Ingredients
Units
- 24oz whole cherries
- 4 tablespoons brown sugar
- 4 tablespoons lemon juice
- 4 tablespoons water
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Wash and pit the cherries. You'll have about 3 cups of cherries.
- Put them in a medium saucepan and add the sugar and lemon juice. Mix.
- Cook over medium heat until it breaks a boil, stirring once in a while.
- Dissolve the cornstarch in the water until no lumps remain and drizzle over the berries.
- Stir constantly and cook for 1 more minute.
- Remove from the heat, transfer to a bowl and let cool down.
- Store in the refrigerator for up to a week in a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid or another type of airtight container. It can also be frozen for a month. Defrost at room temperature.
Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and make sure you have ingredients at the right temperatures, equipment needed, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Cherries: fresh seasonal cherries are always the best option, but you can make it with frozen cherries. They have more water content so they soften quicker. Cook them over low heat to avoid breaking them much.
- Make ahead: this sweet cherry sauce can be kept in the refrigerator for a week and in the freezer for a month, always in an airtight container. I like mason jars for the fridge and plastic containers for the freezer.
- Flavorings: I love lemon for this recipe, but orange juice goes very well too. You can also add a pinch of cinnamon or pure almond extract, two flavors that pair well with cherries.
- Sweetness: you can add up to 1/4 cup more of sugar if you want a sweeter sauce.
- Syrup: if you like to go heavy on the amount of syrup, double the amount of water and add 1 tablespoon cornstarch total. If you have a lot of leftover syrup it's great for pancakes, muesli or oatmeal, waffles, and drinks.
- Thicker topping: if you want a firmer cherry topping, use a little less water or none at all and only use juice. I've done it several times, especially when using it for cheesecakes.
- Serving it: it's a delicious cherry topping for cheesecakes, waffles, buttermilk pancakes, chocolate and vanilla ice cream, and french toast. I also love a thick slice of pound cake with cherry sauce on the side and some whipped cream. If you're into sweet and savory dishes, this is an excellent idea with pork chops (you can add some balsamic vinegar to the cherry mixture for more punch).
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Sauces
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: International
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/
- Calories: 76
- Sugar: 15.8 g
- Sodium: 1.7 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.5 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg