This homemade sour cherry syrup made with fresh or frozen cherries is tangy, sweet, and perfect for desserts, pancakes, and drinks!
About This Recipe
There’s something wonderful about picking cherries right from the tree on a sunny afternoon. I love making this sour cherry syrup with cherries I’ve picked myself from a field near my house. My guess is that these are probably wild cherries since they’re delightfully tart! Whether you’re using sweet or sour cherries, the first thing to do is wash them really well. Then, carefully remove the pits. It takes a little patience, but there’s something calming about the process. Plus, the payoff is worth it. Nothing tastes like summer more than homemade cherry syrup.
Freezing Your Cherries
Fresh cherries only last about two days in the fridge so if I’m not going to use them right away, I freeze them. After washing and pittingt them I place them into a plastic container with an airtight lid or a zip-top bag with all the air pressed out. They stay fresh in the freezer for about three months. That way, I feel like its summer even in the middle of winter.
Freezing cherries feels like hitting pause on the season. And trust me, it’s worth it when you pull a bag of them and the syrup tastes just as fresh as the day you picked the fruit.
Using Store-Bought Frozen Cherries
Sometimes life gets busy, and fresh cherries aren’t an option. That’s when I turn to frozen cherries from the store. They’ve already had the pits removed, which saves a lot of time.
Sour cherries give the syrup the perfect tang, but most frozen cherries are sweet. I usually add a little less sugar and some lemon juice to bring back that tart punch. It makes the syrup taste bright and fresh.
Even with sour cherries, the added lemon juice gives the syrup an extra special flavor that brightens up the syrup.
Tips for Fresh Cherries
If you have access to fresh sour or tart cherries, either from a store or a tree, freeze them if you won’t eat them within a day or two. Cherries don’t hang around for long! I always wash and pit them first, then store them in a zip-top bag with all the air pressed out or an airtight container.
Having a bagful of frozen cherries is like having a secret stash of summer in your freezer. Just a few can transform pancakes, ice cream, or even just a spoonful of plain yogurt into something special.
Ingredients You Will Need
• 2 cups sour cherries, pits removed
• 1/2 cup filtered or bottled water
• 1 cup coconut sugar, brown sugar, or organic granulated white sugar
• Juice of 1 lemon, 2 tablespoons
How to make Sour Cherry Syrup
- Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Continue stirring to avoid burning the syrup
- Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved.
- Strain out cherries if desired, and save for another use.
- Cool the syrup to room temperature and store in refrigerator in a glass jar with a screw-on lid.
Sour Cherry Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups sour or sweet cherries pits removed
- 1/2 cup filtered or bottled water
- 1 cup coconut sugar, brown sugar, or organic granulated white sugar If using sweet cherries, reduce the sugar by 1/4 cup.
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice about 1/2 of a lemon
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan.
- Place over medium heat and stir well.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to very low. Continue stirring to avoid burning the syrup.
- Simmer for 10 to15 minutes, stirring occasionally until sugar is completely dissolved.
- If using immediately for pancakes or waffles, you may choose to leave the cherries in the syrup, and use while still warm.
- Otherwise, strain out the cherries and save for another use. Cool the syrup to room temperature and refrigerate in a tightly sealed covered glass or plastic container.
