Pickled Cherries
Inside: The simple method for pickling fresh cherries quickly and easily plus ways to use them in other recipes.
If you love bing cherries but thought they were only for dessert, think again! These amazing pickled cherries have a tart-spicy kick mellowed with a split vanilla bean. This pickled cherry recipe is quick and easy to make and will dress up your next cheese board or charcuterie platter.
Not all cherry recipes are sweet. This one takes the popular summer stone fruit in a new direction you’ll love.
Instead of using cherries in a dessert, like this cherry ice cream or cherry apricot crisp, transform them into an irresistibly tangy nosh that’s delicious on a cheese board or charcuterie platter, a natural served with smoked pork, roast chicken or grilled lamb and phenomenal in cold rice salad. They’re even great in cocktails.
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- It’s quick and easy to make.
- Pickled cherries have a deliciously complex flavor.
- It’s a naturally vegan recipe and makes a healthy snack.
- They’re versatile and can be paired with meats, cheeses and salads.
- We like them for garnishing cocktails instead of the candied maraschino cherries.
- A jar makes a great hostess gift.
Ingredients for pickled cherries:
- Brown Sugar – I used light brown sugar.
- Rice Wine Vinegar – use the unseasoned variety.
- Whole Coriander Seed – do not use ground coriander.
- Whole Black Peppercorns – don’t use ground pepper.
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes– to add a bit of heat to the pickled cherries.
- Whole Vanilla Bean (split lengthwise with a sharp knife)
- Cherries–I used Bing cherries.
Step-by-step instructions for pickling fruit.
- Rinse the cherries well and pick out any damaged fruit.
2. Use a cherry pitter to remove the pits from the stone fruit. It will also, remove the stems automatically.
3. Combine the brown sugar, coriander, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes, rice wine vinegar and a split vanilla bean in a saucepan and heat over medium-high heat, stirring until the brown sugar dissolves.
4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, simmer the pickle brine for 3-5 minutes, and remove from the heat.
5. Remove the vanilla bean and set aside. Strain the seeds and peppercorns through a mesh sieve set over a glass measuring cup or bowl. Transfer the hot brine back to the saucepan and add the pitted cherries.
6. Simmer the fruit in the saucepan with the pickling brine until tender, about 3-5 minutes.
7. Transfer the pickled cherries and the pickling brine to a resealable jar or other airtight container. Tuck the vanilla bean into the jar. Let the fruit cool to room temperature and refrigerate overnight for the flavors to marry.
Pro-Tips:
- I recommend using a cherry pitter. It makes pitting the fruit much easier.
- Don’t wear white when pitting the fruit. The red juice will spatter and make a mess – I don’t want to be responsible for your cleaning bill.
- If you don’t have a cherry pitter: slit a hole in the bottom of the fruit with a sharp paring knife and pry the pit out.
Variations:
- To give the pickled cherries a holiday spice, swap the coriander and crushed red pepper flakes for a cinnamon stick, whole star anise or 3-4 whole cloves in the brine.
- Swap apple cider vinegar for rice wine vinegar — it’s a bit stronger, so it will give the cherries a more tart flavor.
- Add a few bay leaves and fresh thyme stems to the brine mixture for more savory flavors.
FAQs
Bing cherries (the default cherry of America) are fine for this pickled fruit recipe. There are so many varieties of cherries you can use whatever is available and fresh. Ranier would be a good option.
No, they’re pickled. They must be kept refrigerated and will last for up to a month in a sealed container in the fridge.
Storage:
- These are not shelf-stable as they haven’t been through the canning process.
- Pickled cherries should be kept refrigerated in a sealed jar or other airtight container.
- The pickled fruit will last for 3-4 weeks in the fridge.
Freezing:
- I don’t recommend freezing the cherries as it will change the texture and composition of the fruit.
Ways to use pickled cherries:
- Pair with soft goat cheese spread on a cracker or crostini for an appetizer.
- Add to chicken salad instead of grapes or apples.
- Sprinkle halved pickled fruit over pan-sauteed pork chops or roast pork tenderloin.
- Serve instead of fresh fruit or berries with soft and hard cheeses, sliced salumi and chutneys or jams for an appetizer spread on charcuterie boards.
- Cut drained fruit in half and toss ⅓ cup of pickled fruit, ⅓ cup of salted, roasted pistachios 2 cups of cooked rice for a tasty rice pilaf.
- Spear 2-3 pickled cherries to serve in a martini instead of olives.
- Use the pickle brine in salad dressings or vinaigrettes instead of the acid called for in the recipe.
