Prepare to get hooked on this easy recipe for pickled cherries. Sweet, sour and totally addictive, cherry pickles create a veritable flavour explosion on the palate. They make a perfect accompaniment to cheese or just eat straight out of the jar as a delightful standalone snack.
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Dive Right In
- Why Make Pickled Cherries?
- Easy Pickled Cherries
- To Pit Or Not To Pit?
- Ingredients
- How Long Do Pickled Cherries Keep?
- How to Make Cherry Pickles
- Top Tips
- Other Pickle Recipes You Might Like
- Keep In Touch
- The Recipe
Why Make Pickled Cherries?
The process of pickling cherries intensifies and concentrates their flavour. I find they taste more like cherries than they do in their raw state. But that’s not the only reason to make cherry pickles.
- Easy Recipe – Recipes don’t come much easier than this one. If you don’t pit the cherries, the whole process takes all of five minutes. If you grow your own, this is an excellent way to deal with a glut.
- Presentation – With their vibrant colours and glossy appearance, pickled cherries are visually appealing. They make for an eye-catching garnish, adding a pop of colour to your dishes as well as a pop of flavour in your mouth.
- Prolonged Shelf Life – Pickling is a preservation method that extends the shelf life of all sorts of fruit and vegetables, including cherries. You can then enjoy their deliciousness beyond the usual short season. You can store properly pickled cherries for several months.
- Unexpected Flavour Combinations – The sweet, sour and spicy flavours of pickled cherries create exciting combinations with other ingredients. They add a twist to familiar dishes. Try them with various cheeses; they work particularly well with goat’s cheese, halloumi and feta. They’re also surprisingly good in desserts such as tarts, black forest gateau or this very cherry cream dessert. Or just enjoy with vanilla ice cream.
- Unique Flavour Profile – Pickling cherries intensifies and concentrates their flavour. It adds a zippy acidic note that contrasts beautifully with the natural sweetness of the fruit. Combine this with a few spices and you have a unique and versatile ingredient.
- Versatility – You can use pickled cherries in a variety of culinary applications. Add them to salads, cheese boards, charcuterie platters, sandwiches and even cocktails. You can also use the pickling liquid as a punchy dressing or marinade.
Easy Pickled Cherries
Oh my! Since I first made pickled cherries, I can’t get enough of them. They are so intense and delicious. My favourite way to eat them is straight out of the jar. But I also enjoy them on toast with cheese, my homemade vegan mayonnaise and salad leaves. They’re also great for pepping up salads.
The natural sweetness of the cherries combines with the transformative power of the pickling process, resulting in a complex and exciting flavour profile that is truly irresistible.
After the initial buzz from the cherry, a pleasant but not overpowering warmth from the chilli kicks in. If you’re not a chilli fan, either use less, leave it out or swap it for something else. Peppercorns maybe?
This pickle recipe is actually a two-in-one recipe. Not only do you get pickled cherries but also cherry vinegar. If you haven’t tried making or using fruit vinegars yet, do give them a go. You’ll find a specific recipe for blackcurrant vinegar on Tin and Thyme, but this cherry vinegar works just as well.
I call this recipe easy pickled cherries because there’s no need to pit the cherries – unless you really want to. To pit or not to pit? The choice is yours.
To Pit Or Not To Pit?
It’s time consuming pitting fresh cherries, but it’s also a bit of a faff to remove the stones after pickling too. You can, of course, serve them them whole with your cheese or whatever but if you do, please warn diners. You don’t want them cracking their teeth or unintentionally swallowing the pits.
On the other hand, the cherry stones contain quite a bit of flavour which seeps out into the cherry making them even tastier. It’s also thriftier to leave the stones in as less is wasted when taking them out post pickling.
Once the cherries are well pickled, it’s quite easy to tear them open with your fingers and remove the stone.
If you do go down the pitting route, it’s worth investing in a dedicated cherry pitter*. It makes the process of removing pits much quicker and easier than other methods.
