• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's

Where Is My Spoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Spring Recipes
  • Recipe Index
  • Sweets
  • About
  • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Spring Recipes
    • Recipe Index
    • Sweets
    • About
    • How To's
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ร—
    Where Is My Spoon > Recipes > Preserves and Canning

    How To Preserve Cherries - Low Sugar

    Published by: Adina July 25, 2015 ยท Last modified: July 10, 2024 9 Comments
    Jump to Recipe
    three jars of canned cherries and fresh fruit in a large sieve.

    How to preserve cherries - the easiest way of preserving cherries, either sweet or sour, in a low-sugar way: only 1 or 2 tablespoons sugar (to taste) per jar.

    how to preserve cherries low sugar
    Jump to recipe
    • What do you need?
    • How to sterilize the jars?
    • How to can the cherries?
    • What to expect?
    • What to do with them?
    • More preserved cherries
    • Recipe
    • How To Preserve Cherries - Low Sugar

    We have a lot of cherries this year. In comparison to last year when we didn't have any.

    Fast forward to July 2018. We never had so many cherries as we have this year. I've made 17 large jars of preserved cherries, made cherry butter, countless Swiss cherry pie, and roasted cherries, and the tree is still heavy.

    People normally preserve sour cherries this way, but I have been preserving my sweet ones like this for years now. But just that you know, sour cherries can be preserved exactly the same way; you might want to add an extra tablespoon of sugar in that case, but it is not mandatory.

    The canning is easy and quick; the only thing a bit annoying about it is โ€“ again- pitting the cherries. I bought this cheap cherry pitter (the Amazon link opens in a new tab) a few years ago, and Iโ€™ve never regretted it.

    how to preserve cherries in a jar

    What do you need?

    • A little sugar, about 2 tablespoons per jar, the jars, and water.
    • Use large jars; it makes no sense to take small jars that only hold a handful of cherries. I usually use jars with a capacity of 800 ml/ 24 fl.oz.
    • You could buy fancy nice jars if you like, but I didn't bother. Clean old jars would do just as well. I usually keep the large gherkins or olive jars; I clean them well, sterilize them before using them, and put all my cherries or preserved apricots in them.

    How to sterilize the jars?

    • I have been using the same jars for years; most of them are recycled jars that used to contain something else. However, I always discard them when the lids are not OK anymore.
    • If using specially bought jars for jams or other preserves, I buy new lids after using them two or three times in a row. Even if these special jars have different capacities, they always need lids of the same size.
    • I always sterilize 2 or 3 more jars than I think I need, just to make sure I have enough ready.

    Steps:

    • Wash the jars and lids thoroughly with soap and warm water before sterilizing them.
    • Preheat the oven to 130 degrees Celsius/ 275 degrees Fahrenheit. Place the jars on a baking tray and put them in the oven for 20 minutes.
    • In the meantime, boil the lids for a few minutes in a small pot full of water. Drain them in a colander and handle them with care; they are hot.
    • So, once you have pitted the fruit and sterilized your jars, fill the cherries into the jars, leaving about 2.5 cm/ 1 inch of space at the top. Add the sugar and fill the jars with water. Put the lid on.
    how to preserve cherries low sugar

    How to can the cherries?

    • To preserve the jars, take the widest pot you have. My pot can hold 5 large jars.
    • Place a clean kitchen towel on the bottom of the pot and arrange the jars in the pot, making sure that they are nicely seated on the towel and that they do not touch each other. Fill the pot with lukewarm water.
    • Bring the water to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low, and boil the jars for 15 minutes.
    • Immediately remove the jars from the pot and leave them cool on a folded kitchen towel.
    • Or use a canner.
    • Store in a cool dark place, a cellar would be perfect.

    What to expect?

    • You should not expect them to be sweet. They are not a dessert to be eaten straight from the jar like you would do with shop-bought ones.
    • If you have them as they are, then preferably on top of another dessert, which will be sweet already.
    • These preserved cherries are meant to be prepared in one way or another before serving. See below for serving suggestions.
    • You can make them sweeter by adding more sugar to each jar.

    What to do with them?

    They keep very well and for quite a long time. The longest I had them was 2 years, and they were perfect. But how to use them all?

    • You can make a cherry sauce and have it on German waffles with whipped cream on the side; this would be a very traditional German way of eating preserved cherries.
    • Make a cherry sauce for pancakes, crepes, ice cream, or on this wonderful dessert Yogurt Bomb.
    • Or serve, either plain or thickened with cornstarch, on top of strained yogurt.
    • Make cakes like this Gooseberry Cheesecake or this Hazelnut Chocolate Banana Cherry Cake.
    how to preserve cherries in a jar

    More preserved cherries

    • Red Wine Cherries
    • Candied Cherries
    • Amaretto Cherries
    • Cherries in Kirsch
    • Cherries in Syrup

    Do you like this recipe?

    Please leave a good rating in the recipe card below. Stay in touch through social media: Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. Donโ€™t forget to tag #whereismyspoon when you try a recipe!

    Recipe

    jars of canned cherries and some fresh cherries on the table.

