How An Expert Makes Canned Cherry Pie Filling Taste Bakery-Worthy

Using canned pie filling is a simple, low-stress way to make holiday pies. Even if you aren't a seasoned baker, you can use store-bought pie crust and canned pie filling, and improve them using ingredients you probably already have in your pantry. To get some easy tips on how to do this, Tasting Table recently spoke to an expert to find out how to elevate canned cherry pie filling so that it tastes bakery-worthy.

Joy Wilson, the pro baker and cookbook author behind Joy The Baker, says it is easy to "glow-up canned filling." The first tip she gave us is to "try stirring in a splash of lemon juice (or even sherry vinegar) for brightness." Fresh lemon juice can balance the overly sweet taste that many canned cherry pie fillings have. Its acidic properties can enhance the natural cherry flavor, and its tartness keeps the pie from tasting one-note, makes it taste fresher, zestier, and more complex. Lemon juice also activates the pectin in cherries, which can thicken the pie filling as it bakes so that it won't be too runny.

Sherry is a fortified wine that is available in cooking varieties. It is used to add depth of flavor by integrating spicy, nutty notes that contrast beautifully with the sweetness of the canned cherry filling. When using sherry, just add about ¼ cup to a can of pie filling, letting it sit for about an hour so that flavors have time to integrate before cooking.

If you don't have time to make a fresh cherry pie filling, you can also use whole cherries to improve the consistency and flavor of canned pie filling. Wilson told us, "Fold in a handful of frozen cherries for texture." She recommends frozen cherries over fresh for pie because fresh options might get mushy when baked with canned filling, resulting in a very runny pie slice.

Alternatively, use a ratio of 1:1 when adding frozen cherries to canned pie filling. If your pie recipe calls for one can of filling, replace half of that with frozen cherries. You can add the fruit into the filling right before you put the pie in the oven; however, cooking the mixture briefly over medium heat can enhance flavor and prevent a soggy bottom on your fruit pie.

Using a combination of frozen sour cherries along with sweet, canned cherry pie filling can also improve the taste of your pie. The tart fruit will add more depth to your filling, so that it tastes homemade. You can also add our secret ingredient for creamy cherry pie filling: a can of sweetened condensed milk.