• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Waves in the Kitchen logo

  • Food
    • Recipe Index
      • Colors & Seasons
  • Photography
  • Adventure
  • About
    • Shop
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Food
    • Recipe Index
      • Colors & Seasons
  • Adventure
  • About
    • Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    You are here: Home / Recipes / Menu / Sweet Treats / Roasted Cherries

    Roasted Cherries

    May 16, 2022 · 6 Comments

    418 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

    Roasting cherries caramelizes their sugar and intensifies their flavor. This quick and easy recipe pairs with both sweet and savory dishes.

    They come out of the oven glisteningly shiny and gorgeously plump. Their juices combine with the sugar into a thick syrupy sauce. 

    Only 4 ingredients: cherries, liquid (water/liquor), sugar and salt. Roast in oven. Done.

    Cherry season has arrived at California farmers markets. Their season is short, from May to August. Let’s take full fresh cherry advantage while we can!

    roasted cherries, just out of the oven, on a gold baking sheet, overhead shot.

    Why this Recipe Works

    • Quick & Easy. 10 minutes or less of prep!
    • Intensify the cherry flavor. The heat caramelizes their natural sugar, intensifying their flavor and concentrating the texture. 
    • The syrupy sauce The sugar and juices produce a deliciously thick syrupy sauce.  
    • Multi-use Recipe. Pair the roast cherries with both sweet and savory dishes. They can be eaten in so many ways, such as over yogurt, on a charcuterie board, in a cocktail or salad and more. See serving suggestions below. 
    • Versatile! Cherries can be swapped for another stone fruit. This recipe can be used as a general roasting fruit template.

    Summer is all about that vibrantly colorful fresh stone fruit bounty overflowing at the farmers markets!

    How to Roast Cherries:

    Combine cherries, liquid of your choice, sugar and salt, place in the oven and done.

    Please see my step-by-step images for easy cooking.

    Up close shot of pitted cherries, cut in half, on a cookie sheet.
    pre-oven
    Roasted pitted cherries, on a cookie sheet, straight out of the oven.
    post-oven
    Raw fresh cherries cut in half on a gold baking sheet, overhead shot.
    cherries
    In process shot of raw fresh cherries sprinkled with sugar on gold baking sheet, overhead shot.
    with liquid, sugar & salt
    Side angle shot of raw cherries with sugar on a gold baking sheet, all ready to go in the oven and be roasted.
    done

    Notes & Variations

    To Pit or Not to Pit

    This is a personal choice. Made possible by having a pitter. Nonetheless, your choice.

    The hardest part about roasting cherries is pitting them them if you don’t own a pitter. It is possible to pit a cherry without a pitter but it’s much easier to do so with one!

    To Pit or not to pit – that is the question.

    You do you.

    Pitting cherries, cut in half, on a pink plate, overhead shot.
    pitted & halved cherries

    Variations

    Cherries: can swap for other seasonally fresh fruits. See this (cooked fruits) for inspo.  
    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
    Salt: we need a pinch of salt to bring out the flavor. 
    Additions: vanilla and/or spices
    Savory: to transform this recipe into savory roast cherries: replace the liquid with olive oil, omit the sugar, add some freshly cracked black pepper and sprinkle some fresh herbs, such as parsley, on top for serving.

    Ways to Enjoy these Roasted Cherries 

    Sweet: Spooned over ice cream, yogurt, oatmeal, cheesecake, crepes, pancakes, waffles, mixed into cocktails or more! 

    Savory: Served alongside venison, rabbit, lamb, chicken, in a salad or on a charcuterie board.

    And check out this Cherry Roasted Chicken!

    Whole cherries, with their stems, on a little cast iron skillet.

    Cherry-licious Facts:

    • The 2 main types of cherries produced in the US are sweet cherries (Prunus avium) and tart or “sour” cherries (Prunus cerasus).
    • They’re botanically in the stone fruit family though commonly perceive as berries
    • Oregon & Washington harvest 60ish % of the sweet cherry crop (including Cali the # jumps to 90%) and Michigan grows  75ish % of the tart cherry crop.

    Roasting cherries elevates their flavor from simple to sublime! 

    Pitted cherries, cut in half, on a pink plate, side angle shot.

    Cooks Tips

    • When possible, buy local and organic cherries directly from a farm or farmer’s 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.

    More Fresh Summer Fruit Desserts?

