Roasting cherries caramelizes their sugar for greater depth of flavor! It’s a quick and easy recipe that can be made sweet or savory style!
Published in 2019, last updated 2020
Cherry season has arrived at the California farmers markets. And I want all the cherries all the time!!!
Enjoy these glistening, shiny and plump cherries in so many possible ways (see suggestions below!)
Why this Recipe Works
- Quick & Easy! Only 10 minutes or less of prep!
- More cherry flavor! The natural sugar in the cherries caramelize with the heat so we get a greater depth and intensity of cherry flavor!
- That syrupy sauce! The sugar and juices combine and create a divinely delicious sauce that’s greater than the sum of their parts.
- Multi-use Recipe! Serve the roasted cherries over yogurt, on pancakes, in cocktails, and so much more!
- Versatile! Can sub in any other stone fruit and use the recipe below!
Summer is all about that colorful fruit bounty filling up the farmers markets!
Cherry season is SHORT. Let’s take full advantage! And check out this Cherry Roasted Chicken!
How to Make these Roasted Cherries:
Ingredients you’ll need: cherries, water (or another more flavorful liquid), sugar & salt.
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add cherries add liquid, sugar & salt all done!
Combine all ingredients and place in oven. Done and done.
Roasting cherries transforms elevates their flavor simple to sublime!
Notes & Variations
To Pit or Not to Pit
This is a personal preference kinda situation. Also dependent on if you have a cherry pitter, which makes pitting the cherries so much easier!
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Pit or don’t pit the cherries – either way works.
Variations
Cherries: can swap for another other fruits in season. Check out this these other cooked fruits.
Water: Can swap for a dessert liquor such as Bourbon or Amaretto or melted coconut oil.
Sugar: granulated or brown both works. If avoiding sugar, use honey, maple syrup or date syrup.
Salt: we need a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor.
Additions: vanilla beans, fresh herbs or spices.
Variations: can also use this recipe to make savory roasted cherries! For savory – replace the liquid with olive oil, omit the sugar and add some freshly cracked black pepper.
Ways to Enjoy these Roasted Cherries
Spooned over ice cream, yogurt, oatmeal, cheesecake, crepes, pancakes, waffles, mixed into cocktails or more!
If cherries pair with your dish, roasted cherry will elevate it!
Stoked on more Simple Summer Fresh Fruit Desserts?
Check Out: Roasted Strawberries, Roasted Cherries, Poached Rhubarb and Baked Peaches.
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Cooks Tips
- When possible, buy local and organic cherries directly from a farm or farmers market. Use any variety of the cherry rainbow!
- No need to pit before roasting! But if you’d like to, a cherry pitter is worth the investment.
- Roasted cherries will keep in the fridge for 3 days.
Have ya tried this recipe? I’d love to hear about it and see it too! Please leave a comment below and take a pic and tag it on Instagram with #chefdanielagerson. You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and all sorts of awesome adventures!
Let’s make waves in the kitchen!
Roasted Cherries
Ingredients
- 1 pint fresh cherries
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- pinch salt
- 1/4 cup water or a dessert liquor
Instructions
- Preheat oven 450 degrees F.
- Place whole, unpitted cherries, in small pan or baking dish.
- Sprinkle the salt, sugar and liquid of your choice.
- Place in the oven and roasted until the cherries start to release their juices and the sugar melts and begins to carmelize, about 15 min.
Notes
- When possible, buy local and organic cherries directly from a farm or farmers market. Use any variety of the cherry rainbow!
- No need to pit before roasting! But if you’d like to, a cherry pitter is worth the investment.
- Roasted cherries will keep in the fridge for 3 days.
I’m on vacation (there are 11 of us) so I just whipped up these roasted cherries so that we can have a somewhat healthy option for dessert. I had planned to serve them over ice cream (or just with some heavy whipping cream, for those who don’t want the sweetness of ice cream) but I’m not sure there will be any left by dessert because these are SO AMAZING alongside our appetizer of cheese! Super easy, wonderfully tasty, and perfectly in season. This is my new favorite indulgence!
You are sooooo sweet Rachel!!! I'm so super stoked on your feedback and thanks for the sharing the pic of the finished dish with me :)! Enjoy the rest of the vaca and I'll be wondering if any make it until dessert!