Pie Thickener (2024)

Pie Thickener (1)

How to make your best filling.

Excitedly slicing into your beautiful baked fruit pie, only to find its luscious filling swimming in excess juice? Wondering if you miscalculated the thickening agent when improvising with your favorite combination of fruits? Ensure your apple, blueberry, cherry, and other baked fruit pie fillings achieve ideal consistency with this helpful guide.

Please note: The information on this chart may differ from other recipes. If you're following a King Arthur recipe, follow the quantity listed on the recipe for the best results.

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All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you’re sure to have it in your pantry. Since it’s lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners.

Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture. Filling mixed with tapioca needs to rest 15 to 30 minutes before baking, for the tapioca to soften.

Instant ClearJel keeps fillings thick through a great range of temperatures, making it ideal for pies that are frozen, before or after baking.

Pie Filling Enhancer thickens fruit pie fillings the same way Instant ClearJel does. Its advantage is added ascorbic acid (which adds a bright, tart note), and superfine sugar, which prevents it from clumping. Pie Filling Enhancer is about half sugar, so you'll want to reduce the sugar in your recipe accordingly.

Cornstarch has thickening power similar to Instant ClearJel. Like flour, it lends a cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. It can also give filling a starchy taste. For full effectiveness, make sure the pie filling is bubbling up through the crust before removing your pie from the oven.

Pie Thickener (2)

Apples

Need the least amount of thickener, since they're less juicy. They're also high in natural pectin; pectin helps filling thicken.

ThickenerFor 1 cup of fruitFor one 9" pie (8 cups of fruit)
All-purpose flour1 3/4 tsp1/4 cup + 2 tsp
Instant ClearJel1/2 tsp1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Cornstarch1/2 tsp1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca3/4 tsp2 tbsp
Pie Filling Enhancer1 1/2 tsp
Reduce sugar by 3/4 tsp
1/4 cup
Reduce sugar by 2 tbsp

Blackberries & Raspberries

Are very juicy, and release even more liquid if they've been frozen; they need more thickener than apples.

ThickenerFor 1 cup of fruitFor one 9" pie (8 cups of fruit)
All-purpose flour1 tbsp + 1 tsp1/2 cup + 2 tbsp + 1 tsp
Instant ClearJel2 3/4 tsp1/4 cup + 3 tbsp + 1 tsp
Cornstarch1 tbsp1/2 cup
Quick-cooking tapioca1 tbsp1/2 cup
Pie Filling Enhancer1 tbsp + 2 tsp
Reduce sugar by 2 1/2 tsp
3/4 cup + 2 tsp
Reduce sugar by 6 tbsp + 1 tsp

Blueberries

These have a lot of pectin; they'll need a little less thickener than other berries.

ThickenerFor 1 cup of fruitFor one 9" pie (8 cups of fruit)
All-purpose flour1 tbsp1/2 cup
Instant ClearJel2 tsp1/3 cup
Cornstarch2 1/2 tsp6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca1 1/2 tsp1/4 cup
Pie Filling Enhancer1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Reduce sugar by 2 tsp
1/3 cup
Reduce sugar by 2 tbsp + 2 tsp

Cherries

Fresh cherries will need slightly less thickener than canned or frozen.

ThickenerFor 1 cup of fruitFor one 9" pie (8 cups of fruit)
All-purpose flour1 tbsp1/2 cup
Instant ClearJel2 1/2 tsp6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Cornstarch2 1/2 tsp6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca1 1/4 tsp3 tbsp + 1 tsp
Pie Filling Enhancer1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp
Reduce sugar by 2 tsp
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Reduce sugar by 1/4 cup + 2 tsp

Peaches

Don't have quite as much pectin as apples; they're also juicier, so will require more thickener.

ThickenerFor 1 cup of fruitFor one 9" pie (8 cups of fruit)
All-purpose flour2 1/2 tsp6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Instant ClearJel2 1/2 tsp6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Cornstarch2 1/2 tsp6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca1 1/2 tsp1/4 cup
Pie Filling Enhancer1 tbsp + 2 tsp
Reduce sugar by 2 1/2 tsp
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Reduce sugar by 6 tbsp + 2 tsp

Strawberry and/or Rhubarb

The juiciest fruits with the least amount of pectin; these will require the most thickener.

