DIY Maraschino Cherries

It never even occurred to me to make my own maraschino cherries, but the recipe found HERE on Cupcake Project sounds so delectable, I might have to try it. Whatta better topper for cupcakes and cocktails than the store-bought versions.

There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about a jar of maraschino cherries. They remind me of those childhood “special occasion” sundaes where you’d secretly hope your sibling didn’t want their cherry… because that meant you scored an extra one. These days, I still keep a jar in the fridge, but I’ve started leaning into a little homemade magic. And honestly? DIY maraschino cherries taste like the grown-up, glow-up version of that childhood treat.

If you’ve never made your own before, don’t worry — this isn’t one of those fussy, preserve-like-your-grandmother-depended-on-it kind of recipes. It’s simple, quick, and deeply satisfying for anyone who loves real flavour, pretty jars on the shelf, and knowing exactly what’s going into the things they serve.

Homemade maraschino cherries are perfect for cocktails, mocktails, baking, gifting, or just popping one straight from the jar after the kids wander off to bed. And because we’re skipping the day-glo red dyes, you get something a little more grown-up: ruby, not radioactive.

Why Make Your Own Maraschino Cherries?

Homemade maraschino cherries hit that sweet spot between crafty kitchen fun and “this tastes like something from a boutique small-batch distillery.”

Benefits include:

• Full cherry flavour without the artificial syrup
  • Natural colour from real cherries — no neon required
  • Custom sweetness (less sugar? more sugar? It’s your kitchen)
  • Optional boozy version for cocktails
  • They keep beautifully in the fridge for weeks
  • Perfect for summer entertaining — think spritzes, ice-cream floats, cheesecakes, adult Shirley Temples
  • They make brilliant hostess gifts tied with ribbon or twine

What You’ll Need

• Fresh cherries, pitted
  • Sugar
  • Water
  • Lemon juice
  • A splash of cherry juice if you have it
  • Optional: almond extract or real maraschino liqueur
  • Clean jars with tight lids

The beauty is that the flavour can lean warm and almond-y, tart and bright, or cocktail-ready depending on your choices.

How to Make Homemade Maraschino Cherries

1. Prep your cherries
   Give them a good wash and pit them. I’ve done the chopstick-through-the-stem-hole trick more times than I care to admit — it works.
2. Make the syrup
   Warm water, sugar, lemon juice, and optional cherry juice in a pot. Bring it to a simmer until the sugar dissolves completely. This takes a minute or two and smells heavenly.
3. Add the cherries
   Tip them in gently and let them simmer for about 5–7 minutes. You want them warmed through but still firm enough to hold their shape.
4. Enhance the flavour
   Turn off the heat and stir in almond extract or maraschino liqueur. A tiny splash goes a long way. This is where the magic happens — the flavour shifts from “cherry syrup” to that familiar maraschino vibe.
5. Jar them up
   Using a ladle, spoon the cherries and as much syrup as you like into clean jars. Cool to room temperature before storing.
6. Chill time
   Let them rest in the fridge at least overnight. They get better each day, soaking up every bit of flavour.

Serving Ideas (Beyond the Cocktail Cherry)

Once you make a batch, you’ll start putting them on everything. Here are a few reader-friendly, very-much-CraftGossip ideas:

• Drop them into a weekend spritz or punch bowl
  • Spoon over brownies, chocolate cake, or pavlova
  • Top off homemade vanilla ice cream
  • Add to whipped ricotta on toast
  • Mix into muffins or cherry-chip cakes
  • Serve in a retro ice-cream float for the teens
  • Gift them to neighbours or teachers in tiny jars with a cute tag
  • Stir into fizzy lemonade for a patio drink that looks like summer in a glass

How Long Do They Keep?

Stored in an airtight jar in the fridge, your DIY maraschino cherries will last about 4 weeks. If you’ve added real maraschino liqueur, they often keep even longer. Always use clean spoons and keep them chilled.

A Little Tip From My Own Kitchen

If you really want them to shine in cocktails, save a few cherries and freeze them on baking paper. Pop the frozen cherries straight into drinks — they work like flavourful little ice cubes without watering anything down.

And yes, they are incredibly good in a late-night grown-up glass of Coke. No shame here.