27 Sweet and Sour Cherry Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What to do with too many cherries? ›

Don't worry. Cherries are a surprisingly versatile ingredient. You can, of course, put them into a classic cherry pie, but beyond that, cherries stand up nicely to heat and add a tangy, bright pop to savory dishes. You can roast them, fry them, stir-fry them, and dehydate them.

Tart cherries are bright red in color while sweet cherries tend to be darker red and sometimes even purple. Sweet cherries are also larger than tart cherries. Now, you probably already guessed another difference, the taste! Sweet cherries are obviously sweeter, as they contain more naturally occurring sugars.

The Rainier Cherry

Their insides are a unique yellow, and the fruit is known for its big and plump size, explains Northwest Cherry Growers. Rainier cherries are much sweeter than Bing cherries. Washington State University (WSU) horticulturist Matthew Whiting calls them "tree candy" (via Washington State Magazine).

Tart cherries are classified into two major groupings, morello and amarelle. Amarelle cherries, such as Montmorency, only have red pigment in the fruit skin while the fruit flesh is clear. Morello cherries, such as Balaton®, have red pigment in the fruit skin and throughout the flesh.

A study in 10 women found that eating 2 servings (10 ounces or 280 grams) of sweet cherries after an overnight fast lowered levels of the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) and significantly reduced uric acid levels 5 hours after consumption ( 17 ).

To start, stick to one serving (1/2 cup or about 7 cherries, depending on their size), see how your gut reacts, and go from there. Take the time to measure them out, so you're not tempted to keep popping them in your mouth—otherwise, you may risk your insides retaliating.

Even the two types of cherries contain different compositions of antioxidants. The concentration of total polyphenols is 30 percent higher in tart cherries, while sweet cherries contain 300 percent more anthocyanins, according to Kelley.

Sweet cherries have better anti-inflammatory properties than their tart counterparts. They contain more considerable amounts of anthocyanin phytonutrients, a compound that gives cherries their signature red hue. This compound has been linked to reduced risks for heart disease, plaque formation, and cancer.

You'll reap cherry benefits regardless of whether you like your stone fruit sweet or sour. Sweet cherries may be more delightful for your tastebuds when you eat them by the handful. Tart cherries are often used in baking. “Aim for one cup of fresh cherries a day or a quarter-cup of dried ones,” suggests Sedlacek.

Rainier cherries are considered a premium sweet cherry variety as they are only produced in limited quantities each season and are difficult to cultivate.

What is the best tasting bush cherry? ›

Possibly the sweetest of any bush cherry, Juliet bears large crops of standard sized cherries that are as sweet as a sweet cherry! While many bush cherries are more similar to a pie cherry Juliet is sweet enough to eat fresh!

Sweet cherry varieties, such as Bing, Rainier, and Lapins, are best for eating fresh due to their sweet and juicy flesh. On the other hand, bakers prefer tart cherry varieties, including Montmorency and Morello, for making pies and preserves because of their tangy flavor and firm texture.

Differences between Morello and sweet cherries

The pulp of these cherries is almost always white, although a few varieties of Morello cherries have red pulp. Sweet cherries have an extensive range of red hues, varying all the way to black, which are known as Amarena cherries.

Morellos are sour cherries, a bit too tart to eat raw but excellent in cooked dishes. Their July season is short and they're not easy to buy, so grab them if you get the chance.

morello in American English

(məˈrelou) nounWord forms: plural -los. 1. a variety of sour cherry having dark-colored skin and juice.

Pat dry with kitchen towels or paper towels. Remove the stems. Pit the cherries, either with a cherry pitter or by halving them and pulling out the pit. Spread out the pitted cherries in a single layer on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and place in the freezer until solid.

Cherries will keep in the freezer for 6 months, or up to a year in a deep freezer. I froze approximately 54 cherries, and that yielded one quart size bag of frozen cherries.

The easiest way to freeze cherries is to wash them, blot them dry gently with a paper towel and then arrange them on a cookie sheet. Place them in the freezer for a couple of hours. Then take and seal them in zip-loc bags and place them back in the freezer. You can pull them out at any time to eat them.

Freezing fresh cherries for later use keeps the sweet taste of summer around. And it's super easy to do—all you need is a freezer. You can eat them straight out of the freezer for a cooling snack on a sweltering summer day.