Homemade Cherry Cordials
Making cherry cordials at home is easy. A sweet syrup and maraschino cherry are encased in a chocolate shell. So when you bite into it, you get all the sweetness from the syrup and the cherry. These cherry cordials are famous for the holiday season!
These chocolate-dipped cherries are easy to make. The hardest part is trying not to eat them all in one sitting. Whip these up for gifting loved ones or adding to treat trays you make.
Another recipe to check out is my popular cinnamon rock candy. This is very popular to make, and boy, is it delicious. Crockpot peanut butter candy is another great recipe, as is this saltine cracker candy. Both of these recipes have been around for years.
Ingredients For Cherry Cordials
See the recipe card at the bottom of the post for all ingredients and quantities.
Maraschino Cherries: You will want to reach for stemless cherries. You will want to drain them from the juice and dry them on a towel.
Powdered Sugar: The sugar will help make the filling that surrounds your cherry smooth and creamy!
Butter: Real butter is recommended, as it helps add flavor and breaks down the sugar mixture properly.
Corn Syrup: A light corn syrup is recommended. This will help hold all the ingredients together and ensure the sugar doesn't crystalize as it sits.
Chocolate: You will use almond bark to coat your cherries. Then, I used candy melts in red and green to drizzle over the chocolate cherries to add more color. That portion is optional.
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Substitutions and Variations
- To make this a lower-sugar dessert, you can use sugar-free powdered sugar instead of classic powdered sugar. The same goes for the chocolate for dipping.
- If you want to swap the butter for coconut oil, you can use it. The texture has changed slightly just now.
- Liquid agave syrup can be used in a swap of corn syrup.
- You can melt your favorite chocolate and add a tablespoon of coconut oil to the chocolate to help it set up hard. This can be used to replace the almond bark.
- You do not have to drizzle with colored chocolate, and you can change the colors if you want.
- Soak the cherries in bourbon or brandy for 1-2 hours before you mix them up. This will make them boozy cherries. Drain off excess juice before adding the other ingredients.
- Try using whatever fruit you would like for the centers. Strawberries, raspberries, or even blueberries would be tasty. These must be refrigerated as the fruit would spoil if left out.
- Sprinkle the top of each cherry with nuts, edible glitter, festive sprinkles, etc. Decorate the cherries as you would like.
NOTE: This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations
How to Make Cherry Cordials
Before we get started, drain the cherries from the juice and spread them out in a single layer on paper towels to dry.
Step 1 - Add the powdered sugar, butter, and corn syrup to a bowl.
Step 2 - Mix with a hand mixer on medium speed to combine the ingredients.
Step 3 - Add a ½ - ¾ tablespoon scoop of the sugar mixture on a parchment-lined rimmed tray. Then, place your cherry in the center of the mix. and roll until the sugar mixture is completely wrapped around the cherry and forms a nice smooth ball.
Repeat these steps until all your cherries are ready, and then place them in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the sugar mixture is firm.
Step 4 - Then you will melt your chocolate until smooth and creamy with no clumps.
Dip the cherry with the sugar mixture in the chocolate and place on the parchment paper. Repeat for all the cherries.
Then, melt the candy and drizzle it over the cherries, if you like. Then, let the chocolate set.
Tips For Success
Make sure the cherries are dry before you place on the sugar fondant mixture. If the cherries are still wet, it will cause the chocolate to not stick when dipped.
You have to ensure you full freeze the mixture so that the cherry and sugar mixture dips into the chocolate properly, holding shape.
Once the chocolates have hardened at room temperature you will then place them in a container and store them in the fridge.
Tap off the excess chocolate once you dip it, so it doesn't pool up around each cherry on the parchment lined tray.
When melting the chocolate make sure to stir the chocolate every 30 seconds. This is important so the chocolate doesn't burn.
Storing
Place your cherries in a single layer and store in an airtight container in the fridge until you are ready to serve them up. I recommend eating within 1-2 weeks of them being made.
Or freeze the cherries for 2-3 months in a freezer friendly container. Then when you want to eat, grab from the freezer or let them thaw first in the fridge for a few hours to overnight.
Recipe FAQs
Freezing can alter the filling just a bit, but for the most part it will taste like it was done fresh. It can be less smooth, but it will still be very similar.
Yes, you can use any type of chocolate: white, milk, dark, almond bark, etc. Just add some coconut oil to the regular chocolate so you get it to set up firm like an almond bark would.
This recipe is made with gluten free ingredients, but just make sure all the ingredients you are buying are certified gluten free.
These cherries are very popular around Christmas and Valentine's day. But they are a delicious treat to enjoy all year round.
If you're looking for more chocolate coated bite-size treats, these No Bake Butterfinger Bites are always a hit along with my German Chocolate Truffles. My personal favorite are these Candy Cane Cheesecake Bites for Christmas and Chocolate Covered Cheesecake Bites for any other time!
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Cherry Cordials
Ingredients
- 20 stemless maraschino cherries drained and dried well.
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup butter melted
- 4 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 pound chocolate almond bark broken up into squares
- ½ cup red candy melts
- ½ cup green candy melts
Instructions
- Drain your cherries and lay out on a paper towel lined plate to dry. You may want to use several paper towels and roll the cherries around on the paper towel.
- In a large bowl, add the powdered sugar, melted butter, and corn syrup. Using a hand mixer on medium speed, beat until combined.
- Scoop out about ½ to ¾ tablespoon of the sugar mixture.
- Place a cherry in the middle of the sugar mixture and roll the mixture around it.
- Once the sugar mixture has completely coated the cherry, roll into a ball.
- Place the sugar coated cherries on a parchment paper lined rimmed baking sheet.
- Repeat with all the cherries.
- Once all of the cherries are coated with the sugar mixture, place them in the freezer for 30 minutes until the sugar mixture is firm.
- While the cherries are firming up, work on the chocolate coating.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, add the chocolate almond bark. Melt the chocolate in 30 second intervals and stir after interval until the chocolate is completely melted and smooth.
- Using 2 forks dip the cherries into the chocolate and place back on the parchment paper. I also like to use a skewer to push the cherry off the fork. I push at the bottom of the ball to avoid making marks in the chocolate.
- Add the red and green candy melts in separate microwave-safe bowls.
- Microwave one bowl at a time in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until each color is completely melted and smooth.
- Spoon each color into a separate sandwich bag and cut a small hole in the corner of each sandwich bag.
- Drizzle the cherries with the red and green candy melts.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
Nutrition
(Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please see a registered dietitian for special diet advice.)