Ingredients
Other than the fruit, you don’t need much to make these easy pickled cherries. You only need vinegar, water, sugar and a few aromatics and you’ll probably have all them in your kitchen.
Cherries
I used sweet black cherries in this recipe, but use whatever ones you happen to grow, buy or pick. You can find more on cherries, including their health benefits in this cherry granola pots recipe. If your cherries are of the sour variety, you may want to add a bit more sugar.
Vinegar
You can use white wine vinegar to make pickled cherries, but I prefer apple cider vinegar. It has a fruitier flavour profile and a milder acidity. It’s also very good for you.
Sugar
Golden granulated sugar or golden caster sugar are the ones I reach for when it comes to making pickles. They’re less refined than ultra processed white sugar and have caramel undertones which enhance most recipes.
Aromatics
Bay leaves are excellent value, especially if you grow your own. They impart a subtle depth of flavour that isn’t obvious, but is noted when missing. Both dried or fresh work well. I added two fresh leaves from the garden.
Thyme complements cherries very nicely, so a sprig or two of fresh thyme is a nice touch. Again, I picked some from the garden.
I also added a clove. I love the sweet warm and woody notes which pair so well with fruit. One is enough though, cloves are powerful little beasts and you don’t want to overwhelm the cherries. The clove is entirely optional.
Chilli gives a gentle but enticing warmth to these pickled cherries. How warm they’ll be will depend on the chilli you use and how much of it you use. I went with a half of one of our frozen rocoto chillies. Incidentally, if you like chilli, it’s a great addition to this recipe for blackcurrant jam.
How Long Do Pickled Cherries Keep?
Pickled cherries will keep for at least six months if stored in a cool, dry and dark cupboard. Once opened, store in the fridge and consume within four weeks.
Word of warning though. The longer you keep them, the more the colour will leach out of the cherries and the paler they will get.
How To Make Easy Pickled Cherries
Pickled cherries has to be one of the easiest recipes out there. You get maximum output for minimum input. Win win!
Step 1. Prepare Cherries
Wash the cherries in cold water, then drain them well in a colander or sieve.
Remove the stalks from the cherries. Just pull and they come off easily. If you wish, remove the stones too. A dedicated cherry pitter* is worth having if you cook with cherries on a regular basis. Otherwise use a chopstick or reusable straw to push them out. Either way, be careful as juice tends to squirt out in all directions.
Step 2. Sterilise Jars
Whilst the cherries are draining, thoroughly clean and sterilise your jar or jars along with their lids. This helps prevent any unwanted bacteria or contaminants from affecting the pickling process.
If you’re not sure how to do this, head to my post on how to sterilise glass jars, bottles and associated lids.
Place the cherries into the sterilised jar or jars. Try to fill them up as much as you can. Jiggle them around a bit, if they don’t quite fit first go.
Step 3. Prepare Pickling Liquid
Pour the water, vinegar and sugar into a small saucepan and place over a low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.
Add the aromatics. Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes.
Pour the boiling liquid over the cherries. Make sure all of the aromatics go in too. Leave to cool slightly for a couple of minutes, then seal the jar.
Leave to cool completely, then allow to pickle for at least three days, but preferably a week or two. The longer you leave them, the more the flavours will develop. The pickled cherries will keep in a cool, dry, dark place for six months unopened. Once opened store in the fridge and use within four weeks.
Top Tips
Pickling cherries is a flexible and creative process, so don’t hesitate to experiment with flavours and techniques to find your perfect combination.
Swap Spices To Suit
I’ve not used salt or savoury spices in my recipe for easy pickled cherries. This is mostly because it makes the resulting cherries and vinegar more versatile. The pickling liquid works well in sweet as well as savoury recipes.
However, if you prefer something a bit more savoury, then go ahead and use your favourite spices. Try swapping the chilli for peppercorns, use coriander seeds instead of the clove or a cinnamon stick instead of the bay leaves and rosemary instead of thyme. Whatever way you go though, I don’t think it needs salt. The pickles are wonderfully zingy and flavoursome as they are.
