How To Make Canned Cherry Pie Filling Taste Better
Make canned cherry pie filling taste better by following a few important tips and tricks for a great homemade flavor! I've compiled all of my favorite baking hacks right here for you! This is the ultimate guide to making your canned pie filling as tasty as possible!
To get started, add your can of cherry pie filling into a large mixing bowl. Pour in the canned cherries and mix well.
21 oz canned cherry pie filling, 15.25 oz canned cherries
Next, taste your filling to get an idea of how sweet it is. Add in your sugar (or honey), stir, and taste again. You can continue to add more sugar in 1 teaspoon increments if needed.
1 tablespoon sugar
Once you are satisfied with the sweetness of the filling, add in the lemon zest, vanilla, allspice (or apple pie spice), and almond extract. Mix well.
You can go ahead and use your pie filling, or store it now. However, if you are wanting to make your filling creamier, gently mix in the optional sour cream. Taste it, and add more sugar if needed.
½ cup sour cream
If you feel that your pie filling is not thick enough (*see note), mix the cornstarch and water together into a small bowl to make a slurry. Add the slurry to the pie filling and gently mix to incorporate it. Use immediately or store for later.
2 tablespoon cornstarch
Notes
This recipe is for enhancing 1 can of cherry pie filling. If you are needing more than 1 can for your recipe, go ahead and adjust the ingredients as needed.
If you are using this pie filling for a no-bake dessert, make sure to use canned cherries so that the consistency matches. If this dessert will be baked, you can use canned, fresh, or frozen!
Adding in the extra cherries will naturally thicken your pie filling! However, if you find that it is still not as thick as you would like, you can make a slurry of 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water and mix it into the filling. It will thicken while it bakes.
For a clear glossy pie filling thickener, use 4 ½ teaspoons arrowroot powder combined with 3 tablespoons cold water. Mix until smooth then add to your filling as instructed for the cornstarch.
To store: You can store this pie filling in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week.