This Candied Cherries recipe is with a twist! These delicious treats look like cherries but are actually little sugar treats with a cherry extract. You can shape them to be whatever you like, but the candied cherry twist is unique and always eye-catchy!
If you follow my recipe, you’ll end up with the tastiest candied cherries that look great on any dessert plate. They’re perfectly edible and are the ideal garnish as a decorative cherry for just about anything you can think of!
I first made these for my brother’s wedding a while back and posted a picture on Instagram which flooded me with recipe requests for these treats. But what’s best is that you don’t have to wait for cherries to be in season to make these at home!
They’re perfect for snacking on special occasions or for adding to cakes, cookies, and other desserts. The bright red and yellow color of the cherries makes them a visually stunning addition to any dish.
Whether you are a seasoned chef or a home cook, making candied cherries is a fun and easy way to elevate your desserts.
Want to learn how to make this candied cherries recipe? Then keep on reading.
Table of Contents
- What are Candied Cherries?
- What Makes This Candied Cherries Recipe Special?
- What You Need to Make Candied Cherries at Home
- How to Make Candied Cherries (Step-by-Step)
- Serving Suggestions for Candied Cherries
- Recipe Variation Ideas for Candied Cherries
- How to Store Leftover Candied Cherries
- Similar Recipes You'll Love
- Recipe Card
- Homemade Candied Cherries (Easy and Delicious Cherries!)
- Comments
What are Candied Cherries?
Candied cherries are typically cherries that have been cooked in a high fructose corn syrup until they become candied and shiny. They are often used as a garnish or ingredient in desserts and bakes such as fruitcakes, brownies, waffles, Christmas cakes, pancakes, cookies, and ice cream.
The problem with these is that they’re candy-like and quite unhealthy for you and full of artificial flavor. Plus, you need special equipment like a candy thermometer, cherry pitter, and other essentials. And even then it’s a long, complicated process to boil and simmer the liquid and get everything to the soft-ball stage. But not with my recipe!
My recipe will give you delicious sugar treats that look and taste like cherries for the perfect variation! You won’t have to wait for cherries to be in season to enjoy these tasty cherries. Plus, they’re also in carbohydrates too.
One of the best things about candied cherries is their sweet and tangy flavor, which can add depth and complexity to a wide range of dishes. They also have delicious texture that can provide a pleasing contrast to softer ingredients.
Plus, their bright color can add a pop of visual interest to desserts and other dishes, making them more appealing and attractive.
What Makes This Candied Cherries Recipe Special?
Versatile: This recipe can be used in a variety of ways, from adding to baked goods to garnishing cocktails.
Easy: With only four ingredients and simple instructions, even beginner cooks can successfully make these candied cherries.
Delicious: The combination of sweet sugar flavor with the tart cherry flavor in these cherries is simply irresistible.
Crowd-pleaser: Whether serving at a party or giving as a gift, these cherries are sure to impress and satisfy any crowd.
What You Need to Make Candied Cherries at Home
All you need are some simple pantry staple ingredients to make this candied cherries recipe at home. Let's look at them in more detail:
For the Edible Cherries:
- Large eggs: You’ll be cracking some large eggs and lightly mix it with the sugar to create the structure of these cherries.
- Powdered sugar: We’ll be adding some powdered sugar to the mixture to add sweetness and a smooth texture.
- Cherry extract: We’ll also need some cherry extract to add a fruity flavor to the batter. It will give the dessert a delightful aroma and a refreshing taste.
For the Coating:
- Granulated sugar: You’ll be mixing some granulated sugar with other ingredients to add a delicious sugar coating.
- Yellow food coloring: We’ll be using some yellow food coloring to give the cherries a bright and vibrant color.
- Red food coloring: We’ll also be using some red food coloring to add a beautiful reddish color to our cherries.
- Water: We’ll be adding some water to make everything stick perfectly to the cherries
- Pine tree needles: You'll also need some pine tree needles to get the cherry effect properly!
How to Make Candied Cherries (Step-by-Step)
Making these incredible candied cherries is easier than you think. Here's how to make them at home step by step:
How to Make Candied Cherries Mixture
To begin making sugar cherries, start by separating egg yolks from whites and placing the whites into a medium bowl. Then, add one cup of powdered sugar and mix with a spoon (do not use an electric mixer).
Add the rest of the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until the mixture becomes pretty thick. Add a teaspoon of cherry extract and mix in with the spoon as well.
