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Learn how to make sweet, fruity cherry topping with this easy, versatile recipe. Perfect for desserts, breakfasts, and more! It’s ideal for using fresh cherries in season or frozen cherries all year.
If you enjoy cooking and appreciate the simplicity of letting a single ingredient shine, you’ve found your new favorite. With cherries as the main ingredient, everything else is just there to enhance their flavor.
This cherry topping recipe is not only incredibly easy to make, but is also perfect for elevating dessert, breakfast, and even snack time. Whether you’re drizzling it over ice cream, crepes, oatmeal, or yogurt, this fruity topping will quickly become a favorite!
Why You’ll Want This Recipe on Repeat
- Versatile: This cherry topping complements countless dishes from waffles to cheesecakes (try it on top of protein cheesecake!). It’s the perfect balance of sweet and tangy.
- Seasonal and fresh: Do you have a bounty of cherries during peak season? Or are they on sale at the grocery store? This recipe is a fantastic way to use them up while savoring their natural flavor.
- Elegant simplicity: Whether you’re hosting a dinner party, enjoying a quiet morning, or having friends over for brunch, this topping adds something special with minimal effort.
- Customizable: Prefer it less sweet? Want a hint of spice or a splash of liqueur? This recipe is easily adjustable to suit your taste.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Cherries – I used fresh sweet cherries, but you can use tart cherries if you prefer (adjust the sugar to taste). Also, you can use frozen cherries instead of fresh, just cut the amount of water added in half.
- Sugar – Here we use granulated white sugar as the sweetener. In addition to adding sweetness, it helps thicken this fruit sauce.
- Water – We cook the cherries down in a splash of water.
- Salt – Salt elevates the natural cherry flavor.
- Cornstarch – We thicken this cherry sauce with a cornstarch slurry, which is a mixture of cornstarch and cold water. Instead of using flour which can muddle the color, thickening with cornstarch creates a transparent, glossy sauce.
- Fresh lemon juice – A little bit of fresh lemon juice provides the perfect amount of acidity to enhance the cherry flavor.
- Almond extract – This is my secret ingredient! It’s optional, but highly recommended to bump up the cherry flavor.
How to Make Cherry Topping: Step-by-Step Instructions
- Add the cherries, sugar, water, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cover the saucepan and cook until the cherries are softened but not mushy, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and almond extract.
- It will thicken a bit after chilling, but it’s also delicious served warm!
Quick & Easy Semi-Homemade Dessert Ideas
If you take 15 minutes to make this homemade cherry sauce, it’s easy to whip up a lovely semi-homemade dessert that’s elegant enough to entertain with – or perfect for a potluck, picnic, or any summer party!
Pick up any of the following items at the grocery store to enjoy with this homemade cherry sauce, and you’ll have an impressive yet simple dessert that everyone goes crazy for.
- Angel food cake (or if you have the time, make it from scratch!)
- Pound cake
- Brownies
- Vanilla bean ice cream
Storage
After cooling, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Tips For the Best Cherry Topping
- Pick the Right Cherries: Sweet cherries like Bing work well for desserts, while tart cherries are ideal for a tangier topping.
- Adjust the Sweetness: Start with the recommended amount of sugar, and add more if you want it sweeter. If you want it less sweet, add a squeeze more lemon juice.
- Thick or Thin?: For a thicker sauce, use slightly more cornstarch. For a runnier consistency, add a touch more water.
- Experiment with Flavors: Try adding a splash of cherry liqueur, or even a sprinkle of cinnamon for unique variations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Frozen cherries are a convenient alternative and work just as well as fresh. If you use frozen, just reduce the added water from 1/4 cup to 2 tablespoons.
Yes! This recipe is easy to scale up, and you can use the recipe card to automatically scale up to a double or triple batch for you. Just make sure your saucepan is large enough to accommodate the extra volume.
This versatile cherry sauce can be used in countless ways! Here are some ideas for inspiration:
Dessert: Drizzle it over ice cream, cheesecake, or brownies (like Black Forest brownies!) for a burst of fruity flavor.
Breakfast: Spoon it onto pancakes, waffles, crepes, or oatmeal for a sweet start to your day.
Snacks: Add it to plain yogurt or spread it on toast (it’s delicious on a slice of toasted sourdough bread!) for an easy and delicious treat.
Drinks: Stir it into cocktails, mocktails, or hot chocolate for a fruity twist. (Muddle or blend it if you don’t want whole cherries.)
Savory Pairings: For a meal with a gourmet flair, cherry sauce is a lovely pairing with meats like duck.
More Recipes For Cherry Lovers
- Cherry Crisp
- Healthy Cherry Garcia Ice Cream (Ben & Jerry’s Copycat)
- Cherry Chocolate Chip Coffee Popsicles (Paleo)
Let’s Connect
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Cherry Topping Recipe
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Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh sweet cherries stemmed and pitted (see Notes for frozen cherries)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water to form a slurry
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract optional, but highly recommended
Instructions
- Add the cherries, sugar, water, and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cover the saucepan and cook until the cherries are softened but not mushy, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until thickened, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and almond extract.
Notes
- Frozen Cherries: If you use frozen cherries here, reduce the added water from 1/4 cup to 2 tablespoons.
- Recipe Yield and Serving Size: This recipe makes about 1 1/2 cups, which is 6 (1/4-cup) servings.
- Storage: After cooling, store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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