Can You Use Canned Fruit To Make Pie Filling?

When it comes to ingredients, the general rule of thumb is "the fresher the better" — and this is especially true for produce. When you're making a pie, for example, you'd be forgiven for thinking that having the freshest, ripest fruit possible is essential. But that doesn't have to be the case! Turns out, you can absolutely make delicious pie filling using canned fruit — it could even turn out better than if you used the fresh stuff.

Canned fruit can be a fantastic alternative during those winter months when, for many people, fresh fruit is more difficult and costly to come by. Keeping a can of peaches or cherries on hand means that whenever you get a hankering for pie, even if your favorite fruits are out of season, you're ready to go. Because canned fruits are often picked right when they're at their most ripe, they retain all that delicious summer flavor. Plus, when we make pie filling, we cook down fruit with sugar anyway, so using fruit canned in syrup means that sweetness is already especially prevalent — you can therefore leave out the sugar, making for an even simpler recipe. Just use some canned fruit cooked down with a simple cornstarch slurry, and you've got a quick, easy, and delicious pie filling.

Luckily, there's no shortage of delicious ways to upgrade canned fruit — which can make for some fun experimentation when it comes to pie filling! Sure, you could always go for a classic cherry or peach pie. Once you cook the canned stuff down, it's often difficult to tell the difference from fresh fruit, so it's a great option for those good old-fashioned desserts we all know and love.

But why not spice things up a bit? You could start by grilling or broiling canned fruit for a super rich flavor. This works particularly well with stone fruits like peaches or apricots, but could also be fantastic with pineapple. Drain your canned fruit, reserving the liquid to use later. Then, heat up a grill — a traditional charcoal grill works best here, but this can also be done on a stovetop grill pan. Get a nice char on the outside of the fruit, then throw it in a pot with the reserved liquid and a cornstarch slurry to cook down into your pie filling! That extra caramelization will really deepen the flavors and make for a much more dynamic profile. This super quick upgrade is a great way to do something a little more out there with your next fruit pie.

Don't just throw away your leftovers, either. Canned fruit can also double as a delicious one-ingredient sorbet — so if you've got any fruit that didn't make it into the recipe, you can freeze it, blend it up, and use it to top your pie!