Fresh cherry season doesn’t last long, so it’s the perfect excuse to bake, preserve, and snack on these ruby-hued summer fruits while they’re at their peak. Whether you’ve picked up a few pounds at the farmers market or came home from the orchard with more cherries than you know what to do with, you’ll find plenty of delicious inspiration here. From cakes and pies, to savory chutneys and pickles, these fresh cherry recipes make the most of one of summer’s best fruits.
Everything You Need to Know About Fresh Cherries
When is Cherry Season?
Fresh cherry season begins at the end of May or beginning of June and ends in late summer. As the fruit is ready, it rolls in to the stores from different locations. California cherries are usually first on the scene. Bing cherries, the most popular, arrive in early – mid June. Tart cherries usually come from Michigan, and that season is a bit later in the summer – mid July through August.
How to Choose Fresh Cherries
Look for fruit that isn’t wrinkled or dried out. You want plump, firm cherries with smooth, glossy skin and green stems. If the cherries look a bit brown, bruised or puckered, that means they have seen better days and you should pass them over.
How to Store Fresh Cherries
The key to storing cherries is keeping them dry and cold. Do not wash them before storing them, added moisture can lead to spoilage. Store in plastic bags or containers. I always add a paper towel in the bag to help pull moisture away from the fruit.
Can you Freeze Fresh Cherries?
To freeze fresh cherries: Pit them, then place on a parchment paper or wax paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for 4 -6 hours. Once the cherries are frozen solid, transfer them to a zip-top freezer bag, squeezing out as much air as possible and freeze for up to 6 – 8 months.
Sweet vs Tart Cherries
Sweet cherries are what you’ll find in the produce section of the grocery store. Bing and Rainier are the most popular varieties. They are perfect for snacking due to their low acidity and sweet taste.
Tart cherries, on the other hand are best for baking (think cherry pie). They have higher acidity and as the name suggests, they are very tart. Montmorency is the variety you are likely to find, but mainly at orchards, as they aren’t sold in grocery stores often because they are very perishable. Traverse City, Michigan is the tart cherry capital, so if you find yourself nearby in the summer, this is the best place to get them.
Fresh Cherry Dessert Recipes
Most of the recipes with fresh cherries that we are all familiar with are sweet recipes. Cherry desserts are everywhere in the summertime – from pies to cobblers and crisps, cakes, and ice cream. Baking with cherries is a summer tradition.
- Sour cream cherry scones – Made with sweet cherries, these scones are tender, full of flavor, and ready in under 40 minutes.
- Cherry clafouti – Sweet dark cherries suspended in a silky custard and dusted with powdered sugar. That sums up this delicious cherry clafoutis recipe in a single sentence.
Cherry Cakes and Quick Breads
- Cherry muffin recipe with almond streusel – Topped with a cinnamon almond streusel and drizzled with a simple glaze, these muffins are mixed by hand and ready in about 30 minutes.
- Cherry crumb cake recipe – Rich and buttery with a thick crumb topping, this crumb cake is loaded with ripe, sweet cherries and is made from scratch with common pantry ingredients.
Cherry Pies and Crisps
- Cherry hand pies – Homemade cherry filling inside delicious buttery pastry makes the perfect hand-held pie.
- Fresh cherry crisp recipe – This easy cherry crisp has a juicy fresh cherry filling topped with sweet, crispy oats. It comes together quickly and is perfect served warm with vanilla ice cream.
Savory Cherry Recipes
- Cherry chutney – Like a relish, this chutney has sweet and sour ingredients – from sugar, fruit and vinegar. It is a blend of sweet and savory, and pairs well with everything from a cheese board to roast pork.
- Easy pickled cherries recipe – This recipe only takes 20 minutes to make, but it is better after sitting for a full 24 hours. Pickled cherries are great with a charcuterie board, or tossed into grain or green salads for a little pop of tart flavor.
Cherry Drinks
- Fresh cherry coconut rum slush – Made with fresh cherries, coconut rum and flavored soda, this drink takes 5 minutes to make, and couldn’t be easier.
- Cherry daiquiri recipe – This frozen cherry daiquiri recipe is made with fresh Bing cherries and only has a handful of ingredients – fresh cherries, rum, lime juice, simple syrup and ice.
- Cherry spritzer – This strawberry cherry wine spritzer is a tasty way to brighten up a bit of wine and club soda.
Fresh Cherry Recipe FAQ’s
Fresh cherries will last 1 – 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Damp cherries will mold faster, so it is best not to wash them until you are going to eat. Leave the stems on the fruit, and discard any moldy cherries right away.
In most recipes, you can absolutely use frozen cherries instead of fresh (unless stated otherwise). Frozen fruit does release more liquid as it cooks, so you may need to increase the baking time, or add a bit of cornstarch or flour to thicken it.
You can, however, if you’ll be using them in baked goods or smoothies, you will have to pit them eventually. It is easier to do that before you freeze them, so they are ready to use.
Helpful Tools and Equipment
Fresh cherry recipes require a little work, but thankfully it’s nothing too difficult. The pits and stems need to be removed before we can use them.
- A cherry pitter is without a doubt your most valuable tool when it comes to working with fresh cherries. You can use a small paring knife, but a pitter is faster and quite honestly, safer.
- Chopsticks are also an easy way to remove cherry pits. These metal chopsticks won’t stain and are easily cleaned in the dishwasher.
- Sheet pans are perfect for holding a single layer of cherries in the freezer.
Fresh cherries are one of the highlights of summer, and whether you’re baking a classic crisp, tossing pickled cherries into a salad, or making a chutney, there’s no shortage of delicious ways to use them. I hope these fresh cherry recipes inspire you to make the most of cherry season while it lasts.
If you love baking with summer fruit, don’t miss my peach recipes, blueberry recipes, and strawberry recipes.
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