Our cherry sauce recipe uses just three ingredients and no starches, making it gluten free and keeping it light, fresh and fruity. You'll want to pour this delicious sauce over all your favourite desserts!
Cherry season doesn't last long and this is the recipe I make the moment it starts. It needs justy three ingredients and fifteen minutes to make a sauce glossy enough to make a simple bowl of ice cream look special.
Our recipe does not use cornstarch and is therefore is gluten free, so it is keeps its lovely cherry flavour and there is nothing masking that delicious fresh fruitiness! There is a small amount of pectin from the lemon juice which only slightly thickens the sauce, but it will have a syrup consistency which is perfect for drizzling!
This sauce is fruity, smooth and sweet with a slight tang. Try it on breakfast pancakes, cherry pie, cheesecake, chocolate brownies, ice cream, layered in a chocolate cake...the list is endless. It is so quick and easy to make and tastes heavenly, it can really amp up your desserts!
Why not save this for when you've just been cherry picking or have an extra amount of cherries. Cherry sauce freezes really well so make a batch or two to always have some on hand to jazz up a dessert or two.
This sauce is made in a similar way to my strawberry coulis here and pairs well with this amazing cheesecake recipe. It can be preserved for prolonged storage while keeping the same delicious flavour, check out our tips on canning sauces.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Our cherry sauce so simple to make and only requires three ingredients. There's no need to add any water as the cherries cook in their own juice.
- sweet cherries - use fresh or frozen. Sour cherries will require more sugar.
- white sugar - adjust according to taste.
- lemon juice - this balances the flavour and sweetness. Lemon juice is low in pectin so the sauce will only thicken slightly to a syrup consistency.
See recipe card for quantities.
Pitting cherries
Wash and pat dry the cherries and use a cherry pitter to remove the stones. If you don't have a cherry pitter, slice the cherries in half and use a knife to cut around the stone, then gently it pry away.
Or check out this video over at Healthy Nibbles on how to pit cherries without a cherry pitter. I haven't tried this method but it looks fun!
Variations
Why not tweak the recipe according to the season? Add any of these while the sauce is simmering before blending. Adjust the amounts according to taste:
- summer - add some grated coconut or a little fresh orange juice for extra freshness.
- winter - stir in a crushed clove, a small piece of ginger and a pinch of cinnamon for some seasonal spice.
For a chunkier texture skip blending the sauce before serving, although the sauce will have a richer flavour if blended.
How to serve it
This cherry sauce will go beautifully with most of your favourite desserts. Serve it with:
Sweet dishes: waffles, pancakes, cherry pie, cheesecake, chocolate brownies, ice cream, in between layers of a chocolate cake, with ricotta/yogurt, over a chocolate pie, or make cherry popsicles.
Savory: Cherry sauce also goes well with lamb dishes such as these kebabs, roast chicken and beef such as roasts, steaks and burgers.
What would you serve it with? Let me know in the comments below!
Make ahead and storing
Cherry sauce can be prepared in advance. Set it aside to cool then transfer to a sealed container and chill for up to 3 days. The sauce will thicken slightly when chilled, so you may want to mix with a tiny bit of water before serving.
Take advantage of cherry season over the summer and prepare a large batch to freeze. Freeze in ice cube trays, then turn out and store the frozen cubes in labelled freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in a covered container in the fridge overnight or on the counter.
FAQs
This is a runny syrup so it doesn't need any added thickeners which might compromise the fresh flavour of the fruit. Lemon juice has a little pectin which is sufficient to hold the sauce together, keeping it naturally gluten-free, balancing the sweetness and lets the fresh cherry flavour come through more clearly.
Yes, just increase the sugar according to your taste, since sour cherries need more sweetening to balance their tartness.
Yes, it keeps well chilled for up to 3 days, or can be frozen in ice cube trays for up to 3 months, for smaller portions on demand.
Yes, the three ingredients (cherries, sugar, lemon juice) are plant-based as long as you are not using whitened refined cane-sugar that has been
filtered with bone char (US, Canada, Mexico, India).
You may also like ...
Did you make this? Please rate it in the recipe card below and if you are sharing a photo on social media please tag @endofthefork. Thanks!
Recipe
Cherry Sauce
Ingredients
- cherries - (350 grams) 12 ounces
- white sugar - (100 grams) ½ cup
- lemon juice 1 tablespoon
Instructions
- Add 12 ounces cherries, ½ cup white sugar and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to a small saucepan and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat to simmer for 10 minutes stirring occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and blend to a smooth sauce, then set aside to cool.
Notes
Cherries
You can use fresh or frozen cherries. Use a pitter to remove cherry stones.Variations
- for the summer - add some grated coconut or a little fresh orange juice for extra freshness.
- for the winter - stir in a crushed clove, a small piece of ginger and a pinch of cinnamon for some seasonal spice.
Make ahead/storing
To prepare in advance: set it aside to cool then transfer to a sealed container and chill for up to 3 days. It will thicken slightly when chilled, so mix with a tiny bit of water before using. Freeze in ice cube trays, then tun out and store the frozen cubes in labelled freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw in a covered container in the fridge overnight or on the counter.Only you will see your notes and you can edit them anytime.
Nutrition
Nutritional information calculated automatically per serving, accuracy cannot be guaranteed.
Comments
No Comments