Balance The Flavours
Get the balance of sweet and sour notes just right by adjusting the sugar and vinegar ratios to suit your taste preferences. You can slightly increase or decrease the amount of sugar in the pickling liquid to create a sweeter or sourer result.
Save The Liquid From Your Pickle Jar
Make sure you use the amazing pickling liquid and don’t throw it away. It makes a great salad dressing whisked into olive oil. Just think of it as cherry vinegar.
It also works as a delicious marinade for fresh fruit such as strawberries, nectarines and cherries, of course.
Or try adding a spoon or two to water, fizzy or otherwise. Add some ice and you have a refreshing and thirst quenching drink for a hot summer’s day.
Other Pickle Recipes You Might Like
Keep in Touch
Thank you for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this easy recipe for pickled cherries, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. Do you have any recommendations or advice for making pickles?
Please rate the recipe. If you post pictures of your creations on social media, use the hashtag #tinandthyme so I can see them.
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If you’d like more cherry recipes, follow the link and you’ll find I have quite a lot of them. All delicious and nutritious, of course.
Choclette x
Easy Pickled Cherries
Easy Pickled Cherries
Equipment
- cherry pitter (affiliate link) optional
Ingredients
- 300 g fresh cherries
- 150 ml apple cider vinegar
- 100 ml water
- 75 g golden caster sugar (granulated is fine too)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 sprig fresh thyme (I used lemon thyme)
- 1 whole clove optional
- 1 small chilli sliced lengthways (or ½ tsp chilli flakes)
Instructions
- Wash the cherries in cold water, then drain them well in a colander or sieve.300 g fresh cherries
- Remove the stones if you wish. I don't. A dedicated cherry pitter is worth having if you cook with cherries on a regular basis. Otherwise use a chopstick or reusable straw to push them out. Either way, be careful as juice tends to squirt out in all directions.
- Place the cherries into a sterilised 500ml glass jar. Jiggle them around a bit, if they don't quite fit.
- Pour the water, vinegar and sugar into a small pan and place over a low heat. Stir until the sugar has dissolved.150 ml apple cider vinegar, 100 ml water, 75 g golden caster sugar
- Add the bay, thyme, clove, if using and the chilli. Bring to the boil and simmer for a couple of minutes.2 bay leaves, 1 sprig fresh thyme, 1 whole clove, 1 small chilli
- Pour the boiling liquid over the cherries. Make sure all of the aromatics go in too. Leave to cool slightly for a few minutes, then seal the jar.
- Leave to cool completely, then store in a cool dark place for at least three days, but preferably a week or three. Will keep in a cool dark place for four months unopened. Once opened store in the fridge and use within two weeks.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
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Katie says
These pickled cherries are incredible! I am addicted to making them.
Choclette says
You and me both Katie. Thanks for letting us know you love those cherries too.
Cindy says
Why have I not thought to pickle cherries before?! Amazing and addictive!
Choclette says
Cherries may not seem the most obvious thing to pickle, but they are so very worth it.
Jacqui says
Such a lovely recipe! I never had pickled cherries before but man, I am hooked!
Choclette says
Yes, hooked is the word Jacqui. Pickled cherries are the best.
Tavo says
I just had to share my experience with your easy pickled cherries post! It’s simply delightful. Your recipe made the process so effortless, and the results were absolutely fantastic. The cherries turned out tangy and sweet, with a hint of spice that added an extra layer of flavor.
Choclette says
Thank you so much Tavo and I’m really pleased you like the cherries. I love sharing ideas that aren’t the most obvious.
sherry says
I like the sound of this. I think I did make a version years ago. Hubby is very picky about seeds and pips so I have to de-stone olives and cherries etc.
Choclette says
The thing about pitting the cherries for this recipe is that the vinegar solution has the chance to penetrate even further. I haven’t tried it, but they could well be even more delicious done this way.