You may need to adjust the amount of powdered sugar using up to a total of 5 cups depending on the size of the egg whites you had.
How to Color Candied Cherries
Once the sugar mixture is ready, pour 2 tbsp. of yellow food coloring into a small bowl and 1 tbsp. of red food coloring into another small bowl.
Dilute the food coloring with water. Add 2 tbsp. of water into the bowl of yellow coloring, and 1 tbsp. of water into the bowl of red coloring.
If you don’t use artificial food coloring at all, you may substitute with red organic beets or juice or black cherries for the red, and organic carrots, which will give you the yellow color. Organic produce gives darker colored juices than non-organic.
How to Shape Candied Cherries
To form and coat sugar cherries, prepare your stems first. Remove the needles from the pine branch so that you have two attached needles. Trim the pine needles so that they’re about 1 ½” long. Make one stem slightly longer than the other for a more natural look.
Pinch off 2 – 4 (max) round balls at a time from the sugar mixture and cover the sugar mixture with a lid. Keep the lid closed during forming and dying to prevent the sugar mixture from drying and hardening.
Coat the entire ball in yellow with one spoon, then gently drop it into the red bowl, and dip just one side of the ball in red color.
Use one spoon per bowl for dipping, do not use one spoon for both colors, or place spoons in the wrong bowl, or you will contaminate your food coloring in the bowls, and this will give you different results.
With the spoon in the red bowl, lift up the ball (do not roll it in the red color) to move it to the sugar coating plate.
How to Decorate Candied Cherries
Transfer the colored cherry onto the plate with regular granulated sugar. When transferring, lift up the cherry with the red spoon (the red color will be on the bottom), then while transferring, flip the spoon over so that the cherry drops onto the sugar with the yellow side down and red side up.
That way, the red color will drip down a bit to merge with the yellow, giving it a natural look. Coat one cherry in sugar at a time immediately after transferring.
Make a little dimple on one side of the cherry where you will insert the stem. This is optional, but it gives the cherry a natural shape.
Then take the cherry in your hands, sprinkle it with more sugar, and gently roll between your palms into a perfectly round shape.
If the color bleeds through the sugar too much, add more sugar, and reshape the dimple for the stem at the end, if necessary.
Finally, insert stems immediately after shaping. Insert stems almost all the way to the bottom of the cherry but don’t puncture it through completely. I usually make the cherries in sets of two or just one stem. Triplet cherries are too heavy and fall off the stems while transferring.
You can make the cherries smaller if you want to make triples. Set the sugar-coated cherries onto a clean platter to dry and harden. Let them dry for at least 12 hours to make sure they are completely set and ready on the inside then store them in a plastic container.
Your delicious Candied Cherries are ready to be served!
Serving Suggestions for Candied Cherries
- Add the candied cherries to a cheese board for a sweet and tangy addition. They pair well with creamy cheeses like brie or goat cheese.
- Sprinkle the candied cherries over vanilla ice cream or yogurt for a delicious and colorful topping.
- Use the cherries to decorate cakes, cupcakes, or cookies for a festive touch. They can be chopped or left whole depending on the desired effect.
Recipe Variation Ideas for Candied Cherries
This delicious candied cherries recipe is absolutely perfect as is, but if you're looking to change things up, here are a few variation ideas you can try:
Lemon: Add the zest of one lemon to the sugar and egg whites mixture to infuse it with a citrusy flavor. This variation is perfect for those who love a tangy twist to their desserts.
Almond: Add a teaspoon of almond extract to the sugar and egg whites mixture to give the cherries a nutty taste. This variation is great for those who enjoy the combination of cherry and almond flavors.
Spiced: Add a pinch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice to the sugar and egg white mixture to give the cherries a warm, cozy flavor. This variation is perfect for fall or winter and makes a great addition to holiday desserts.
Rum: Add a splash of dark rum to the sugar and egg white mixture to give the cherries a boozy kick. This variation is great for adults who want to add a little something extra to their desserts.
Chocolate-Dipped Candied Cherries: Once the cherries have cooled, dip them in melted chocolate and let them set. This variation is perfect for those who love the combination of cherries and chocolate and makes a great gift or party favor.
How to Store Leftover Candied Cherries
To store leftovers of this Candied Cherries recipe, place them in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Don’t cover them with a lid since it can create some humidity and cause the sugar to water. Store it in a cabinet, pantry, or any dry place.
