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Home » Seasonal Guides » Cherries

Modified: Mar 2, 2022 by Vee

Cherries

Jump to:
  • When are cherries in season?
  • How to tell when a cherry is ripe
  • Rainier cherries
  • What is the difference between sweet and sour cherries?
  • Nutrition & benefits
  • What are the best cherries for pies?
  • Seasonal recipes
  • Sour cherry recipes

When are cherries in season?

Cherry season starts as early as mid-April in California and ends in August in Washington. Michigan also grows 20% of the country's sweet cherry crop, with a very short season almost entirely in July.

AprMayJunJulAug
Californiaxxpeakx
Washingtonxxpeakx
Michiganxpeak
When sweet cherries are in season

Sweet cherry trees can survive the cold winters in northern climates, but the flowers often get hit by a late frost (except on Michigan's lake front). They also don't like the heat of Southern climates.

If you can't find cherries at your local farmers markets, you're still in luck. They actually ship quite well, unlike other stone fruits (peaches, nectarines, etc) and usually arrive at stores within 2 days of being picked. This means you should be able to find high quality cherries in any part of the country.

That being said, cherries only ripen on the tree. When they are picked early, they don't have a much time to develop a full flavor or get really sweet. On top of that, cherries convert their sugars into starch once harvested. This causes a decline in sweetness the longer they are stored, which can be slowed with refrigeration.

In 2021, the cherry harvest from Washington State was pretty bad due to the extreme heat waves. It was noticeable in grocery stores throughout the US as damaged cherries were shipped, looking wrinkled and overripe. Here's to hoping for a better season for 2022.

See what else is in season at the same time: April, May, June, July, and August.

How to tell when a cherry is ripe

Ripe, quality cherries should have the following characteristics:

  • Firm (squishy cherries are over ripe)
  • Plump (wrinkled skin is a sign of decline)
  • If stems are attached, they should be fresh and green-ish (dry or brown stems are a sign they were picked a while ago and won't be as tasty)
  • Color: dark sweet cherries should be very dark red or black. Rainier cherries should be a bright yellow with blush red.
Dark sweet cherry ripe when black (like bing, stella, and chelan)
Bing cherries picked too soon (left) and perfectly ripe (right)

Cherries do not ripen after harvest from the tree. In fact, they convert their sugars to starch after harvest. This is why fresh, tree-ripened cherries taste so much better.

Store cherries, unwashed, in a plastic bag in the fridge and they will last about a week.

Rainier cherry

Rainier cherries

The yellow-red Rainier cherries are prized for their lower acidity and sweeter flavor.

They also tend to be more watery than the dark sweet cherries, so keep them in mind when making or cooking with them.

Rainier cherries are usually more expensive for several reasons. They are more susceptible to bad weather conditions, bruise easier, and have a shorter harvest window. All of these combined raise their costs.

What is the difference between sweet and sour cherries?

Sweet cherries: These are better than sour cherries for eating fresh. They also work great in salads and in baking.

Bing cherries have a deep red color when ripe. Rainier cherries are yellowish with red blushes and are sometimes a bit more sweet than Bing and less acidic. These are commonly found in stores and farmers markets.

Tart (aka sour) cherries: These are most commonly used for juices, jams, and drying. Fresh sour cherries are rarely found in grocery stores but you might luck out at the farmers markets. They have a shorter season (usually mid-June through July) and spoil easier.

Nutrition & benefits

Cherries, 1 cup with pits

Nutrition Facts
Cherries, 1 cup with pits
Amount per Serving
Calories
57
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
1
g
2
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Potassium
 
202
mg
6
%
Carbohydrates
 
15
g
5
%
Fiber
 
2
g
8
%
Sugar
 
12
g
13
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
58
IU
1
%
Vitamin C
 
6
mg
7
%
Calcium
 
12
mg
1
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Nutrition & other information

  • Cherries are 12% sugar by weight. To compare:
    • Peaches: 10%
    • Grapes: 16%
    • Apples: 10%
    • Strawberries: 6%
  • Cherry pits are poisonous, but cases are very rare (more information at Bon Appetit)
  • Cherries have almond, clove, and floral aromas that get stronger when cooked. This is why you often see cherries paired with almonds when baking

What are the best cherries for pies?

You can use tart / sour cherries, sweet cherries, or a mix of both. But you'll want to treat each type differently.

Sour cherry pie recipes use about 50% more sugar to balance out the tarter fruit. Since fresh sour cherries can be hard to find, many recipes have instructions for using frozen packages as well. If you use frozen, be sure to thaw and drain them or the pie will be soupy.

