Desserts
Cherry Pie Filling
Description
Thick, homemade cherry pie filling that's so much better than canned! This recipe uses fresh cherries and is naturally sweetened with honey.
Ingredients
- 4 cups whole pitted fresh sweet cherries about 2 pounds with pits or 1 1/2 pounds pitted or frozen, thawed pitted cherries
- ½ cup honey plus additional to taste (if using tart cherries, you may need to add a bit more)
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ⅛ teaspoon pure almond extract optional or substitute 1/4 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Directions
- Place cherries into a large saucepan. Add 1/2 cup honey, lemon juice, cornstarch, and almond extract (if using), then stir to coat. Turn on the heat to medium.
- Cook the filling, stirring often, until glossy and thickened, about 5 – 10 minutes. Very carefully so as not to burn your tongue, taste the mixture. If you desire additional sweetness, add more honey a few teaspoons at a time. Remove pan from the heat and let the filling cool completely. Transfer to a storage jar.
