20 Sweet & Savory Cherry Recipes
Summer is finally in full swing here in Skagit Valley, and that includes farm-fresh, local cherries! Super sweet and subtly tart, cherries are the perfect fruit for a variety of desserts, savory dishes, and salads.
And while we definitely won't blame you if you eat them all on their own, straight out of the bag, if you have the self-control to set some aside, we've found some cherry recipes definitely worth trying.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Cherries Jubilee
Cherries jubilee is a simple dessert topping that's sweet and subtly tart.
In this recipe, it's served on top of ice cream, but it would also work well on top of pound cake or the Co-op's shortcake.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/3 cup sugar
1 pound fresh cherries, pitted
1/4 cup cherry juice
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons apple juice
Vanilla or chocolate ice cream or another frozen dessert
Directions
Melt butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat; add sugar. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture just begins to brown around edges. Add cherry juice and cinnamon stick pieces. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced by half.
Add cherries, vanilla, and lemon zest. Bring mixture to a boil; stir in apple juice and reduce to syrup consistency. For each serving, spoon generous 2 tablespoons of warm cherries and sauce over ice cream.
Substitute one 15-ounce can dark, sweet cherries, drained, with juice reserved for the fresh cherries and cherry juice, if you prefer.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Dark Cherry Smoothie
Cherries are chock-full of antioxidants, making them a wonderful addition to smoothies.
This recipe keeps it super simple so the cherries are the star of the show.
Ingredients
1 cup frozen sweet cherries, pitted
1 frozen banana, cut in chunks (see Tip)
1 1/2 cups plain yogurt or milk, dairy or other
6 fresh dark cherries, for garnish
Directions
In a blender, combine the cherries and banana, add yogurt and blend to puree. Transfer to two glasses and garnish with three cherries per glass.
Photo Courtesy of Co+op
Cherry Trifle
This trifle incorporates both cherry preserves and fresh cherries for double the cherry flavor.
Sponge cake absorbs all that liquidy cherry goodness and shortbread cookies add a nice crunchy bite.
Ingredients
8 ounces cherry preserves (about 1 cup)
4 ounces pitted fresh cherries, halved (about 1/2 cup)
4 ounces lemon sponge cake or pound cake, cubed into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup shortbread cookies, crumbled (divided)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, cold
1/4 cup Mascarpone cheese, softened to room temperature
Directions
In a small bowl, mix the cherry preserves with the fresh cherry halves. Set aside.
Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the heavy cream on medium-high speed for about 1 minute. The cream should get fluffy and have fairly stiff peaks. Add the Mascarpone cheese and blend on medium speed just until the cheese is incorporated. Set aside.
Use a trifle dish or 4-6 individual serving glasses to layer the trifle components. Start by evenly distributing the cherry mixture; then add the cubed cake. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of the shortbread cookie crumbles. Top with whipped cream and garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup of shortbread cookies and a few fresh cherries. Keep cold until serving.
Recipe and photo adapted from Co+op
Cherry Sorbet
When you can't be bothered with a complicated dessert that takes hours and lots of baking time, go with sorbet!
Sorbet can be made out of basically any fruit and is a quick and easy way to preserve your fresh fruit before it goes bad.
This cherry sorbet recipe calls for you to use an ice cream maker, but if you don't have one, there are additional instructions included.
Photo Courtesy of Half Baked Harvest
Bourbon Pecan Cherry Hand Pies
The best part about these hand pies might be just how cute they are. And they're pretty dang tasty, too, especially when you use local and organic cherries that are currently in season!
Pecans are worked into the crust while the filling is a homemade cherry-blueberry ham with a subtle kick of bourbon.
Don't forget to top these hand pies off with a big scoop of our housemade vanilla ice cream!
Cherry Gazpacho
Gazpacho is a cool and refreshing chilled soup that's perfect for warm and sunny days.
It's also a great way to use up any fruits or veggies you have kicking around that are on the verge of being too ripe and need to be processed ASAP.
This gazpacho features the more traditional ingredient, tomatoes, while cherries are added for a sweet and summery touch.
Savory Cherry Crostini
Here's another quick and easy recipe that allows you to enjoy that in-season cherry flavor without having to spend hours in the kitchen.
All you'll need are cherries, olive oil, black pepper, baguette slices, and goat cheese to create these savory crostinis.
