Pie filling thickeners

By mluoceanbeach

Your guide to perfectly thickened fruit filling
Your goal: fruit pie filling that's firm enough to hold its shape, yet soft enough to yield easily to a fork. The following thickeners are listed in order from least inherent thickening power ("gel strength") to greatest.

All-purpose flour produces a somewhat cloudy filling; you'll use more of it than you would higher-starch thickeners. Learn more
Quick-cooking tapioca makes filling bright and clear, but also gives it a stippled (and for some, "gluey") 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. Learn more
Pie Filling Enhancer thickens fruit pie fillings the same way Instant ClearJel does. Its advantage is added ascorbic acid (a flavor enhancer), 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 as directed below. Learn more
Cornstarch has thickening power similar to that of Instant ClearJel. Like flour, it lends a cloudy, semi-transparent look to filling. It can also give filling a chalky or floury taste. For full effectiveness, make sure the pie filling is bubbling up through the crust before removing your pie from the oven.

Ingredients

• FRUIT THICKENER FOR 1 CUP OF FRUIT FOR 8 CUPS OF FRUIT
• flour 1 3/4 tsp 1/4 cup + 2 tsp
• Instant ClearJel 1/2 tsp 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
• Cornstarch 1/2 tsp 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
• Quick-cooking Tapioca 3/4 tsp 2 tbsp

Preparation

Step 1

Fruit Thickener For 1 Cup of Fruit For 8 Cups of Fruit
Apples
Need the least amount
of thickener,
since they're less juicy.
They're also high in
natural pectin;
pectin helps filling thicken. All-purpose flour 1 3/4 tsp 1/4 cup + 2 tsp
Instant ClearJel 1/2 tsp 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Cornstarch 1/2 tsp 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca 3/4 tsp 2 tbsp
Pie Filling Enhancer 1 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. All-purpose flour 1 tbsp + 1 tsp 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp + 1 tsp
Instant ClearJel 2 3/4 tsp 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp + 1 tsp
Cornstarch 1 tbsp 1/2 cup
Quick-cooking tapioca 1 tbsp 1/2 cup
Pie Filling Enhancer 1 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. All-purpose flour 1 tbsp 1/2 cup
Instant ClearJel 2 tsp 1/3 cup
Cornstarch 2 1/2 tsp 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca 1 1/2 tsp 1/4 cup
Pie Filling Enhancer 1 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.
All-purpose flour 1 tbsp 1/2 cup
Instant ClearJel 2 1/2 tsp 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Cornstarch 2 1/2 tsp 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca 1 1/4 tsp 3 tbsp + 1 tsp
Pie Filling Enhancer 1 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, stone fruits
Don't have quite as much
pectin as apples;
they're also juicier,
so will require more thickener.
All-purpose flour 2 1/2 tsp 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Instant ClearJel 2 1/2 tsp 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Cornstarch 2 1/2 tsp 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca 1 1/2 tsp 1/4 cup
Pie Filling Enhancer 1 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/rhubarb
The juiciest fruit with the
least amount of pectin;
these will require the
most thickener.
All-purpose flour 1 tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp 3/4 cup
Instant ClearJel 2 1/2 tsp 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Cornstarch 1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp 1/2 cup + 2 tsp
Quick-cooking tapioca 2 1/2 tsp 6 tbsp + 2 tsp
Pie Filling Enhancer 2 tbsp
Reduce sugar by 1 tbsp 1 cup
Reduce sugar by 1/2 cup