Easy Homemade Cherry Syrup

Adding the flavor of cherries to drinks and baked goods is easy when you make up a batch of this sweet cherry syrup. It calls for just two ingredients (if you don’t count the water!).

Simple syrups are a great way to add flavor to a variety of foods and drinks. This homemade cherry syrup recipe is easy to make and a fun flavor to tuck into the fridge.  

Ingredients

Fresh cherries  — There are a few different kinds of cherries — but most crops are identified as sweet or sour cherries. Either can be used for this syrup. Dark cherries like Bings, Chelans or Lapins will make a black cherry syrup. Lighter varieties like Ranier and Queen Anne will net a lighter syrup. 

Sugar — Use your favorite brand of granulated cane sugar. I prefer organic, as it allows me to avoid GMO ingredients or those that have been dried down with glyphosate. 

Pitting the Cherries (or not)

This recipe can be made with whole cherries or pitted cherries. I opted to remove the pits because I am a “waste nothing” kind of person and knew that I could use the strained cherry pieces in muffins if I did. 

It’s such a small quantity of cherries, I simply halved and manually removed the pits. 

A cherry pitter is a specialized tool used for doing this job, but if you don’t have one, place each cherry atop a narrow-necked bottle (like a wine bottle) with the stem end up. Use a chopstick to push through the stem end, forcing the pit out the other end and down into the bottle. See it here.

Making It

To make this cherry simple syrup, start by thoroughly washing the fruit. Remove the pits or not, as you like. 

Combine the cherries with the water and sugar in a saucepan. 

Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove from heat and allow mixture to sit for about an hour. 

Strain cooked cherries over a measuring cup or small bowl. If you’ve pitted the cherries, retain them for use in another recipe. 

Transfer the finished cherry syrup to a bottle or jar with a sealable lid and refrigerate.

Using this Cherry Syrup

• Add it to tea. This recipe is perfect for adding flavor to hot or iced tea.
• Sparkly drinks. Stir some into iced tea or simply combine it with sparkling water for a fruity cooler. 
• Lemonade. Stir a tablespoon or two into lemonade for a peachy summertime drink. 
• Dessert. Combine it with vanilla ice cream for a milkshake or simply drizzle some over a scoop.
• Baking. Drizzle or brush it on a freshly baked cake to add flavor and help retain moisture. 

FAQs

Can I use frozen cherries? 

Of course! And you don’t even have to thaw them before you make this recipe. Simply measure the frozen fruit into the pot with the water and sugar and bring to a simmer. It will take a bit longer this way, but it’s certainly easy.

Is cherry syrup the same as grenadine?

While they look alike, grenadine is a pomegranate syrup while this one is (obviously) made from cherries. The flavor profile is different, but you can certainly experiment with using different simple syrup recipes in place of the grenadine.

How long will it last? 

This cherry syrup will last in the refrigerator for a month or so. For longer storage, you can freeze it. (Freezing it in ice cube trays creates single serving sizes perfect for adding to drinks.)

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