Sweet cherries also make excellent pies and this is what I always use (because I have a cherry tree in my back yard). The pies are delicious.

A note about color: when you cut open your cherries, if the flesh is more pale than red, the cherries might cook down into a pale red, slightly brown filling (rather than the typical deep-red filling). You can do one of two things to make sure that doesn't happen:

  • Add a couple drops of food dye
  • Take a handful of cherries and half of a peeled plum (which is full of natural red dye) and blend it up. Mix that in with your cherry filling before cooking.

Cherry pie recipes

Classic cherry pie recipe by Sallys Baking Addiction
Classic cherry pie
Cherry galette with almond crust recipe by The Road to Honey
Cherry galette with almond crust
Mulled cherry bomb pie recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Mulled cherry bomb pie
Classic cherry crisp recipe by House of Nash Eats
Classic cherry crisp
Cherry rhubarb pie recipe by The Floured Table
Cherry rhubarb pie
Bourbon cherry crisp recipe by Sallys Baking Addiction
Bourbon cherry crisp

Seasonal recipes

The majority of these recipes call for sweet cherries, which are readily available at the farmers market or grocery store. The last section of recipes call for sour cherries which can be found fresh at some farmers markets, but rarely fresh at the grocery store.

Breakfast

Whole wheat cherry almond streusel muffins recipe by My Diary of Us
Whole wheat cherry almond streusel muffins
Cherry vanilla dark chocolate overnight oats by Recipe Runner
Cherry vanilla dark chocolate overnight oats
Baked cherry oatmeal recipe by Rhubarbarians
Baked cherry oatmeal
Yogurt parfait with cherries recipe by Jessica Gavin
Yogurt parfait with cherries
Homemade cherry pop tarts recipe by Kitchen Confidante
Homemade cherry pop tarts
Chocolate cherry muffins recipe by Sallys Baking Addiction
Chocolate cherry muffins

Appetizers

Cherry, brie, and bacon grilled quesadilla recipe by Use Your Noodles
Cherry, brie, and bacon grilled quesadilla
Summer cheese board recipe by Damn Delicious
Summer cheese board
Vanilla bean pickled cherries recipe by Garlic & Zest
Vanilla bean pickled cherries
Honey, thyme, and sweet cherry grilled brie recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Honey, thyme, and sweet cherry grilled brie
Cherry ricotta bruschetta recipe by Kevin is Cooking
Cherry ricotta bruschetta
Grilled cherry salsa recipe by How Sweet Eats
Grilled cherry salsa

Salads

Grilled romaine and corn salad with pickled cherries & shallots recipe by Heather Christo
Grilled romaine and corn salad with pickled cherries & shallots
Sunflower seed, kale, and cherry salad with savory granola recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Sunflower seed, kale, and cherry salad with savory granola
Cherry caprese salad recipe by California Grown
Cherry caprese salad
Grilled flank steak and cherry salad recipe by My Diary of Us
Grilled flank steak and cherry salad
Pickled cherry and farro salad recipe by Feasting at Home
Pickled cherry and farro salad
Balsamic grilled cherry, blueberry, goat cheese, and candied hazelnut salad recipe by Two Peas & Their Pod
Balsamic grilled cherry, blueberry, goat cheese, and candied hazelnut salad
Cherry tabbouleh salad recipe by Floating Kitchen
Cherry tabbouleh salad
Cherry, arugula, and quinoa salad recipe by Cooke + Kate
Cherry, arugula, and quinoa salad

Lunch & dinner

Cherry braised beef brisket with creamy mashed potatoes recipe by Use Your Noodles
Cherry braised beef brisket with creamy mashed potatoes
Cherry orange chicken salad with candied walnuts recipe by Goldilocks Kitchen
Cherry orange chicken salad with candied walnuts
Cherry basil provolone grilled cheese recipe by Cotter Crunch
Cherry basil provolone grilled cheese
Cherry roasted honey chicken recipe by Kevin is Cooking
Cherry roasted honey chicken
Cherry maple glazed salmon recipe by Kevin is Cooking
Cherry maple glazed salmon
Grilled cherry, goat cheese, and arugula pizza by Recipe Runner
Grilled cherry, goat cheese, and arugula pizza
Smoked ancho chile steaks with drunken burst cherries & burrata recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Smoked ancho chile steaks with drunken burst cherries & burrata
Whitefish with cherry salsa recipe by The View from Great Island
Whitefish with cherry salsa
Grilled pork tenderloin with peach-cherry salsa recipe by Floating Kitchen
Grilled pork tenderloin with peach-cherry salsa
Pulled pork with cherry chipotle bbq sauce recipe by How Sweet Eats
Pulled pork with cherry chipotle bbq sauce

