Sweet Pickled Cherries

These sweet pickled cherries look fancy, but they're surprisingly easy to make. With vanilla, orange peel, and warming spices, they're perfect for cheeseboards, charcuterie boards, gifting, and serving alongside fresh sourdough.

Course Appetizer, Condiment

Cuisine American

Keyword Condiment

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 15

Total Time 1 25

Servings servings

Calories 26kcal

Author Kate Freebairn

Equipment

Small Heavy Based Saucepan
Stainless Steel Ladle
Jar for Storage

Ingredients

100 g White Wine Vinegar
15 g Balsamic Vinegar
50 g Water
60 g Sugar
2 g Salt
½ Vanilla Bean (cut crosswise - see notes for alternative)
1 Star Anise
2 Cardamom Pods
1 Clove
1 Cinnamon Stick
Orange Peel
200 g Cherries (stems removed)

Instructions

Leaving your de-stemmed cherries aside, add all of the other ingredients to a medium saucepan.
Cook on medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is just beginning to bubble, about 7–10 min, stirring a few times. Turn the heat off and let the mixture cool down slightly.
Take out the vanilla bean, squeezing it out into the liquid.
Place half your de-stemmed cherries into your jar. Then add your mulled spices and top with the remaining half of the cherries. Carefully ladle the warm brine into your jar, filling it to the brim. Close the lid and pickle in the fridge for a minimum of 24 hours or up to five days.

Notes

I prefer to keep the pits in my cherries because I like that the fruit stayed firmer a bit longer. When the pits were removed, the cherries became a bit softer.
If you don't have a vanilla bean, use 6.5g vanilla extract after you've turned the heat off.
Don’t be afraid to taste your brine. Give it about 3 minutes on the heat and carefully taste the liquid. From there you can adjust to your liking. If it’s too acidic, add a bit more water and sugar. Are you tasting one spice more than the rest? Remove that spice and add more of the others. The halfway point is a great time to make any subtle adjustments so the brine flavor is just right!
Give the cherries time to soak up the flavors. It’s tempting to eat them straight away but they need at least 24 hours to absorb some of the briny flavor! The longer they sit in the brine, the more flavor they will take on.

Nutrition