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Recipe Card
Homemade Candied Cherries (Easy and Delicious Cherries!)
Ingredients
For the Edible Cherries:
- 2 - large eggs
- 4 ½ cups – powdered sugar
- 1 tsp. – cherry extract
For the Coating:
- 1 cup – granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp. – yellow food coloring
- 1 tbsp. – red food coloring
- 6 tbsp. - water
- A pine tree branch with long needles
Instructions
How to Make Candied Cherries Mixture
- To begin making sugar cherries, start by separating egg yolks from whites and placing the whites into a medium bowl. Then, add one cup of powdered sugar and mix with a spoon (do not use an electric mixer).
- Add the rest of the powdered sugar ½ cup at a time until the mixture becomes pretty thick. Add a teaspoon of cherry extract and mix in with the spoon as well.
- You may need to adjust the amount of powdered sugar using up to a total of 5 cups depending on the size of the egg whites you had.
How to Color Candied Cherries
- Once the sugar mixture is ready, pour 2 tbsp. of yellow food coloring into a small bowl and 1 tbsp. of red food coloring into another small bowl.
- Dilute the food coloring with water. Add 2 tbsp. of water into the bowl of yellow coloring, and 1 tbsp. of water into the bowl of red coloring.
- If you don’t use artificial food coloring at all, you may substitute with red organic beets or juice or black cherries for the red, and organic carrots, which will give you the yellow color. Organic produce gives darker colored juices than non-organic.
How to Shape Candied Cherries
- To form and coat sugar cherries, prepare your stems first. Remove the needles from the pine branch so that you have two attached needles. Trim the pine needles so that they’re about 1 ½” long. Make one stem slightly longer than the other for a more natural look.
- Pinch off 2 – 4 (max) round balls at a time from the sugar mixture and cover the sugar mixture with a lid. Keep the lid closed during forming and dying to prevent the sugar mixture from drying and hardening.
- Coat the entire ball in yellow with one spoon, then gently drop it into the red bowl, and dip just one side of the ball in red color.
- Use one spoon per bowl for dipping, do not use one spoon for both colors, or place spoons in the wrong bowl, or you will contaminate your food coloring in the bowls, and this will give you different results.
- With the spoon in the red bowl, lift up the ball (do not roll it in the red color) to move it to the sugar coating plate.
How to Decorate Candied Cherries
- Transfer the colored cherry onto the plate with regular granulated sugar. When transferring, lift up the cherry with the red spoon (the red color will be on the bottom), then while transferring, flip the spoon over so that the cherry drops onto the sugar with the yellow side down and red side up.
- That way, the red color will drip down a bit to merge with the yellow, giving it a natural look. Coat one cherry in sugar at a time immediately after transferring.
- Make a little dimple on one side of the cherry where you will insert the stem. This is optional, but it gives the cherry a natural shape.
- Then take the cherry in your hands, sprinkle it with more sugar, and gently roll between your palms into a perfectly round shape.
- If the color bleeds through the sugar too much, add more sugar, and reshape the dimple for the stem at the end, if necessary.
- Finally, insert stems immediately after shaping. Insert stems almost all the way to the bottom of the cherry but don’t puncture it through completely. I usually make the cherries in sets of two or just one stem. Triplet cherries are too heavy and fall off the stems while transferring.
- You can make the cherries smaller if you want to make triples. Set the sugar-coated cherries onto a clean platter to dry and harden. Let them dry for at least 12 hours to make sure they are completely set and ready on the inside then store them in a plastic container.
- Your delicious Candied Cherries are ready to be served!
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This recipe was originally posted on July 15, 2016, and updated for a better user experience. The post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure.
Ilona @ Ilona's Passion says
These cherries are adorable. They are great for any parties:)
valya'stasteofhome.com says
Thanks Ilona, they are really cute.
Kristina says
Are they with raw egg basically? Are the edible or just decorative? I want to try making for a wedding but I'm afraid alot of people have raw egg allery
valya'stasteofhome.com says
They are decortive and edible. The texture is very similar to candy corn; they do have cherry taste and aroma. I always make them for weddings and other gatherings. Just got the cherries order complete for a birthday party. Thanks for asking.
Diana says
They are gorgeous and easy!! Will have to try them out! 🙂 thank you for sharing.
valya'stasteofhome.com says
They are beautiful and fun to make. Thank you Diana for stopping by and taking time to comment 😉