    How To Preserve Cherries - Low Sugar

    How to preserve cherries - the easiest way of preserving cherries, either sweet or sour, in a low sugar way: only 1 or 2 tablespoons sugar (to taste) per large jar.
    4.34 from 57 votes
    Print Pin Share GrowSaved! Rate
    Course: Preserves and Canning Recipes
    Cuisine: German
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 50 minutes minutes
    Servings: 1 jar
    Calories: 175kcal
    Author: Adina

    Equipment

    • Jars
    • Cherry pitter
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients 

    • cherries Note
    • 1 -2 tablespoons granulated sugar per jar
    • water
    • large jars about 800 ml/ 24 fl.oz capacity

    Instructions

    • Clean the jars thoroughly and as instructed above.
    • Pit the cherries but leave them whole (Note 2).
    • Place the cherries in the jars leaving about 2.5 cm/ 1 inch of space at the top. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons sugar to each jar (to taste).
    • Pour water in each jar to completely cover the cherries. Seal the jars.
    • Can in a canner or water bath (if you don't have a canner). Take a very wide pot. Place a clean, folded kitchen towel inside it. Put as many jars in the pot as they fit, taking care that they don't touch each other. Cover with water and can. Bring the water to a boil and boil the jars for about 15 minutes.
    • Cool jars: Take them out immediately, place them on kitchen towels, and leave them to cool.
    • Store cherries in a cool, dark place (I keep them in the cellar). They will keep for a rather long time; the cherries I preserved 2 years ago were still perfect this summer.

    Notes

    1. Make as many jars as you wish; it all depends on how many cherries you have.ย 
    2. A cherry pitter will make your life easier.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1jar | Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 2g | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 38g
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @adinabeck or tag #WhereIsMySpoon!

    More Simple Preserves and Canning Recipes

    • blood orange jam in a small jar.
      Blood Orange Jam
    • pork roast seasoning on a small plate with a spoon in it.
      Pork Roast Seasoning
    • bowl with dry rub for country style ribs.
      Dry Rub for Country-Style Pork Ribs
    • dry rub for chicken wings on a small plate with a spoon.
      Dry Rub for Chicken Wings

    Sharing is caring!

    463 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Reddit
    • X

    web banner representing all the websites logos that featured our food blog.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jayne says

      July 28, 2023 at 9:34 pm

      5 stars
      Surprisingly, cherries are at a decent price this year. Am in the middle of making the cherry butter and had plenty of cherries left over to preserve. I don't think I'm going to need a lot of sugar for the butter since they are mostly naturally sweet. Thank you so much for the recipes!

      Reply
      • Adina says

        July 29, 2023 at 8:51 am

        Hi Jayne. I am happy to hear it! Thank you for the feedback and the rating.

        Reply
    2. Faith says

      July 17, 2023 at 3:19 pm

      Can I use monk fruit sweetener to replace sugar my husband is diabetic

      Reply
      • Adina says

        July 17, 2023 at 6:08 pm

        Yes, it should be ok. I used xylitol a few times myself.

        Reply
    3. David Holdaway says

      July 07, 2021 at 12:04 pm

      There's a couple of differences with the way I bottle cherries.
      I dissolve the sugar first and fill with sugar water. Also add some lemon juice to the sugar water, it preserves cherry colour better during storage.
      I don't tighten the lids; fill the pan with water to a level where it just doesn't go into the jars. After boiling for +/- 20 mins, tighten the lids after taking out.
      During cooling it will then make a good vacuum seal inside the jars .. better for preservation.

      Reply
      • Adina says

        July 08, 2021 at 7:32 am

        Hi David. Thank you for the feedback.

        Reply
      • Valerie Irvin says

        October 02, 2021 at 6:10 pm

        @David Holdaway, thank you.
        It's good to know.

        Reply
    4. Adina says

      December 10, 2020 at 12:51 pm

      Hi Rachel. Cover the jars with water. You will need quite a large pot and it is preferable to use a can lifter and mittens when you remove the jars from the pot.

      Reply
    5. Rachel says

      December 10, 2020 at 1:51 am

      Hello! When filling the pot with water to cook the cherries, how much water do I put in? Should it entirely cover all the jars, or partially up? Thanks!

      Reply
    4.34 from 57 votes (56 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating





    Primary Sidebar

    Hello! Where Is My Spoon is a blog where you will find delicious and family friendly recipes, all made from scratch. From simple healthy soups to sumptuous cakes for special occasions, all our recipes have been tried and loved by our family and our friends.

    More about me โ†’

    Potluck Recipes

    • bowl with potato salad with dill pickles sprinkled with chives.
      Potato Salad with Dill Pickles
    • napa cabage ramen salad in a gray bowl with sunflower seeds around it.
      Napa Cabbage Ramen Salad
    • feta and spinach triangles close up on a plate.
      Feta and Spinach Triangles
    • cherry loaf cake sliced on a vintage cloth with a knife and fresh fruit around it.
      Fresh Cherry Loaf Cake

    Popular Recipes

    • air fryer frozen chicken breast after cooking, one whole and one sliced piece.
      Frozen Chicken Breast in the Air Fryer
    • juicy, golden brown brats cooked on the stove in a skillet.
      How to Cook Brats on the Stove
    • lifting one piece of baked chicken breast with a spoon.
      How to Bake Frozen Chicken Breast
    • stapled sliced pork belly slices sprinkled with parsley, pool of fat in the back.
      How to Cook Pork Belly Strips

    Footer

    โ†‘ back to top

    Info

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Statement

    Contact

    If you have any questions or want to work with me, please email me @ contact@whereismyspoon.co

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright ยฉ 2025 - Where Is My Spoon. All rights reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.