This easy candied cherries recipe creates sweet, glossy cherries perfect for cocktails, desserts, cheeseboards, and holiday baking.
Homemade cherries have a rich cherry flavor without the artificial taste of store-bought maraschino cherries, and the leftover syrup is incredible in drinks and desserts.
And as if the cherries aren't amazing enough on their own, the cherry sauce that results as part of the candying process is SO GOOD. Use it to flavor drinks, pour a bit on these Lemon Ricotta Pancakes or these Cornmeal Pancakes, drizzle it on ice cream, or use a bit on these Rolo Brownies or in our new Old Fashion Mocktail recipe.
You won't even believe how easy this glazed cherry recipe is. You guys are going to be candying cherries for DAYS this is so easy!
What is Candied Cherries Recipe?
A candied cherries recipe slowly simmers fresh cherries in a sugar syrup until they become glossy, sweet, and lightly preserved. The process intensifies the cherry flavor while creating a syrupy texture perfect for cocktails, ice cream, cakes, and holiday desserts.
Jump to:
- What is Candied Cherries Recipe?
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why This Candied Cherries Recipe is Better Than Store-Bought
- What is My Take on Homemade Cocktail Cherries?
- Key Ingredients
- Step By Step Instructions
- How to Get the Best Texture
- Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Variations
- What to Serve With Candied Cherries Recipe
- Expert Tips:
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Storage + Reheating + Make Ahead + Meal Prep
- How To Use Candied Cherries
- Closing Candied Cherries Recipe
- More Candied Fruit Recipes and Treats!
- Recipe
- 💬 Comments
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Why This Recipe Works
- They are ultra easy to make - besides pitting the cherries, the rest of the work is basically hands off!
- You know exactly what you put in these homemade candied cherries - no chemicals, artificial flavor, preservatives or high fructose corn syrup.
- They can be used as a topping for vanilla ice cream, in cakes and pies, fruit cake, in cocktails, or in breads (or just eat them with a spoon). There are so many different uses!
- They last in the fridge for up to a year so you don't have to worry about using them right away (you'll want to though).
- There is no need to use a candy thermometer or any special equipment for this
Why This Candied Cherries Recipe is Better Than Store-Bought
Store-bought cherries are often overly sweet and artificially flavored. This homemade version gives you:
- real cherry flavor
- customizable sweetness
- no artificial coloring
- versatile syrup for drinks and desserts
- fresher texture
What is My Take on Homemade Cocktail Cherries?
I love making homemade cocktail cherries because they taste dramatically fresher than anything from the store. The syrup becomes deeply flavored while the cherries stay soft and juicy instead of rubbery or overly processed.
They’re especially good in old fashioneds, spooned over vanilla ice cream, or paired with rich desserts like this Chocolate Caramel Pie.
Ingredients
You can use any kind of red cherries for this recipe, even frozen! You will need to pit them, so you can either invest in a cherry pitter (highly recommended), to use the end of a chopstick or bamboo skewer to remove the pit.
Note you can also use a jar of maraschino cherries if you are looking to make glace cherries for baked goods. Just drain the juice out before using them.
You can also make green cherries using this same recipe. Green cherries are basically unrip cherries and have a tangier more lime-like flavor than traditional red cherries. Candied green cherries are often used when making a classic fruitcake.
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract substitute vanilla extract
👉 Scroll down to the recipe card for a printable version of ingredients and instructions.
Key Ingredients
- Cherries - Fresh cherries provide the best flavor and texture. Sweet cherries work especially well for homemade candied cherries.
- Almond Extract - Adds a subtle classic maraschino-style flavor.
- Lemon Juice - Balances the sweetness and brightens the syrup.
Step By Step Instructions
This recipe calls for just 2 cups of fresh pitted cherries, which results in about 1 ¼ cups of candied cherries. This recipe can be easily doubled, tripled quadrupled...whatever your heart desires.
You want to start with pitted cherries. Forgot how? Check out this post on How to Pit Cherries from The Kitchn. Don't worry, you don't need a cherry pitter, but it can be really handy!
Step1: Pit the cherries using a cherry pitter or the end of a chopstick (hold the cherry in your hand and push the chopstick through the center to push the pit out, being careful not to puncture your hand).
Step2: Combine all the ingredients in a 2 quart sauce pan and bring to a boil while stirring periodically.
Step3: Turn down the heat and simmer for 75 minutes, stirring periodically to make sure they don't burn. Honestly, I usually set my timer to 15 minute increments just to remind me to stir. It's more important to stir near the end when much of the liquid has absorbed. This is when burning is most possible.
Step4: Remove from heat and let cool. Store the cherries and the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one year.
