5 Best Cherry Recipes | Traverse Bay Farms

For many bakers, cherry recipes are the best kept secret in their recipe book. No matter your age, cherries and cherry recipes rank among the top of everyone’ favorite fruit and recipe. The reason is simple, cherries offer an excellent combination of tart and sweet.

They have just enough tartness to add a depth of taste in any recipe, but also, just enough natural sugar to give the cherry recipe a hint of sweetness. We’ve also include the best Michigan Cherry Pie recipe for you, too.

Why Get Started Enjoying Cherries Recipes

Cherries are a very simple fruit to add to almost any recipe. They can easily be substituted for tomatoes in cherry salsa, sliced in half and added to a quinoa recipe or simply added to a cheese and cracker tray.

Adding cherries to a fruit salad to add color, flavor and variety. Poached cherries make an excellent topping for low fat ice cream or low fat frozen yogurt. Grab a handful of dried cherries for a quick and healthy snack. Dried cherries add sweetness to oatmeal or trail mix.

5 Best Cherry Recipes

1. Fresh Northwest Cherry Salsa

The salsa doesn’t hid how good it is – it perfectly blends all of the ingredients, including the cherries, for a perfect mix of flavor, heat and sweet.

Makes 4 servings, each serving equals one 5 A Day serving.

Ingredients

• 2 cups pitted fresh or frozen sweet cherries
• 1/3 cup Basil, fresh, chopped
• 1/3 cup Green peppers, finely chopped
• 2 tsp Lemon juice
• ½ tsp Each of: Worcestershire sauce and grated lemon peel
• ¼ tsp Salt
• Dash of bottled hot pepper sauce

Chop cherries in food processor or manually. Combine all ingredients; mix well. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.

Nutritional Analysis: Calories 124, Total Fat 0g, Calories from Fat 2%, Protein 0g, Cholesterol 0mg, Fiber 5g, Sodium 168 mg.

 

2. Traditional Cherry Pie

George Washington's favorite dessert can be yours, too.

Ingredients

• 2 (16-ounce) cans unsweetened tart cherries or 4 cups frozen unsweetened tart cherries
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of Fruit Advantage Cherry Juice Concentrate
• Pastry for 2-crust, 9-inch pie
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine

If using canned cherries, drain them well. Discard the juice or save for another use. If using frozen cherries, it is not necessary to thaw them. Combine well drained canned cherries or frozen cherries, granulated sugar, tapioca and almond extract in a large mixing bowl; mix well. Let stand 15 minutes.

Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry; fill with cherry mixture. Dot with butter. Adjust top crust, cutting slits for steam to escape, or cut top crust into strips and make a lattice-top pie.

Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven 50 to 55 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Makes 8 servings.

 

3. Cherry Chewbilees

Beyond ordinary, try these cookies made with extraordinary dried cherries!

 Ingredients

• 1 cup margarine, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 package (10 ounces) vanilla-flavored morsels or 1 cup coarsely chopped white chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups dried tart cherries
• 1 cup coarsely chopped cashews

Put margarine, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until well mixed. Combine flour and baking soda. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture; mix well. Stir in vanilla-flavored morsels, dried cherries and cashews. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until light golden brown. Do not overbake. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Store in a tightly covered container. These cookies freeze well.

Makes 4 to 5 dozen.

4. Maraschino Thumbprint Cookies

These rich chocolate cookies are pretty as well as delicious.

Ingredients:

• 2 (10-ounce) jars maraschino cherries
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 2 tablespoons milk

Drain maraschino cherries, reserving 1 teaspoon juice. Put butter and sugar in medium bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed 3 to 4 minutes, or until well blended. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, cocoa, salt and baking powder; add flour mixture to butter mixture. Beat until well mixed.

Put chocolate chips and milk in a small saucepan. Heat, stirring constantly, over low heat until chocolate melts. Stir in reserved maraschino cherry juice. Let cool slightly.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place on an ungreased baking pan. Push in center with your thumb; spoon 1 teaspoon chocolate mixture into each thumbprint and top with a cherry.

Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies are firm. Remove to wire racks. Let cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Makes about 3 dozen.

5. Sweetheart Cherry Puff

Heart's will throb when they see and taste this delightful dessert.

Ingredients:

• 1 sheet frozen puff pastry (1/2 of a 17 1/4-ounce package), thawed
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup margarine
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (21-ounce) can cherry pie filling and topping
• 1 cup whipped topping

Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface; roll out to smooth folds. Cut out a large heart shape (approximately 9 x 8-inches). Put on baking sheet. Wet edge of pastry with water; fold in edge toward center about 1/2-inch. Press down edges with fork tines. Prink center area of pastry with fork tines several times.

Place a piece of foil cut to fit the center of the heart; top with pie weights, dry beans or uncooked rice to prevent puffing. Bake in a preheated 400-degree oven 8 minutes. Remove foil with rice or beans. Bake 4 to 7 minutes longer, or until golden brown. Carefully remove heart to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Melt chocolate, margarine and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Place heart on serving plate. Spread chocolate mixture over center of heart. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Spoon cherry pie filling over chocolate layer. Pipe or spoon whipped topping around edge of tart. Refrigerate until serving time.

Makes 6 servings.

Check these other resource for great cherry recipes.

• Grab a free copy of the Official Tart Cherry Health Report
• Cherry Juice