I make Chocolate Covered Cherries with just four ingredients, including fresh fruit and sparkling sugar. It's an easy candy recipe that beats the boxed version every time.
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Cherries and chocolate: a classic and ridiculously delicious pairing. Skip the dusty boxes of overly sugary chocolate-covered cherries stocked en masse at grocery stores. It's easy to make your own fresh version!
My Chocolate-Covered Cherries are made with real cherries on long stems. They're dipped in rich chocolate and then get a little sparkle from decorating sugar. The cherries are perfect for Valentine's Day, Christmas, to welcome the annual fresh cherry season, or for any special get-together.
And, there's an undeniable "wow" factor when you set down the tray of sweet chocolate cherries that you dipped yourself.
In a nutshell... 🐿️
- What this is: Inspired by the fleeting, brief harvest season we had from our two little cherry trees in Vermont, these are fresh, juicy cherries dipped in rich chocolate. It's a simple and nostalgic treat that's way better than the boxed version.
- You'll love this part: The satisfying snap of the chocolate shell followed by the luscious ripe cherry inside! Plus, they're surprisingly easy to make with just four ingredients, yet look all fancy-pants.
- How it's made: Melt chocolate until smooth, then dip the cherries and add a little sparkly sugar. Let them set, then enjoy!
Jump to:
Our two little Vermont cherry trees
When we moved from Vermont to Massachusetts, I had to say goodbye to the two cherry trees we had planted years before in our front yard, one on either side of our driveway. We had a tree for each of our kids: one sour cherry tree and one sweet cherry tree.
They bloomed every May with the most gorgeous display of bright, white flowers, and then by late June, the jewel-red cherries would arrive. I had to move fast to gather what cherries I could before the birds and bugs found them. And the taller those trees grew, the fewer fruits I could reach!
Even in the form of that tiny harvest from just two trees, those cherries were a rewarding and sweet little treat, a mark of a still-young New England summer season. (Cherry-picking season in New England lasts just a couple of weeks in late June or early July, and, like everything else in New England, that may change depending on the weather!)
They looked so pretty arranged in a small bowl on the kitchen table. Of course, they did not last long! I remember one year, our son and one of his friends folded some of our front-yard cherries into little, homemade cherry berry hand pies. Most of the time, we just ate the cherries up fresh out of hand.
But the years when I managed to gather enough cherries to warrant doing something a little extravagant, I would wash them, let them air-dry, and then give them a dip in rich chocolate.
You really don't need your own cherry trees, or even a special occasion to make these easy Chocolate-Covered Cherries. Whip them up with store-bought or fruit stand fresh cherries. Handmade chocolate-covered cherries are a fun family dessert or sweet surprise to make for your friends!
Why you'll love these Chocolate-Covered Cherries
I mean, it's cherries in chocolate! Need I go on?
Well, okay, I will go on! I can also say that you'll really love how much more delicious and sumptuous fresh cherries taste compared to boxed versions. Those overly sugary and gooey premade candies just can't hold a candle to these.
Cherries you dip yourself are full of luscious, fresh cherry flavor, with nothing to get in their way. The chocolate shell around the fruit breaks with a satisfying snap when you bite into it.
I add a sprinkle of decorating sugar to my old-fashioned Chocolate-Covered Cherries to give them a festive sparkle, a little bling, if you will. The large sugar crystals add a light crunch, too.
As long as your grocery store or fruit market has fresh cherries in stock, you can make these chocolate-dipped cherries for any of the chocolate-indulging holidays—like Valentine's Day, Christmas, or Mother's Day! They're also an unexpected dessert option to surprise folks with at dinner parties or an office potluck.
Oh, and did I mention? The Chocolate Covered Cherries recipe calls for just four ingredients!
🔪 How to make Chocolate Covered Cherries with sparkly sugar
Ingredients:
- Fresh cherries: I use dark, sweet cherry varieties like Bing or black cherries. You can also dip Rainier or Queen Anne cherries. The cherries should be firm with no shriveling or leaking juice, and have their stems intact.
- Chocolate: I prefer semisweet chocolate or dark chocolate because their flavor pairs so beautifully with dark, sweet cherries. If you don't mind a little extra sweetness, you can dip them in milk or white chocolate, too. It's best to use solid chocolate bars instead of chips, because they melt and set more smoothly. However, in a pinch, chocolate chips can be used. The chocolate brands I like are Ghirardelli, Callebaut, and Tony's Chocolonely.
- Vegetable shortening: I add a little shortening to the melted chocolate as an easy way to help the chocolate set more quickly. It also gives the chocolate coating a little shine. Tempering the chocolate is another way to get a firm coating and shine. The recipe card below has instructions for tempering if you'd like to try it instead of using shortening.
- Decorating sugar: This is a very sparkly sugar with large crystals, added to the cherries after dipping to give them a lovely, twinkly finish. I use plain decorating sugar, but you can also use a colorful variety if you choose.
Prepare your cherries
Wash the fresh cherries, then lay them out on a kitchen towel to thoroughly dry. Leave the stems on. If you have cherries without stems, don't worry: you can dip these, too.
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Melt the chocolate
Bring water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler and place the chocolate and vegetable shortening in the top pan. (You can also use a saucepan with a heatproof bowl set over the top.) Stir until the chocolate is smooth and melted.
Dip and sugar the cherries
Hold cherries by the stem and dip them in the chocolate—use a spoon in the other hand to gently spoon chocolate up and over each cherry. Put the cherries on a lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with decorating sugar while they're still wet.
Let them set, then enjoy!
Allow the cherries to rest until the chocolate has set and is firm. Then they're ready to serve!
