You’re in for a treat with these cherry apple pie fillings. The tart cherries pair perfectly with sweet apples, creating that ideal balance for your pies. Whether you’re baking for family or friends, these recipes make it easy to whip up something delicious.
We’ve got 15 variations to suit every taste—from classic comforts to bold twists. Each one cooks down into a thick, jammy filling ready for your favorite crust. Pick one and let’s get started.
15 Mixed Cherry Apple Pie Filling Recipes
Ready to fill your pies with fruity goodness? These recipes are simple to make on the stovetop, perfect for beginners. Grab your cherries and apples, and dive into the list below.
1. Classic Cherry Apple Pie Filling
This timeless filling blends sweet-tart cherries with crisp apples for a juicy, balanced pie center. It thickens perfectly, offering that homemade comfort in every bite—ideal for traditional lattice-top pies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted fresh or frozen cherries
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced ¼-inch thick
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep the Fruits
Rinse and pit cherries if fresh; thaw if frozen. Peel, core, and slice apples thinly. Toss apples with lemon juice in a large bowl to prevent browning.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a small bowl, whisk sugar, cornstarch, and salt until lump-free. This ensures even thickening without clumps.
3. Combine and Cook
Add cherries, apples, and dry mix to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally for 10-12 minutes until bubbling and apples soften.
4. Thicken the Filling
Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes more, stirring constantly until thickened like jam. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Cool completely before using.
2. Cinnamon Spiced Cherry Apple Filling
Warm cinnamon elevates the cherry-apple duo, creating a cozy, aromatic filling with tender fruit and subtle spice notes. It’s your go-to for holiday pies that fill the kitchen with irresistible scents.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 Honeycrisp apples, peeled, cored, sliced
- ⅔ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare Fruits
Pit cherries and slice apples evenly. Squeeze lemon juice over apples in a bowl.
2. Blend Spices and Sugars
Mix brown sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl for smooth distribution.
3. Simmer the Mix
Combine all in a saucepan; cook over medium heat 12 minutes, stirring until fruits release juices and bubble.
4. Finish Thickening
Simmer low 4-6 minutes, stirring to coat fruits thickly. Cool fully for best texture.
3. Bourbon Infused Cherry Apple Pie Filling
Bourbon adds a rich, caramel depth to the bright cherries and apples, yielding a sophisticated, glossy filling. Perfect for adult gatherings, with a subtle kick that shines in double-crust pies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 Fuji apples, peeled, cored, sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Chop and Juice
Pit cherries; slice apples and toss with lemon juice.
2. Prep Thickener
Stir sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon together.
3. Cook with Bourbon
In saucepan, mix fruits and dry ingredients; heat medium 10 minutes. Stir in bourbon; bubble 2 minutes.
4. Thicken and Cool
Simmer 5 minutes until thick. Cool to room temp.
4. Vegan Cherry Apple Pie Filling
Plant-based perfection with no dairy or eggs needed—just pure fruit goodness. The cherries and apples create a naturally vegan, glossy filling that’s tender and versatile for any crust.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Pinch of salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep Apples and Cherries
Slice apples thin; pit cherries. Toss apples in lemon juice.
2. Mix Sweeteners
Combine coconut sugar, arrowroot, and salt.
3. Heat Gently
Saucepan over medium: fruits and mix. Stir 12 minutes to bubble.
4. Stir in Maple and Thicken
Add maple; simmer low 5 minutes. Cool completely.
5. Low-Sugar Cherry Apple Pie Filling
Guilt-free indulgence using natural sweeteners for a lightly sweetened, fruit-forward filling. Cherries’ tartness shines with apples’ subtle sweetness—great for health-conscious bakers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 tart apples, peeled, cored, sliced
- ¼ cup honey
- ½ cup stevia blend
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Fruit Prep
Pit cherries; slice apples with lemon juice.
2. Sweetener Mix
Whisk stevia, cornstarch, honey, cinnamon.
3. Cook Down
Medium saucepan: all together, 15 minutes bubbling.
4. Thicken Lightly
Simmer 4 minutes. Cool for use.
6. Pecan Crunch Cherry Apple Filling
Toasted pecans add nutty crunch to the soft cherry-apple base, making a hearty, textured filling. It’s a crowd-pleaser for nut lovers seeking contrast in their pies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 Golden Delicious apples, sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Toast Pecans
Toast pecans in dry skillet 3 minutes; set aside.
2. Prep Fruits
Slice apples with lemon; pit cherries.
3. Cook Base
Saucepan: fruits, sugar, cornstarch. Medium 12 minutes.
4. Add Nuts and Cool
Stir in pecans and vanilla; simmer 3 minutes. Cool.