Black forest inspired

Black forest overnight oats recipe by A Virtual Vegan
Black forest overnight oats
Buckwheat crepes with roasted cherries & chocolate recipe by Snixy Kitchen
Buckwheat crepes with roasted cherries & chocolate
Black forest tart recipe by Broma Bakery
Black forest tart
Black forest pancakes recipe by Closet Cooking
Black forest pancakes
Black forest cupcakes recipe by Cooking Classy
Black forest cupcakes
Mini black forest cakes recipe by Sugar Hero
Mini black forest cakes

Frozen desserts

Cherry frozen yogurt by Simply Recipes
Cherry frozen yogurt
Roasted cherry bourbon milkshakes with hot fudge recipe by How Sweet Eats
Roasted cherry bourbon milkshakes with hot fudge
Cherry basil sorbet by Kitchen Confidante
Cherry basil sorbet
Roasted cherry cheesecake popsicles recipe by The Road to Honey
Roasted cherry cheesecake popsicles
Cherry Nutella ice cream recipe by My Diary of Us
Cherry Nutella ice cream
Roasted cherry vanilla ice cream with bourbon & chocolate recipe by the Bojon Gourmet
Roasted cherry vanilla ice cream with bourbon & chocolate

Pies & crisps

Classic cherry pie recipe by Sallys Baking Addiction
Classic cherry pie
Cherry galette with almond crust recipe by The Road to Honey
Cherry galette with almond crust
Mulled cherry bomb pie recipe by Half Baked Harvest
Mulled cherry bomb pie
Classic cherry crisp recipe by House of Nash Eats
Classic cherry crisp
Cherry rhubarb pie recipe by The Floured Table
Cherry rhubarb pie
Bourbon cherry crisp recipe by Sallys Baking Addiction
Bourbon cherry crisp

Other desserts

Salted dark chocolate covered cherries recipe by Fork in the Road
Salted dark chocolate covered cherries
Flourless chocolate cherry cake recipe by Kitchen Sanctuary
Flourless chocolate cherry cake
Grilled cherry shortcake recipe by California Grown
Grilled cherry shortcake
Cherry cheesecake recipe by California Grown
Cherry cheesecake
Bourbon-soaked cherry banana bread recipe by Broma Bakery
Bourbon-soaked cherry banana bread
Simple cherry pastry pies receip by Sallys Baking Addiction
Simple cherry pastry pies

Do it yourself

Small batch amaretto cherry jam recipe by Little Sugar Snaps
Small batch amaretto cherry jam
Homemade Luxardo (Maraschino) cherries recipe by A Nerd Cooks
Homemade Luxardo (Maraschino) cherries
Cherry jam (no pectin) recipe by Curry Trail
Cherry jam (no pectin)
Cherry preserves (not canned) recipe by Striped Spatula
Cherry preserves (not canned)
Bourbon-soaked cherries recipe by Gimme some Oven
Bourbon-soaked cherries
Cherry chile sauce recipe by Savory Spin
Cherry chile sauce
Homemade cherry syrup recipe by Wonky Wonderful
Homemade cherry syrup
Homemade cherry pie filling recipe by House of Nash Eats
Homemade cherry pie filling

Drinks & cocktails

Drunken cherry martini recipe by Garlic & Zest
Drunken cherry martini
Honey sweetened fresh cherry limeade recipe by Vanilla and Bean
Honey sweetened fresh cherry limeade
Chocolate covered cherry iced lattes recipe by Yes to Yolks
Chocolate covered cherry iced lattes
Roasted cherry & sage lemonade cocktail recipe by Nutmeg Nanny
Roasted cherry & sage lemonade cocktail
Cherry almond mocha smoothie recipe by Baking a Moment
Cherry almond mocha smoothie
Rainier cherry mojito recipe by Cookie + Kate
Rainier cherry mojito

Sour cherry recipes

Tart cherry chocolate tart recipe by Love & Olive Oil
Tart cherry chocolate tart
Tart cherry Eton Mess with poppy seed almond meringues recipe by the Bojon Gourmet
Tart cherry Eton Mess with poppy seed almond meringues
Tart cherry fondant creams recipe by Love & Olive Oil
Tart cherry fondant creams
Sour cherry almond bars recipe by The View from Great Island
Sour cherry almond bars
Sour cherry sorbet recipe by Heather Christo
Sour cherry sorbet
Sour cherry galette recipe by How Sweet Eats
Sour cherry galette

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