You can use the pre-cooked canned filling for the pie since the filling is already sweetened, often with high fructose corn syrup and thickened with starch. It's redder due to the addition of red 40 food dye. I recommend stirring in ½ teaspoon of almond extract to enhance the cherry flavor. Add about 2 cans, 42 ounces, for about 5 cups of filling. Less is needed since it's already cooked down and concentrated.