Your guests will think this appetizer is super fancy, but only you will know just how easy it actually was. Don't worry, your secret is safe with us. 😉
Photo Courtesy of Natasha’s Kitchen
Easy Cherry Sauce
The beauty of transforming fresh fruit into a sauce is that not only are you preventing the fruit from going bad in the back of your fridge, but you're able to enjoy that in-season flavor long after the season is over.
This cherry sauce can be used on both sweet and savory dishes and is made with just 5 simple ingredients.
It keeps in the fridge for a few days, but if you have experience with canning, you could adapt it to that as well.
Spicy Cherry Salsa
You're familiar with mango salsa, and maybe even peach salsa, so why not add cherry salsa to your repertoire?
In this salsa recipe, in-season cherries are paired with red onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and jalapeños pepper for a well-balanced, semi-sweet topping.
Serve this salsa on its own with a big batch of homemade tortilla chips, or add it to the top of fish tacos.
Photo Courtesy of Dash of Jazz
No-Churn Black Sesame & Cherry Ice Cream
This no-churn ice cream doesn't require an ice cream maker and has a sweet vanilla-cherry flavor that's perfectly sweet and fruity.
Black sesame seeds are used as a decorative topping, but they also have a subtle crunchy texture that offers a delightful contrast to chewy, creamy ice cream.
This recipe would also be fantastic with a drizzle of chocolate sauce or mini chocolate chips.
Photo Courtesy of Gimme Some Oven
Cherry Pie
Sometimes the best way to enjoy cherries is in a classic American recipe. And what's more classic than a good old-fashioned cherry pie?
This recipe calls for simple pie ingredients like homemade crust, butter, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and of course, cherries.
Fashion your pie into a lattice design as shown here, or make whatever crust style you prefer.
Cherry, Mango, Kiwi & Mint Salad
Another simple way to enjoy in-season cherries is in a fruit salad.
Of course, your fruit salad will depend on what fresh fruits you have in the fridge, but here, cherries are combined with mango, kiwi, and mint for a salad that's fairly tropical.
Add in dessert wine and lemon zest to create a saucy fruit salad, or skip it if you'd like.
Photo Courtesy of Feasting at Home
Kale Salad with Fresh Cherries, Black Rice, Haloumi, & Mint
Here's another salad that's more savory and features cherries as the sweet, fruity element to kale, rice, and halloumi cheese.
Black rice adds a unique texture to this salad, while mint adds a refreshing finishing touch.
Enjoy this healthy salad on its own, or serve it alongside grilled chicken or tofu.
Cherry Couscous Salad
Might as well continue on the salad trend with this recipe from Food & Wine.
Here, the base of the salad is couscous, and cherries, black olives, tarragon, and lemon juice are added for a recipe with a bit of a Mediterranean-flair.
If you wanted more greens, arugula would be a wonderful addition to this recipe.
Photo Courtesy of Edible Seattle
Gluten-Free Ricotta Brownies with Cherries
These brownies don't have any gluten, but they're so flavorful and decadent that you won't even notice.
A layer of sweet and savory ricotta and a topping of sweet, juicy cherry compote make these brownies stand out from your standard box-made stuff.
And if cherries aren't in season yet, feel free to sub in strawberries for the compote.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cherries
Here's a more savory cherry recipe that balances protein-packed pork tenderloin with juicy cherries.
Fresh basil adds a bright and refreshing element to the tenderloin to balance out the savory-sweet combination.
Pair this tenderloin with green beans and a toasted slice of Breadfarm bread.
Photo Courtesy of Half Baked Harvest
Garden Cherry Bourbon Smash
With cherries being so sweet and versatile of course they're a staple in cocktails!
Here, cherries are combined with basil, thyme, Cointreau, and bourbon to create a sweet and herby smash.
Bonus points if the herbs come from your garden!
Cherry Clafoutis
A French dessert with a light and fluffy texture, cherry clafoutis calls for just a few simple ingredients like milk, cream, eggs, and flour.
It puffs up in the oven while it's baking, and slowly deflates into an airy texture when it's taken out of the oven.
Photo Courtesy of Dash of Jazz
Summer Fruit Rosé Sangria
If you like the idea of a cocktail with cherries in it but aren't a fan of hard alcohol, consider this sangria recipe!
The ingredients are super simple and you can add whatever extra fruits you like. Or, sub in white wine if you prefer that.
Fresh Cherries with Spring Onions and Cilantro
Here is another light and simple summer salad that's the perfect cool dish for those hot days we have coming.
This recipe is bright and simple and only calls for 5 ingredients.