These canned cherries are perfect to have on hand for quick ice cream toppers & baking. They’ll also save you money on store-bought varieties!
The sweetness of these canned cherries is a welcome addition to everything from baked goods to summertime ice cream sundaes. Using just 2 ingredients – fresh cherries and sugar – this recipe couldn’t get any simpler or more wholesome. But, be warned, it’s super tempting to eat these cherries straight out of the jar…
Making Quick Canned Cherries
This recipe for canned cherries only requires 2 ingredients and a little patience.
- Prepare the Cherries: Remove the stem and pits from the cherries.
- Soak the Cherries: Dump the pitted cherries into a large pot and cover them with sugar. Allow them to sit overnight to develop a natural juice.
- Boil the Cherries: Boil the cherries in the light syrup that formed overnight for 5 minutes.
- Sterilize the Jars: Sterilize the canning jars by washing all the jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Next, bake the jars at 215°F until they’re completely dry.
- Can the Cherries: Remove the hot jars from the oven with a kitchen mitt and fill them with the hot cherry mixture. Wipe any cherry residue off the rim of the jars, cover them with a lid, and flip them upside down. Cover them with a towel and allow them to seal for 4-5 hours. Store in a cool place and enjoy as you wish!
Tips & Tricks
A few foolproof tips and tricks will make canning your cherries easy as cherry pie…
- Use a straw to pit the cherries. Pitting cherries can be super tedious! For a quick hack, use a plastic straw to push the pit right out!
- Soak the cherries for at least 8 hours. The cherries will develop a wonderful juice the longer you let them sit in the sugar. Go for 8 hours minimum and up to 24 hours if you have the time.
- Ladle the hot cherries into hot jars. To assist in the sealing process, ladle the hot cherries into hot jars for best results.
Different Ways to Use Canned Cherries
There are a million and one different ways to use your canned cherries. Below, find a couple of our favorites.
- Cherry Pie Filling: Whip up a homemade pie crust and dump the canned cherries inside. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream!
- Ice Cream Sundae Topping: Warm the canned cherries in a large saucepan over low heat until warmed through. Spoon them on top of your favorite ice cream.
- Cherry Cakes: Use the canned cherries in our drunken cherry cake or drunken cherry cake roll.
- Charcuterie Board Snack: Serve the cherries alongside your favorite cheese, crackers, cured meat, and bread. They’re so good with a bit of brie on a buttery slice of baguette!
Best Practices for Storage
For best results, store the canned cherries in a cool place for up to 6 months. Great spots include the bottom shelf of your pantry or a low cupboard. Once you open a jar, store it in the fridge for up to a month.
FAQ
How much headspace should you leave in the jars?
Leave about one inch headspace at the top of the jars for best results.
What are some other ways to can cherries?
To keep the canned cherries on hand for up to 18 months, you can use a pressure canner. You can also use the water bath canning process, which uses boiling water and a 20 minute processing time to seal the jars.
How do you get air bubbles out of the cherries before sealing the cans?
You can get the air bubbles out of the cherries by gently tapping the can against the counter a couple of times with an oven mitt or by swirling a butter knife around the edges of the rim.
How many pints does this recipe make?
This recipe makes 2 pints of canned cherries.
What’s the difference between the raw pack method and the hot-pack method?
The raw pack method is when you pack the canning ingredients in raw before processing and the hot-pack method consists of canning cooked foods.
More Sweet Goodies to Try
- Prune Plum Jam – Sweet, prune jam
- Apricot Jam Recipe (Only 2 Ingredients) – Simple apricot jam
- Easy Raspberry Jam – Tart raspberry jam
- Poppy Seed Filling – Sweet and creamy poppy seed filling
Recipe
Instructions
- Remove the pits from the cherries.
- Place the cherries in a large pot and cover them with sugar. Allow them to soak overnight in the fridge to produce a nice juice.
- The next day, bring the cherries to a boil in their own juices and cook them for 5 minutes.
- Sterilize the jars by washing all the jars and lids with hot, soapy water. Next, bake the jars at 215°F until they're completely dry.
- Carefully remove the hot jars from the oven with a kitchen mitt and fill them with the cooked cherries.
- Cover each jar with a lid, flip them upside down, cover them with a towel, and allow them to seal for 4-5 hours at room temperature. Once the sealing process is finished, store the canned cherries in a cool place for up to 6 months. Enjoy!
Hi!
Can I still give this recipe the water bath canning method?
Hi Dee, absolutely! Enjoy.
what kind of cherries you use
Hi Silas, I just use whatever cherries are sold at the grocery store. Oftentimes, it's Bing Cherries.
No need for a preservatives? No need for water bath? Please advise. Thank you!
Hi Barb, Yes, the beauty of this recipe is there's no need for preservatives. The canning method we suggest in the blog post also doesn't require a water bath. I hope you give it a try!
Do you include the juice from boiling in the jars? Or do you have to drain the cherries?
I place everything in jars, not just cherries on their own.
how long can they be kept? I wanted to try canning strawberries for winter, not sure if this will work for that purpose
I am not sure if the same recipe would work for strawberries but this cherries could stay for almost a year. As long as you sterilize the jars.