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–+ servings

Cherry Pie Filling for Canning

thetimelessbaker
Cherry pie filling for canning features sweet, tart cherries in a thickened sauce, complemented by a hint of cinnamon and amaretto flavor. Canning this pie filling ensures you can use it year-round!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
cooling time 4 hours
Total Time 5 hours 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 8 pints or 4 quarts
Calories 565 kcal

Equipment

  • water bath canner or a very large stockpot with a lid and rack
  • 8 half-pint or 4 quart glass preserving jars
  • 4-8 lids and bands for preserving jars
  • ladle and funnel
  • large mixing bowl
  • Kitchen colander
  • kitchen towels or paper towel
  • tongs or jar lifter
  • knife or skewer
  • large sized saucepan

Ingredients
  

  • 15 cups frozen red tart cherries about 10 lbs, thawed * see notes
  • 3 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup ClearJel cook type*
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tsp amaretto liqueur, amaretto flavoring or almond flavoring (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Drain 15 cups frozen red tart cherries, thawed in a colander and placed over a large bowl to drain. Set 4 cups of the liquid and the cherries aside (discard remaining cherry juice or save for another use).
  • To prepare jars: place jars (without lids or rims) in an upright position in a water canner or large stockpot with a rack and fill with hot water. Cover the jars with water by about 1 inch. Cover with a lid and bring to a simmer; keep jars in a low simmer until ready to fill. Place lids in a separate saucepan and keep on low heat to keep warm for sealing. Leave clean bands nearby.
  • Whisk together the 4 cups of cherry liquid, 3 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 cup ClearJel cook type* and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil until thickened and mixture begins to bubble. Add 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • Return to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add reserved cherries and 1 tsp amaretto liqueur, or flavoring. Return to a boil, stirring constantly but gently. Remove from heat.
  • Using a ladle and funnel, carefully spoon hot pie filling into jars and leave 1” headspace at the top. Use a knife or skewer to remove any large air pockets. Wipe each rim of jar with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Then place a warm lid on top and then a band and screw on tight. *Any pie filling that does not fill an entire jar will need to be refrigerated for immediate use.
  • Place filled jars back into water canner or large stockpot using tongs or jar lifter. Ensure jars are still covered by at least 1" of water.
  • Place lid on water canner or stockpot and bring to a full boil. When the water is boiling, set timer and allow jars to process for 35 minutes for an altitude or 1000-3000 ft of elevation *see notes below to adjust processing time according to your current altitude
  • Remove from heat, take lid off water canner or stockpot and allow jars to sit in water 5 minutes. Then, carefully lift jars out using jar lifter or tongs and place on a kitchen towel and dry them off.
  • Check to see if the jars are sealed by pressing down on the top of each lid. It is firm and does not move, it is sealed. Jars can still "pop" (seal) for several hours after removing from water bath after processing. If the lid still bounces after several hours, it is unsealed and will need to be refrigerated for immediate use.

Notes

    • Be VERY careful and TAKE YOUR TIME!
    • You can use fresh, tart cherries for this recipe; however, it does work best to freeze the cherries and then thaw to extract more juice
    • ClearJel is a thickening agent made just for canning and you can purchase online; be sure to buy the cook type and not the instant for this recipe
    • Refrigerate any unsealed jars. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark place up to 1 year per USDA guidelines (some manufacturers state can be used up to 18 months).
    • Depending on your altitude, cooking and processing times will be different:
      • 0-1000 ft: 30 minutes
      • 1000-3000 ft: 35 minutes
      • 3000-6000 ft: 40 minutes
      • 6001 + ft: 45 minutes 
    • The USDA has a great guide to use found at the National Center for Home Food Preservation website. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1pintCalories: 565kcalCarbohydrates: 144gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 585mgFiber: 6gSugar: 121gVitamin A: 166IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 37mgIron: 1mg
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