Vanilla Bean Pickled Cherries
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 warm vanilla bean that you’re gonna love.
This pickled fruit is great in cocktails, delicious with a cheese board or charcuterie platter, a natural with pork, chicken or lamb and phenomenal when added to salads. Definitely not a one-trick pony.
“Outstanding!” That’s how my Dad described these Vanilla Bean Pickled Cherries and I think you’ll agree. They’re unlike anything you’ve tried before, and this pickled fruit has a complexity you wouldn’t expect. These babies have a little fire and spice but the vanilla bean softens and rounds the flavors. Their magic is best understood when paired with other foods and they’re so versatile, you’ll always want a jar on hand.
Table of Contents
Best Cherries For Pickled Fruit?
There are multiple varieties of cherries and depending on where you live, you may or may not be able to get them. Rather than sending you on a wild goose hunt for some unattainable fruit, just know that Bing cherries (the default cherry of America) is fine for this pickled fruit recipe. If you have another exotic type that’s local to you, use it. Local produce is always the best!
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How To Pit Bing Cherries
Whether you have a dearth of cherries or olives, it behooves you to have a cherry pitter on hand. I mean, yes, you could slit a hole in the bottom of the fruit and pry the pit out, however, if you’re working with any type of quantity, that gets old — FAST. I highly recommend a cherry pitter for the job (bonus that you can use it on olives as well to remove stem and pits). This device makes pitting a breeze — but there is one caveat. You’re gonna want an apron — because cherry juice HAPPENS.
(I’ve included an affiliate link for a cherry pitter at the bottom of this post — and it has a shield to protect from splatters. As you can see {above}, mine doesn’t.)
Once the cherries are pitted, make the pickling brine.
Ingredients For Vanilla Bean Pickled Cherries
- Rice Wine Vinegar
- Brown Sugar
- Whole Coriander
- Whole Black Peppercorns
- Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
- Whole Vanilla Bean (split lengthwise with a sharp knife)
Combine all the ingredients into a saucepan and heat (stirring occasionally) until the sugar has dissolved. Continue to simmer the brine for 3-5 minutes.
Strain The Brine
This is an important step that you don’t want to miss, otherwise, you’ll have whole spices clinging and tucked into all the nooks and crannies of your pickled cherries… not very appetizing.
- Remove the vanilla bean and set aside.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over a glass measuring cup with a spout and pour the pickled fruit brine through the strainer.
- Discard the peppercorn mixture.
- Return the brine to the saucepan and add the vanilla bean back to the pan.
Pickling Cherries In Brine
Now it’s time to pickle the fruit. Add the pitted bing cherries to the pot. It might look like there’s more fruit than brine, however, as they simmer, the cherries will begin to collapse, abandoning their rigid structure for a softer, albeit plump one.
The fruit doesn’t need to simmer long. Only 3-5 minutes will do. When the fruit has slumped and the mixture is fragrant, remove it from the heat.
Storing Pickled Cherries
Transfer the pickled bing cherries and the pickling juice to a glass jar with a tight fitting lid. Tuck the vanilla bean into the jar. I used two smaller jars for this batch and I cut the vanilla bean in half, dividing them between the two containers. Store fresh pickled cherries in the refrigerator or use them in this cold rice salad.
How Long Will Vanilla Bean Pickled Cherries Last?
Theoretically, Vanilla Bean Pickled Cherries will last in the refrigerator for up to a month, however. you and I both know they don’t stand a chance of surviving past a few days. Enjoy!
More Recipes with Bing Cherries:
- Drunken Cherries
- Cherry Martini
- Summer Cherry Berry Pie
- Cherry Apricot Almond Crisp
- Cherry Ice Cream
More Vanilla Bean Recipes:
- Honeyed Peach Ice Cream with Almond Streusel
- Guava Sherbet
- Banana Pudding Parfait
- Guava Vanilla Simple Syrup
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Vanilla Bean Pickled Cherries
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:
- cherry pitter
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound cherries
- 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 the cherries and set aside.
MAKE THE PICKLING BRINE
- In a small saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, coriander seed, black peppercorns, red pepper flakes and split vanilla bean. 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.
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!