Chocolate Covered Cherries FAQs
My Chocolate Covered Cherries do not need to be refrigerated. As long as the cherries are firm and fresh when you dip them, once the chocolate is set, they'll last just fine in a covered container stored at room temperature.
However, if you wish to refrigerate the chocolate covered cherries, you do have this as an option. This may be a good choice if the weather is too warm to leave them out. Once refrigerated, it's best to serve them cold, and still plan to eat them within three days of dipping.
Plan to eat your chocolate-dipped cherries within three days of making them. This will ensure that the cherries are fresh and the chocolate tastes its best as well. Remember to store them in a covered container and keep them away from sunny or warm areas.
Because this recipe for chocolate covered cherries is made with fresh cherries, they won't last forever! Eventually, the cherries will begin to turn soft, and the juice will leak. That's why I recommend eating them within three days, so that both the chocolate and the cherries will be at their best for freshness and quality.
Although both of these treats have cherries coated in chocolate, they are not the same. Cherry cordials have whole maraschino cherries and fillings that may include sweet cherry syrup, fondant, liqueur, or cream, all in a chocolate shell. This is what you'll get in the boxed versions sold at grocery stores. My Chocolate Covered Cherries are just whole, fresh cherries dunked in chocolate, which lets the pure cherry flavor shine through without all the syrupy sweetness.
Tips:
- Semisweet or dark chocolate are idea for coating cherries. You can also try dipping the cherries in milk chocolate or white chocolate; just keep in mind with sweet cherry varieties, the chocolates will make them quite a bit sweeter.
- Be sure the cherries are completely dry before dipping them. If any water drips into the melted chocolate, it will cause the chocolate to seize and harden.
- I add a dab of vegetable shortening to the chocolate as a quick and easy way to help the chocolate set more quickly and keep a bit of a shine. These can also be achieved by tempering the chocolate. If you want to try tempering your chocolate, I've included instructions in the recipe below.
The best Sugared Chocolate-Covered Cherries recipe is below! Here are a few other recipes to try that make the most of fresh fruit:
💬 Did you make and devour this recipe? Leave a comment below.
📖 Recipe
Chocolate Covered Cherries (with some sparkly sugar!)
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Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh, sweet cherries with stems intact
- 16 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate
- 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening (Note: not needed if you are tempering your chocolate. See below.)
- ¼ cup sparkling decorating sugar
Instructions
Prepare the cherries:
- Wash the 1 pound fresh, sweet cherries with stems intact gently under running water. Spread them out to dry on a kitchen towel-lined wire rack. The cherries need to be completely dry before dipping.
- Spread a piece of wax paper or parchment paper over a work surface or in a large baking sheet. This is for the cherries after they're dipped.
Melt the chocolate:
- Bring water to a simmer in the bottom of a double boiler, or in a saucepan with a heatproof bowl set over the top.
- (Use a small amount of water so that it does not touch the bowl or pan resting above it.)
- Place the 16 ounces semi-sweet or dark chocolate and the 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening in the top pan or bowl. Stir everything until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Turn off the burner.
Dip the cherries:
- Holding them by the stem, dip the cherries one at a time in the melted chocolate. Use a spoon with the other hand to spoon chocolate up and over the cherry so that the whole thing is coated.
- Let excess chocolate drip away, then place the cherries on the wax or parchment paper so they're not touching.
- After every ten cherries or so, while the chocolate is still wet, take a pinch of the ¼ cup sparkling decorating sugar and sprinkle it over the tops of the cherries.
- Repeat these steps until all of the cherries have been dipped and topped with sugar.
- If you have any cherries without stems, set the cherry on the tines of a fork over the melted chocolate and use the spoon to pull the chocolate over it. Let the excess drip off and set the cherry on the paper.
Let the cherries set:
- Allow the cherries to rest in a cool spot (not the fridge) until the chocolate has set: about 2 hours, or a little less if you have a fan pointed at them.
- Serve the chocolate-covered cherries immediately.
- They can be stored for up to three days: place them in a single layer in a sealed container lined with a paper towel. Store them at room temperature away from heat sources or sunlight.
- Makes about 50 cherries.
OPTION: TEMPER THE CHOCOLATE
- To do this you will need a digital thermometer. You will not need the vegetable shortening.
- Divide the chocolate pieces into two piles.
- Bring water just to a simmer in the bottom pan of the double boiler. Place half of the chocolate into the top pan of the double boiler (or into a bowl set over the lower pan.) Have a digital thermometer ready and stir the chocolate constantly as it melts.
- Place your thermometer in the melted chocolate and continue to stir it. When the temperature reaches 115°F, remove the pan or bowl from the heat.
- Now you want to bring the temperature down to about 95°F: stir the chocolate checking the temperature periodically: it took my melted chocolate about 7 minutes to cool to 95 °F.
- Once you get the chocolate down to 95°F, place the pan or bowl with the chocolate back over the pan of simmering water. Add in the rest of the chocolate. Stir it constantly to melt everything. You'll have a pan of very smooth, thick chocolate ready to dip the cherries.
Notes
- Semisweet chocolate or dark chocolate are ideal for coating cherries. You can also try dipping the cherries in milk chocolate or white chocolate; just keep in mind that with sweet cherry varieties, the chocolates will make them quite a bit sweeter.
- Be sure the cherries are completely dry before dipping them. If any water drips into the melted chocolate, it will cause the chocolate to seize and harden.
- I add a dab of vegetable shortening to the chocolate as a quick and easy way to help the chocolate set more quickly and keep a bit of a shine. These can also be achieved by tempering the chocolate. If you want to try tempering your chocolate, I've included instructions in the recipe below.
Nutrition
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