“Outstanding!”
That’s how my Dad described these pickled cherries, and I think you’ll agree. This pickled fruit has a complexity you wouldn’t expect; unlike anything you’ve tried before, with a little fire and spice, the vanilla bean softens and rounds the flavors.
More cherry recipes:
More pickling recipes:
Pickled Cherries
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- cherry pitter
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound fresh cherries use Bing, black cherries, Ranier or other varieties.
- ¾ cup rice wine vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 vanilla bean slit down the middle
DIRECTIONS:
PIT THE CHERRIES
- Use a cherry pitter or sharp paring knife to remove the pits and stems from 1 pound fresh cherries and set aside.
MAKE THE PICKLING BRINE
- In a small saucepan, combine ¾ cup rice wine vinegar, ¼ cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon whole coriander seed, 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, r½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes and 1 vanilla bean, split. Over medium-high heat, stir until the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat and simmer for 3-5 minutes.
- Remove the vanilla bean and set aside. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or glass measuring cup and pour the brine and solids through the strainer. Discard the solids. Transfer the brine liquid and vanilla bean back to the saucepan.
- Add the pitted cherries to the brine and simmer until tender, another 3-5 minutes.
- Transfer the cherries to a glass mason jar. Tuck the vanilla bean into the jar (I used two small jars and I sliced the vanilla bean in half dividing them between the two mason jars.) Fill the jars with the pickling liquid. Let them cool to room temperature, then seal tightly with a lid and refrigerate overnight.
- Pickled cherries will last in the sealed jar for up to a month, or can be canned via traditional canning methods for up to a year.
NOTES:
NUTRITION:
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Recipe was amazing will do again.
this is dangerous! I already ate a whole jar in one sitting.
These are fantastic. I added them to a charcuterie board and they were such a hit. People kept asking me where to “buy” them.
I love this recipe. I water bathed canned them so I could give as gifts during the year. The liquid was not near enough so I just tripled the recipe. I also added some vanilla extract along with more pepper flakes so it would have a spicier, warmer vanilla taste. Great job and thanks for sharing!
Bing Cherries are in season now! I cannot wait to can these for gifts! Thanks for the recipe.
I bet you could chop this, with a little red pepper and maybe a few colorful bell peppers to make like a relish and then mix it with a block of cream cheese and serve it chilled with crackers or tortillas chips.
Hello, could you use frozen cherries for this?? TIA
I think you could. You’d want to look for whole frozen cherries that have been pitted. They likely wouldn’t be as firm as fresh, but I think they would work.
Wow, absolutely amazing recipe. I’m thinking these could go great in puff pastries, made into a tangy, homemade jam… of course, topped with vanilla icecream and drizzled with dark chocolate!
The most addicting cherries I’ve ever had
Is there a particular kind of cherry that works better? We have northern tart around here, vit they are so small I’m afraid they’d get mushy…
I usually use Bing Cherries with this recipe. I’ve never tried it with tart cherries (we can’t get them in South Florida).
I’ve waited all year for cherries to be in season to try this… it was worth the wait! Love them
I have a pepper allergy can I leave the peppercorn out? Use something else?
Yes, you can leave out the peppercorns — particularly if you’re allergic to them. It won’t be quite the same, but they’ll still get a bit of heat from the crushed red pepper flakes.
I have many cherries, no brown sugar. Do you suggest light or dark? 🙂
Use Light Brown Sugar.
I can’t wait to try this! How long would you process if canning?
I’ve never canned them, we usually just make them to use immediately. However, the typical time for canning fruit is 20 minutes while the water is at a boil if you’re using pint jars.
These look amazing! Going to try them out. Can I water bath can these as well??
Glad you like them! I haven’t tried canning these cherries, but I would think it would work. Let me know if you do… now I’m curious.
These were outstanding, Lisa! A great accompaniment to a simple cheese tray. I think a few dropped into a glass of bubbly… or on a great vanilla ice cream…!
Absolutely! Glad you enjoyed them!
Such a sweet and easy treat! Looking forward to enjoying these all season long!
These cherries sound amazing- I was super thrilled to see something as unique as your recipe! I feel like I see the same old thing daily. So this is really a HUGE find! I cannot wait to make this!
Thank you, Heidy! There are so many things you can use the cherries for… more to come soon!
Love the idea of making pickled cherries! Can’t wait to try making them myself!
Looks and sound amazing, never thought to do this with cherries. Saving for when they come into season here!
They’re already in our markets…YAY!