ThickenerFor 1 cup of fruitFor one 9" pie (8 cups of fruit)
All-purpose flour1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp3/4 cup
Instant ClearJel2 1/2 tsp6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Cornstarch1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp1/2 cup + 2 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca2 1/2 tsp6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Pie Filling Enhancer2 tbsp
Reduce sugar by 1 tbsp
1 cup
Reduce sugar by 1/2 cup

Tips

Through thin and thick

  • Remember that fresh farmers market fruit, especially berries, is often juicier than fruit you buy at the supermarket. Adjust your thickener accordingly.
  • Because steam from the filling is able to evaporate more quickly in streusel- or lattice-topped pies, as well as in those topped with pastry cutouts, these require a bit less thickener than pies made with a solid top crust.
  • To prevent your filling from clumping, mix thickener with the sugar in your recipe before adding to the fruit.
  • A just-baked fruit pie’s filling will be very hot out of the oven, and quite messy to serve. The filling will set as it cools; be sure to let your pie cool completely before cutting and serving.

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Pie Thickener (2024)

FAQs

What can I use to thicken pie filling? ›

Some pie recipes thicken the filling with flour; others use cornstarch, while others still rely on tapioca.

What are 2 thickening agents used in pies? ›

When thickening a fruit pie filling, there are several options to consider. Very often flour or cornstarch is used, but in certain instances tapioca, arrowroot and potato starch can also help achieve the desired consistency.

Is flour or cornstarch better for thickening pie filling? ›

Which one you use is a matter of personal preference. Cornstarch makes for a shiny, glossy filling. A little goes a long way because it has twice the gelling power of flour. Flour thickens nicely but leaves more of a matte finish.

How do you thicken a runny pie? ›

All-purpose flour is an easy solution, as you're sure to have it in your pantry. Since it's lower in starch, you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled and somewhat sticky texture.

How to thicken no bake pie filling? ›

  1. Cornstarch: Mix with cold water, add to filling, and cook until thick.
  2. Flour: Stir a few tablespoons into the filling.
  3. Tapioca: Use instant tapioca as a thickener.
  4. Reduce Liquid: Cook the filling on the stovetop to evaporate excess liquid.
Nov 27, 2020

What can I use instead of cornstarch to thicken apple pie filling? ›

All-purpose flour is an easy substitute for cornstarch; in fact you may see recipes for thickening pie fillings or soups with either. You'll need 2 tablespoons of flour for every 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in a recipe.

What is the most commonly used thickening agent? ›

Cornstarch is the most common thickening agent used in the industry. It is mixed with water or juice and boiled to make fillings and to give a glossy semi-clear finish to products.

How to thicken up meat pie filling? ›

Flour and butter (sauce thickening) – In today's recipe, we are thickening the stew using a simple French finishing technique called a Beurre Manié. This is raw flour and softened butter mixed together, and then stirred into a liquid (a sauce usually). It makes the sauce shiny and thick.

How to thicken canned cherry pie filling? ›

Cherries, like most fruit, give off liquid ( juice) as they cook. Adding thickener like cornstarch, potato starch, tapioca starch, or even flour helps make the juice into a kind of gel.

Can I use cream of tartar to thicken pie filling? ›

No. Cornstarch is a starch used for thickening, while cream of tartar is an acid used for leavening, stabilizing, and preventing crystallization.

Is it safe to can pie filling with cornstarch? ›

No, when canning pie filling, there is no substitute for Clear Jel®. Other thickeners like cornstarch clump when canning and may interfere with heat being able to reach throughout the jar. Without heat penetrating throughout the jar, yeast, mold, or other harmful bacteria can form.

What can I use as a pie thickener? ›

Types of Pie Thickeners
  • All-Purpose Flour. Flour is a popular thickener for sauces and soups, and it can be used to add body to your fruit filling. ...
  • Cornstarch. ...
  • Arrowroot. ...
  • Quick-Cooking Tapioca. ...
  • Instant ClearJel.
Oct 29, 2018

What do I do if my cream pie is runny? ›

To fix this, you can cook the pudding mixture over low heat until it thickens, or add a thickener such as cornstarch or tapioca flour. Another possible reason for a runny banana cream pie is that the pie filling was not chilled properly before being added to the crust.

What to use instead of cornstarch for thickening? ›

Here are five of the best cornstarch substitutes for all your thickening needs.
  • All-Purpose Flour. Yep, that's right — all-purpose flour is a very stable thickener. ...
  • Arrowroot Powder. ...
  • Potato Starch. ...
  • Rice Flour. ...
  • Tapioca Starch.
Jun 23, 2023

How do you thicken pastry filling? ›

Cornstarch thickens the pastry cream without imparting a floury flavor. Bringing pastry cream to a bubble deactivates the yolk's starch-dissolving amylase. Finishing with butter adds shine and flavor.

What causes runny pie filling? ›

Allow your pie to bake for the entire recommended period.

Your pie may start to brown early, making it look ready. People often pull their pie too soon out of fear that it will burn. This leads to runny pie because it prevents the filling from thickening. Check the recommended cooking time, and set a timer.

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