How do you thicken canned cherry fillings?

There are a few easy ways to thicken canned cherry pie fillings so they have the perfect consistency for pies, turnovers, or other baked goods.

Use Cornstarch

One of the most common and effective ways to thicken canned cherry pie filling is by using cornstarch. Here’s how to do it:

1. Drain the liquid from a 21 oz can of cherry pie filling into a saucepan. Reserve the cherries.
2. For every 1 cup of liquid, mix 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water until smooth and free of lumps.
3. Bring the cherry liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened to your desired consistency.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved cherry pie filling. Let cool before using in recipes.

The cornstarch thickens the filling nicely without dulling the bright cherry flavor. You can start with 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per cup of liquid and add more as needed.

Use Tapioca

Tapioca is another excellent thickener for cherry fillings. It creates a glossy, lightly textured filling.

1. Drain the liquid from a 21 oz can of cherry pie filling into a saucepan. Reserve the cherries.
2. For every 1 cup of liquid, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of quick-cooking tapioca.
3. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved cherry pie filling. Let cool before using.

The tapioca gives the filling extra body without being gummy. Start with 1 tablespoon per cup of liquid and increase to 2 tablespoons for thicker filling.

Use Clear Jel

Clear Jel is a modified cornstarch that produces clear, thickened results every time. Try it for glossy cherry fillings.

1. Drain the liquid from a 21 oz can of cherry pie filling into a saucepan. Reserve the cherries.
2. For every 1 cup of liquid, mix 1-2 teaspoons of Clear Jel with 2 tablespoons of cold water.
3. Bring the cherry liquid to a boil over medium-high heat. Whisk in the Clear Jel slurry and boil for 1 minute.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved cherry pie filling. Refrigerate before using.

Clear Jel thickens at lower temperatures than cornstarch so results are more reliable. Start with 1 teaspoon per cup of liquid and increase to 2 teaspoons for thicker consistency.

Use Flour

All-purpose flour can also be used to thicken canned cherry filling with good results.

1. Drain the liquid from a 21 oz can of cherry pie filling into a saucepan. Reserve the cherries.
2. For every 1 cup of liquid, whisk together 1-2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of water.
3. Bring the cherry liquid to a boil. Whisk in the flour slurry and cook for 1-2 minutes until thickened, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat and stir in the reserved cherry pie filling. Let cool completely before using.

Flour adds body and richness to the filling. Start with 1 tablespoon per cup of liquid and add more if a thicker consistency is desired.

Add Gelatin

For cherry fillings with an extra smooth, sliceable texture, gelatin can help.

1. In a small bowl, sprinkle 1 teaspoon gelatin over 2 tablespoons cold water. Let stand for 5 minutes to soften.
2. Heat 1 cup cherry pie filling liquid in a saucepan until steaming hot. Remove from heat.
3. Stir in the softened gelatin until completely dissolved. Let cool slightly.
4. Stir the gelatin mixture into the remaining pie filling liquid along with the reserved cherries.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before using for stabilized texture.

The gelatin allows the filling to set up nicely. For firmer results, use 2 teaspoons gelatin per cup of liquid.

Comparison of Thickeners

Here is a quick comparison of the different cherry filling thickeners:

Thickener	Amount to Use	Texture	Notes
Cornstarch	1-2 tbsp per cup liquid	Smooth, lightly thickened	Clear thickened juice
Tapioca	1-2 tbsp per cup liquid	Glossy, opaque	Can use quick-cooking tapioca
Clear Jel	1-2 tsp per cup liquid	Glossy, transparent	Works at lower temp than cornstarch
Flour	1-2 tbsp per cup liquid	Slightly opaque, rich	All-purpose flour works well
Gelatin	1-2 tsp per cup liquid	Very smooth, sliceable	Refrigerate 2+ hours to set

Tips for Thickening Cherry Fillings

Here are some helpful tips when thickening canned cherry pie fillings:

• Always drain off the excess liquid before thickening to allow for more control over the final texture.
• Heat the filling liquid to a boil before adding thickener to activate it fully.
• Whisk in flour or cornstarch slurries slowly to prevent clumping.
• For a clear filling, use ClearJel instead of regular cornstarch.
• Refrigerate tapioca or gelatin-thickened fillings for the best texture.
• Let cooked fillings cool completely before filling a pie or pastry to prevent sogginess.
• Consider doing a test batch first before thickening a whole can of filling.
• Adjust thickness by adding more thickener if desired – start with less and add more as needed.

Storage of Thickened Cherry Fillings

Properly stored, homemade thickened cherry pie fillings will keep for:

• Cornstarch, tapioca or flour thickened fillings: 5-7 days refrigerated
• Gelatin thickened fillings: 1 week refrigerated
• Any filling: 2-3 months frozen

Ensure fillings are cooled completely before refrigerating or freezing. Use airtight containers and place parchment paper on the surface before sealing to prevent drying out.

Thickened cherry fillings can be frozen for several months with no loss of quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using in recipes.

Conclusion

With just a couple extra ingredients, you can easily modify canned cherry pie fillings to be the perfect thickness for baking. Cornstarch, tapioca, ClearJel, flour and gelatin all work well to create thicker, richer cherry fillings. Simply drain the liquid, boil, then stir in your preferred thickener. Cool completely before using for ideal flaky, juicy results in all your cherry desserts.