot filling into jars cleanly.
- Quart jars with sealable lids — optional if using immediately, but recommended for canning and long-term storage.
Canning this cherry pie filling:
Disclaimer: If you are unfamiliar with hot water bath canning, consult an experienced canner or reliable canning resources before attempting this method.
For a hot water bath: clean jar rims thoroughly and use new or good condition lids. Fill jars to about 3/4 full to allow for expansion. Place jars with hot filling into a canner and cover with water to about an inch above the jar shoulders (or to the neck). Bring the water to a full rolling boil and process jars for 15–20 minutes. Remove jars with a jar lifter and let them sit undisturbed on a towel for 18–24 hours. Any jar that fails to seal should be refrigerated and used within a week.
Note: This recipe scales easily for canning—double, triple, or more as needed.
Ingredients summary: granulated sugar, cherry Jello (cherry gelatin), Clear Jel, almond extract, salt, and cherries.
Substitutions:
If you don’t have almond extract, vanilla or cherry extract can be used instead—adjust to taste. Sweet cherries work fine, but reduce the sugar when using a sweeter variety.
Canned cherry pie filling is handy through the winter: a jar on the shelf lets you make a fresh cobbler or pie quickly. In my experience, cherry filling stores well compared to some other fruit fillings, so I make it regularly when cherries are in season.
Ways to use this cherry pie filling:
Use the filling in oatmeal cherry bars, classic cherry pie (bake at 350°F for about an hour with a flaky crust), cherry cobbler, cherry crisp, or as an ice cream topping. It also pairs nicely on pancakes, waffles, or stirred into baked oatmeal.
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