Make this 4 ingredient cherry syrup recipe at home. In less than 20 minutes you will have homemade cherry syrup to serve alongside cheesecake, in cocktails or as a topping for pancakes. This cherry syrup recipe is grain free, gluten free and vegan.
If you love cherries as much as I do you are going to want to make my recipes for cherry clafoutis, sour cherry pie filling and pectin free cherry jam.
Cherry season is so short so I try and get as many cherries as I can. I will make bourbon soaked cherries for Manhattans, a few extra pounds so I can make a few batched of cherry pie bars and dry some for almondina pistachio and dried cherry crisp thins.
What types of cherries can I use to make cherry syrup?
This recipe uses bing cherries but I have also made cherry syrup with royal Ann cherries as well as tart cherries. Each cherry variety will give you a different flavor profile for your syrup. Feel free to combine different varieties of cherries for your own unique cherry syrup blend.
What to do with cherry syrup:
- serve over ice cream
- on top of creme brulee
- stir into a cola
- topping for pancakes
- use in between layers of a cake
- add to cocktails
- make a craft soda
- serve as a topping along with cheese and baguette
- bake with brie, serve with baguette
- serve on top of oatmeal
- serve on top of tapioca pudding
- dollop on top of cheese cake. Be sure to try my sous vide cheesecake!
- scoop on top of brownies
How to thicken cherry syrup
In this recipe I use the rind of a lemon to thicken the cherry syrup. To maintain a gluten free, grain free, vegan recipe I use the natural pectin in the white part of the lemon to thicken the syrup. Many fruits naturally have pectin in them. With genetically modified produce, often the pectin is less than would naturally occur. Lemon rind, the white part and the yellow outside, have a higher concentration of pectin than the juice. By using the rind of a lemon in jam, it will naturally thicken the jam by the pectin being extracted through boiling. An organic lemon would be a good choice for this project.
Can you freeze cherry syrup?
Yes! Cool the cherry syrup completely and transfer to freezer save containers. Leave ½ inch head space for freezing expansion. Use within 6 months.
Cherry Syrup Ingredients
- cherries, stems and pits removed
- sugar
- water
- pinch salt
- lemon
How do you make cherry syrup?
- Combine the cherries, pinch of salt and sugar in a medium saucepot. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Add the ½ cup water and lemon rind to the cherries and sugar. Over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the cherry syrup.
- Optional step: with an immersion blender, carefully pulse the cherries a few times to make a smoother, thicker syrup. Temporarily remove the lemon rind if you choose to blend. Return the lemon rind to the syrup for the thickening boil.
- Bring to a rolling boil, stirring every few minutes until a boil is achieved.
- Reduce heat to medium. Cook 10 minutes while stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove lemon rind.
- The syrup will thicken slightly when cooled.
- Cool completely and store in airtight containers in the refrigerator.
Water bath canning instructions for cherry syrup.
- Heat canning jars in a large canning pot to a simmer.
- Make cherry syrup as instructed.
- Fill jars by ladling hot syrup into hot jars.
- Wipe the rim of the jar to remove any syrup.
- Place a clean, new lid on the jar.
- Place a canning ring/bad and finger tighten.
- Using a jar lifter, place the jelly jars back into the canning pot.
- Bring to a boil.
- Boil for 10 minutes.
- Using a jar lifter, remove the jars and rest them on kitchen towel, wooden cutting board or cooking rack with at least 2 inches of space around them for the air to circulate.
- 12 hours later, check to see that the lids do not flex when pressed.
- Wipe clean and store in a cool, dry, dark place for a year.
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Printable cherry syrup recipe:
Cherry Syrup
Ingredients
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- 1 pound cherries stems and pits removed
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- pinch salt
- rind of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Combine the cherries, pinch of salt and sugar in a medium sauce pot. Allow to rest for 20 minutes.
- Add the ½ cup water and lemon rind to the cherries and sugar. Over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in the cherry syrup.
- Optional step: with an immersion blender, carefully pulse the cherries a few times to make a smoother, thicker syrup. Temporarily remove the lemon rind if you choose to blend. Return the lemon rind to the syrup for the thickening boil.
- Bring to a rolling boil, stirring every few minutes until a boil is achieved.
- Reduce heat to medium. Cook 10 minutes while stirring frequently to prevent scorching. Remove lemon rind.
- Syrup will thicken slightly when cooled.
- Cool completely and store in air tight containers in the refrigerator.
Video
Nutrition
published August 15, 2018
Sarah Mock
For this one I am using sweet but I think tart would make a great syrup! A blend of tart cherries and sweet from the sugar would be good!
Sarah
Lara
Are you using sweet or tart cherries?
Sarah
Remove it after the 10 minute thickening cook OR if you want to pulse the syrup....remove it to pulse and then place the rind back it for the remaining cook.
Thanks for the question. I will update the recipe to be more clear.
Lydia
If using the lemon rind for thickening, what exactly do you do with it? Leave it in big pieces and then remove it? Grate it so it’s mixed in well?
Sarah
YEAH!!!! I am so glad you think so!
Sarah
This is a great alternative to soft drinks! Use as much or as little as you need.
Sandra Shaffer
My husband is a big fan of the flavor of cherries and since we've given up soft drinks I bet he'll love this with club soda! Excited to stockpile and freeze this syrup too!
Taryn
We are the new owners of a snow cone machine and this cherry syrup is so much better than the fake sugary ones sold for it!