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Making candied cherries is a great way to preserve the abundance of summer cherries! They are super easy to make and great as a topping on ice cream, cakes, pies and even pancakes and waffles!
When cherries are on sale for $1.99 a pound, it's time to buy ALL the cherries. But when you buy all the cherries, you have to use them all too.
Enter these super awesome red candied cherries. I mean, these babies are good on everything....ice cream, cakes, pies, BROWNIES, pancakes, waffles....all the stuff!
And as if the glace 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.
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!
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Why This Recipes 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
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Ingredients
The full list of ingredients and amounts is included in the full recipe card at the bottom of the post.
The ingredients are pretty darn simple...fresh cherries, sugar, a touch of fresh lemon, and almond extract.
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.
I love the slight sweet nuttiness of the almond extract, but you can substitute with vanilla extract as well.
For a deeper more caramel flavor, you can substitute brown sugar for the granulated sugar.
What is a Candied Cherry?
A candied cherry is a cherry simmered in sugar water/syrup until all the natural moisture in the cherry is replaced by the syrup. This results in a very sweet "candied" cherry.
Are Maraschino Cherries and Candied Cherries the Same Thing?
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.
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!
Place your pitted cherries in a large saucepan with the sugar, water, almond extract and lemon juice. Then bring it to a boil on medium heat, then reduce to a simmer. A simmer is typically on low to medium low heat.
Simmer on low/medium-low heat for about 75 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. 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.
Remove the cherries from the heat and let cool. Try to stop eating them. If you can stop, they should be stored in a sealable jar 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.
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!
The syrup can also be used in place of other syrups, in drinks, or as a dessert topping.
Storage Instructions
Some say candied cherries can be stored on the shelf at room temperature, but I store them in the fridge to be safe. They will keep in the fridge for up to 12 months.
I don't recommend freezing candied cherries. They last long enough in the fridge that you shouldn't need to freeze them. Freezing them can cause the sugar to crystallize and the texture to change.
More Candied Fruit Recipes and Treats!
- Chocolate covered Candied Orange Peels;
- Candied Pecans
- Candied Ginger
- Candied Lemon Slices
- Candied orange slices
If you love this recipe, please leave a star rating and a comment below and let us know your favorite thing about it. We'd also love to connect on Instagram! Follow us at @went_here_8_this for awesome recipes and all sorts of fun food stuff 🙂
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.
Nutrition
Andrew says
I'm curious if this has been done in a crockpot.
Danielle says
I have not tried it in a crockpot, but I'll bet it can be done. If I was trying it, I might do it for 2-4 hours on high, just checking periodically to see what they look/feel like. Definitely something I'll try in the future!
Dana Chiu says
Can I use frozen pitted cherries for this recipe? Has anyone tried with success?
Danielle says
Yes, you definitely can!
Beth says
Yummy! This looks so delicious and tasty! We love cherries around here and sometimes we have too many, and don't know what to do about them! This recipe is perfect! Can't wait to use this!
Danielle says
Hope you love it!
Jen says
This is such an easy recipe! I love that it doesn't take a lot of work or ingredients to have this ready for pancakes in the morning.
Danielle says
I'm glad you liked it!
Helen of Fuss Free Flavours says
Such an easy thing to make, and always worth it. I love summer fruits, and cherries are one of the best. So good with pancakes, or an addition to overnight oats. A great idea to preserve, particularly if you buy an abundance of them. I love the idea of the boozy variety, so so good.
Danielle says
Cherries are the best! Thanks 🙂
Linda says
These looked so delicious that I just had to give the recipe a try. And oh wow, did they ever turn out to be an addictive treat! Sweet and chewy and perfect for just popping in my mouth. However, I used my willpower and saved some for my French Toast and cheesecake I'm making.
Danielle says
I'm so glad you liked them!
Gina says
Yum! And SO much better than the store-bought kind. Definitely coming back to this recipe around the holidays.
Danielle says
Totally - thanks!
Renee says
Can these be processed through a water bath method for canning?
Danielle says
I've never canned before, but I don't see any reason it can't be.
Bruce Stanley says
Can these cherries be used in a Christmas fruit cake?
Danielle says
They won't be the same as the candied maraschino cherries typically used in cheesecake, but if the cook them for a little less time, they should be form enough to use in fruitcake.
Traci says
Do you have an old fashioned recipe for candied fruit? It was kept in a jar and took at least 14 days. As you ate the fruit you could add more and it would become candied.
Danielle says
I don't, I'm sorry. I did a quick google search and couldn't really find what you were looking for either. I hope you're able to hunt down the recipe!
Bruce Stanley says
Look up a traditional German Rum pot. They start preserving fruits in the summer and zfall for delicious preserved fruit in winter.
Anne says
Hi, I am making these cherries for the first time (a friend very kindly brought me cherries, so many that I know I will not be able to eat them all), and I am wondering what the amounts of water and sugar are (I cannot seem to find them in the blog).
Thank you
Danielle says
It's 1 cup sugar and 1.5 cups water. The ingredient amounts are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Enjoy!
Pamela McCorkle says
Can you use frozen cherries for this recipe?
Danielle says
Yes, you definitely can!
Cheryl says
Are these good for fruit can are. Should I use sweet r sour cherries for this.
Danielle says
I'm not sure what you're asking?
cheryl says
Can these be used for fruit cake?
Danielle says
They might be too soft for fruit cake. They are not like the candied fruit you normally buy for fruitcake.
Tamara Klassen says
Can I use sour cherries?
Danielle says
I've never tried it with sour cherries, but I don't see why not. The flavor will likely be slightly different, but I imagine it would still be quite tasty. I'd love to hear how it turns out!
Jeannette (Jay Joy) says
My very favorite pie in the world is cherry pie!!!! Is it just me? I really love this idea of candied cherries. I hate fake ones.
Danielle says
Real ones are so much better than the fake ones - I won't even eat the fake ones!