Fruit filling

A cooked or uncooked mixture of fruit, sugar and a thickener used to fill pies, tarts, turnovers and pastries.

Fruit filling: A saucepan of thick, glossy cherry pie filling with whole cherries, a wooden spoon resting in it
  • Fillings, creams, frostings and sauces

Also called: pie filling

The thickener controls the texture: cornstarch makes a clear, glossy filling but can break down with acidic fruit or freezing; flour gives a cloudier, softer set; tapioca and pectin are other common choices. Juicy berries and cherries need more thickener than apples.

A starch-thickened filling must reach a full bubble in the center of the pie to set properly. Precooking the filling on the stove lets you check the thickness before baking.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Fruit filling (Q74048276), Wikidata