7. Tart Cherry Sweet Apple Filling
Extra tart cherries balance super-sweet apples for a vibrant, puckery filling. The contrast delivers bold flavor and firm texture in every spoonful.
Ingredients
- 3 cups pitted tart cherries
- 2 sweet apples, peeled, sliced
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- Pinch salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Fruit Setup
Pit cherries; slice apples in lemon juice.
2. Dry Blend
Sugar, cornstarch, salt mixed.
3. Simmer Tart Mix
Saucepan medium: 10-12 minutes bubbling.
4. Thicken Fully
Low heat 5 minutes. Cool.
8. Orange Zest Cherry Apple Pie Filling
Zesty orange brightens the cherry-apple mix, infusing citrusy freshness into a sunny, glossy filling. It’s a refreshing twist for summer pies.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 apples, peeled, sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Zest and Slice
Zest orange; juice it. Prep fruits.
2. Sugar Mix
Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, zest.
3. Cook with Citrus
Saucepan: add orange juice. Medium 12 minutes.
4. Bubble and Cool
Simmer 4 minutes thick. Cool.
9. Ginger Kick Cherry Apple Filling
Fresh ginger brings a zingy warmth to tender cherries and apples, creating a spicy-sweet filling with bold, invigorating layers.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 apples, sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Grate Ginger
Grate ginger fresh; prep fruits with lemon.
2. Dry Ingredients
Sugar and cornstarch whisked.
3. Heat with Ginger
Saucepan medium: all in, 13 minutes.
4. Thicken
Simmer 5 minutes. Cool.
10. Cranberry Cherry Apple Pie Filling
Cranberries add tart pops to cherries and apples for a holiday-worthy, jewel-toned filling bursting with berry brightness.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups pitted cherries
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 3 apples, peeled, sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prep Berries
Rinse cranberries; pit cherries, slice apples.
2. Mix Sugars
Sugar, cornstarch blended.
3. Cook Trio
Medium saucepan 12-14 minutes bubbling.
4. Thicken and Cool
Simmer low 4 minutes. Cool.
11. Rum Raisin Cherry Apple Filling
Rum-soaked raisins plump up in the cherry-apple base, delivering chewy sweetness and tropical depth to this lush filling.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 apples, sliced
- ½ cup raisins
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Soak Raisins
Plump raisins in rum 10 minutes.
2. Fruit Prep
Slice apples with lemon.
3. Combine and Heat
Saucepan: all but rum. Medium 12 minutes.
4. Add Rum Mix
Stir in raisins/rum; simmer 5 minutes. Cool.
12. Nutmeg Lovers Cherry Apple Filling
Fresh nutmeg’s earthy warmth enhances the fruits’ natural flavors, yielding a deeply aromatic, velvety smooth filling.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 apples, peeled, sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Pinch salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Grate Nutmeg
Fresh grate nutmeg; prep fruits.
2. Dry Blend
Sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, salt.
3. Simmer
Saucepan medium 11 minutes.
4. Thicken
Low 5 minutes. Cool.
13. Vanilla Bean Cherry Apple Pie Filling
Vanilla bean seeds infuse premium floral notes into the glossy cherry-apple mix, for an ultra-luxurious pie filling.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 apples, sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Scrape Vanilla
Split bean, scrape seeds.
2. Prep Fruits
Apples with lemon; cherries pitted.
3. Cook with Vanilla
Saucepan: seeds/pod with mix. Medium 12 minutes.
4. Remove Pod, Thicken
Discard pod; simmer 4 minutes. Cool.
14. Honey Sweetened Cherry Apple Filling
Pure honey sweetens naturally, complementing cherries and apples with floral richness in a thick, golden-hued filling.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 apples, peeled, sliced
- ½ cup honey
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Fruit Base
Slice apples in lemon.
2. Sweet Mix
Honey, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon whisked.
3. Gentle Heat
Saucepan medium-low 15 minutes bubbling.
4. Thicken
Stir 5 minutes. Cool.
15. Spiced Chai Cherry Apple Pie Filling
Chai spices like cardamom and cloves transform the filling into an exotic, warming blend with layered, aromatic depth.
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 3 apples, sliced
- ¾ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon chai spice blend (cardamom, ginger, cloves)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Spice Ready
Measure chai blend; prep fruits.
2. Dry Ingredients
Sugar, cornstarch, spices mixed.
3. Infuse Flavors
Saucepan medium 12 minutes.
4. Final Thicken
Simmer 5 minutes. Cool.
FINAL THOUGHTS
You’ve got 15 ways to make cherry apple pie filling your own now. Pick one that matches your pantry or mood, and bake away.
These fillings work great in hand pies too. Share your tweaks—we’d love to hear.
Happy baking brings the best smiles. Your pies are going to be amazing!