    Check Out: Roasted Strawberries, Roasted Cherries, Poached Rhubarb and Baked Peaches.

    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 @DanielaGerson. You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest to see more colorfully delicious food and awesome adventures!

    Let’s make waves in the kitchen!

    roasted cherries, just out of the oven, on a gold baking sheet, overhead shot.
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Roasted Cherries

    Roasting cherries caramelizes their sugar and intensifies their flavor. This quick and easy recipe pairs with both sweet and savory dishes.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time15 mins
    Course: Brunch, Dessert
    Cuisine: Californian
    Servings: 6
    Author: Daniela Gerson

    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 farmer’s 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.
    Did you make this recipe? Please share and tag @DanielaGerson! I'd love to see how you're making colorful waves in the kitchen!
    « Olive Oil Cake with Strawberries
    Watermelon Gazpacho with Strawberries »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. rachel says

      August 05, 2019 at 3:00 pm

      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!

      Reply
      • Daniela says

        August 05, 2019 at 3:52 pm

        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!

        Reply
    2. Stacey says

      August 15, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      5 stars
      We made these and mixed with some tequila, ice and water for a fantastic cocktail!

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        September 06, 2020 at 9:45 pm

        YUM!!!! I wishing I had a tequila cocktail with roasted cherries as I read this! So stoked to hear that + thanks for sharing :).

        Reply
    3. Kari says

      July 27, 2022 at 9:06 am

      I just bought a flat of dark sweet cherries, but the flavor isn’t what I’d hoped. I’m looking for ways to preserve them that will enhance their flavor. I am wondering if it would be possible to can these after roasting them or if you have any other suggestions for long term preservation with this recipe.
      Thanks, Kari.

      Reply
      • Daniela Gerson says

        July 30, 2022 at 9:48 am

        Yes I do Kari! There's a pickled fruit recipe on here that you can check out and it's def possible to can cherries. Let me know how it goes :).

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Meet Daniela

    VEGGIES ARE SEXY 

    Hi, I'm Daniela - a Los Angeles based food photographer and creative director. I began my career as a chef with a passion for sourcing colorful produce from local markets. I love emphasizing the beauty of real food with my images. I’m also a food stylist and recipe developer with a gorgeous prop-filled studio in Venice, California.

    Daniela Gerson Photography

    Subscribe to the Newsletter

    PDN First Place Taste

    Popular Fall Recipes

    Beet Hummus with Parsley, Lemon Zest, Za'atar & Flaky Sea Salt, in a white bowl.

    Beet Hummus

    Finished tart with tahini swirl, side angle shot.

    Chocolate Tahini Tart

    Cranberry Gingersnap Pie. Topped with sugared cranberries and sugared thyme. Side Ange shot. Up close. On a black background.

    Cranberry Gingersnap Pie

    Citrus & Fresh Herb Roasted Salmon. Pre Oven with blood oranges, lemons, Meyer lemons, limes, kumquats, red onions, garlic, parsley, and dill on the salmon.

    Citrus & Fresh Herb Roasted Salmon

    Mascarpone Cheesecake with balsamic roasted long stemmed strawberries, out of the spring form pan, 45 degree angle shot.

    Amaretto & Mascarpone Cheesecake

    Pomegranate Chicken topped with pomegranate arils and parsley, in cast iron skillet on a white background; overhead shot.

    Pomegranate Chicken

    Popular Posts

    Beet Hummus with Parsley, Lemon Zest, Za'atar & Flaky Sea Salt, in a white bowl.

    Beet Hummus

    Raw chicken thighs topped with cherries and rosemary in a skillet; overhead shot.

    Cherry Chicken

    Finished tart with tahini swirl, side angle shot.

    Chocolate Tahini Tart

    Cranberry Gingersnap Pie. Topped with sugared cranberries and sugared thyme. Side Ange shot. Up close. On a black background.

    Cranberry Gingersnap Pie

    Easy to make No-Bake delicious Cheesecake topped with fresh strawberries, date syrup, and flaky salt; side angle shot on a grey background.

    No-Bake Cheesecake

    Citrus & Fresh Herb Roasted Salmon. Pre Oven with blood oranges, lemons, Meyer lemons, limes, kumquats, red onions, garlic, parsley, and dill on the salmon.

    Citrus & Fresh Herb Roasted Salmon

    Sites that have featured Waves in the Kitchen

    Copyright © 2023 Waves in the Kitchen • Privacy Policy • Disclosure

    418 shares