How to Get the Best Texture
- Simmer gently instead of rapidly boiling
- Stir occasionally to prevent sticking
- Use ripe cherries for better flavor
- Cool completely before storing
- Let cherries sit overnight for deeper flavor
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Boiling too aggressively
- Using underripe cherries
- Skipping the lemon juice
- Overcooking until the syrup hardens
- Storing before fully cooled
Variations
- Add bourbon for bourbon cocktail cherries
- Use vanilla extract instead of almond extract
- Add cinnamon sticks for holiday flavor
- Try dark cherries for richer flavor
- Add orange peel for citrus notes
- For a deeper more caramel flavor, you can substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar.
What to Serve With Candied Cherries Recipe
These sweet preserved cherries pair perfectly with desserts and cocktails.
Try serving them with:
Expert Tips:
- Be sure to stir the cherries every 15 minutes while simmering to ensure they are not burning.
- Store the cherries and the syrup separately if you'd like to use them for different purposes. Use a strainer to separate them.
- Make them boozy by stirring in ½-1 cup of bourbon (depending on how boozy you want to get) when the cherries are done cooking.
- You can also use homemade maraschino cherries (red or green) if you are looking to make glace cherries for baked goods. Just drain the juice out before using them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no. Maraschino cherries are a type of cherry from the Croatia region that are typically preserved in a liqueur made from the cherries. Candied cherries are cherries that have been simmered in syrup until all the natural moisture has been replaced by syrup.
Maraschino cherries can be candied like any other cherry, and are called glace cherries when candied.
Yes. Freeze them in airtight containers for several months.
Stored properly in the fridge, they can last up to one year.
Yes, though fresh cherries provide the best texture.
Cocktails, cheesecakes, cakes, ice cream, pancakes, and holiday desserts.
Storage + Reheating + Make Ahead + Meal Prep
- Storage - Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one year.
- Make Ahead - These actually taste better after sitting overnight.
- Meal Prep - Great for prepping ahead for holiday baking and cocktails.
- Reheating - Usually unnecessary, but you can gently warm the syrup if desired.
How To Use Candied Cherries
- They can be used on ice cream which is one of my favorite uses! You can even just use the thick syrup as a cherry syrup topping!
- Try it on these lemon ricotta pancakes, or any regular pancakes, French toast or waffles for breakfast.
- Cherry and chocolate go together so perfectly - try serving these with these chocolaty desserts:
- Bake them into brownies (cherry brownies are FIRE) or pies, or even sweet bread (like this chocolate bread - just replace the orange with cherry).
- To use candied cherries when baking cakes or breads, rinse them, dry them then dust them in flour when using them in cakes or other baked goods so they more easily stay suspended in the batter.
- They are perfect for Christmas cakes and breads, as well as other holidays!
Closing Candied Cherries Recipe
This homemade candied cherries recipe is an easy way to elevate desserts, cocktails, and holiday treats with rich cherry flavor and glossy syrup. Once you try homemade cocktail cherries, it’s hard to go back to store-bought versions.
The syrup can also be used in place of other syrups, in drinks, or as a dessert topping.
More Candied Fruit Recipes and Treats!
- Chocolate covered Candied Orange Peels;
- Candied Pecans
- Candied Ginger
- Candied Lemon Slices
- Candied orange slices
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Recipe
Candied Cherries
Ingredients
- 2 cups pitted cherries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract substitute vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pit the cherries using a cherry pitter or the end of a chopstick (hold the cherry in your hand and push the chopstick through the center to push the pit out, being careful not to puncture your hand).
- Combine all the ingredients in a 2 quart sauce pan and bring to a boil while stirring periodically. Turn down the heat and simmer for 75 minutes, stirring periodically to make sure they don't burn.
- Turn down the heat and simmer for 75 minutes, stirring periodically to make sure they don't burn.
- Remove from heat and let cool. Store the cherries and the syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one year.
Expert Tips:
- Be sure to stir the cherries every 15 minutes while simmering to ensure they are not burning.
- Store the cherries and the syrup separately if you'd like to use them for different purposes. Use a strainer to separate them.
- Make them boozy by stirring in ½-1 cup of bourbon (depending on how boozy you want to get) when the cherries are done cooking.
- You can also use maraschino cherries (red or green) if you are looking to make glace cherries for baked goods. Just drain the juice out before using them.
Dana says
Hi! I followed the recipe. Thank you for sharing! I expected the results to have a more candied cherry that would cool down to be chewy and the syrup to be thicker. I strained out the cherries and they are cooking now. I’ve decided to simmer the juice for a bit longer for a thicker outcome. Any advice?
Tara says
Hello Dana,
What kind of cherries did you use?