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These Chocolate Covered Cherries are one of my favorite homemade candy recipes to make during the holidays. They have juicy cherries in the center, a sweet creamy fondant layer, and a rich chocolate coating on the outside. If you love old fashioned Christmas candy recipes, these homemade cherry cordials are such a fun treat to make and share.
5-Star Reviews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“I used to make these years ago and then I lost all of my Christmas magazines along with the recipe. My grown son loved mine and I will surprise him with these for Christmas! Thanks so much for giving this back to my family.” – Cindy
“I had no idea I could make these at home! This recipe was easy to follow and they turn out so delicious. Fabulous for the holidays!” – Wilhilmina
“Oh my gosh! A childhood favorite. Thanks for this classic Christmas recipe. Can’t wait to share it with my family.” – Lisalia
Why I Love These Cherry Chocolates
I have such a soft spot for these homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries because they bring back so many sweet memories. When I was a kid, I used to make them with my mom during the holidays, and now I make them with my own kids. It feels like such an old fashioned kind of candy making, and that is part of why I love it so much. It has turned into one of those traditions we look forward to every year for both Christmas and Valentine’s Day. There is just something special about taking the time to make them from scratch, letting them rest, and then biting into that chocolate shell to find the soft cherry center inside.
🩷 Erica
Why This Recipe Works
Making your own chocolate-covered cherries is easier than you might think, even if you’ve never made homemade chocolate dipped cherries before.
- Better than Store-Bought: Fresh ingredients make all the difference in flavor and texture.
- Perfect for Gifting: These festive candies are a thoughtful, homemade gift.
- Easy to Make: Our detailed instructions with photos make this a beginner-friendly candy recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
• Maraschino cherries: Use pre-pitted maraschino cherries with stems if possible, and dry them very well before wrapping.
• Fondant filling: Butter, corn syrup, and powdered sugar come together to make the soft creamy center around each cherry.
• Chocolate coating: Semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or melting wafers all work well here.
• Oil: A little vegetable oil or coconut oil helps the chocolate melt more smoothly for dipping.
Ingredient Additions and Substitutions
• Chocolate: You can use semi-sweet, milk, dark, or white chocolate depending on the flavor you like best.
• Oil: Vegetable oil and coconut oil both work for thinning the melted chocolate slightly.
• Corn syrup: This helps create the fondant texture. A few readers have asked about swaps, but this is the ingredient I would stick with for the most reliable results.
• Flavor add-ins: A tiny drop of almond extract can be really delicious with cherries.
• Cherries: I like using maraschino cherries with stems because they are easy to dip and give that classic look.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherries
- Prep the Cherries:
Drain the cherries and pat them dry with a paper towel. Set aside on a clean surface.
- Make the Fondant:
Combine softened butter and corn syrup in a stand mixer. Gradually add powdered sugar, then knead until smooth dough forms. You want the dough to be nice and firm. Chill the dough, if necessary.
- Wrap the Cherries:
Flatten about 1 teaspoon of fondant in your palm and wrap it around a cherry, sealing it completely. Repeat until all cherries are covered, as pictured below. Place the cherries on a baking sheet and chill until firm.
- Melt the Chocolate:
Microwave chocolate chips with oil in a 20-second intervals, stirring each time until the chocolate is melted and smooth.
- Dip the Cherries: Hold each cherry by the stem and dip it into the melted chocolate. Let an excess chocolate drip off before placing it on a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
- Let Them Rest:
Allow the cherries to cool at room temperature. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for TWO WEEKS to allow the fondant to liquefy inside the chocolate.
Tips for Success
• Dry the cherries really well or the coating can slide off.
• Use pre-pitted cherries with stems to make dipping easier and give them the classic chocolate covered cherry look.
• Chill the fondant-wrapped cherries before dipping so they hold their shape better.
• Melt the chocolate slowly and stir often so it stays smooth and shiny.
• Be patient with the resting time because that is what creates the soft liquid center.
• Use good quality chocolate. Higher-quality chocolate ensures and smoother coat and better flavor. I like to use Guittard or Ghirardelli chocolate.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are best after about two weeks. That resting time allows the fondant to soften and become more syrupy around the cherry.
Yes, but the center will still be firm. They taste best after the waiting period.
I store them in an airtight container in a cool place. Refrigeration can sometimes affect the chocolate texture.
I do not recommend freezing them because the cherries can expand and crack the fondant and chocolate.
Pre-pitted maraschino cherries with stems are the easiest and give the most classic result.
This usually happens if the chocolate gets heated or cooled too quickly. They will still taste great.
Yes, semi-sweet, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate all work.
Add a little more powdered sugar or chill it until it is easier to handle.
Corn syrup gives the fondant its classic texture, so I would use it if possible for best results.
Make Ahead and Storage
This is a great make ahead candy recipe because it actually gets better as it sits. After dipping, let the chocolate set completely, then place the cherries in an airtight container. Store them in a cool, dry place for up to several weeks. I like making them ahead for Christmas candy trays, neighbor gifts, and Valentine’s treats.
More Cherry Recipes
If you loved this recipe, it’s just the cherry on top! Check out these other delicious treats featuring cherries:
- Chocolate Cherry Cake
- Mini Cherry Cheesecakes
- Alligator Jaws with Cherry Buttercream
- Cherry Limeade Cupcakes
- Easy Chocolate Cake with Cherry Topping
- Shirley Temple Recipe
If you are looking for a nostalgic homemade candy recipe, these Chocolate Covered Cherries are always a favorite. They are rich, beautiful, gift-worthy, and full of that classic old fashioned flavor that never goes out of style. I love making them with my kids now just like I did with my mom, and I hope they become a tradition in your home too.
If you make these Chocolate Covered Cherries, I would love to hear how they turned out for you. Leave a comment and a star rating below and let me know if you make them for a special occasion. 🍒🩷
Chocolate Covered Cherries
Video
Ingredients
- 36 Maraschino cherries , with stems
- 3 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 18 ounces chocolate chips, semi-sweet or milk chocolate
- 2 teaspoons oil
Instructions
- Drain cherries and set on paper towel to dry
- In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth.
- Stir in powdered sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary.
- Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough.
- Place wrapped cherries on a cookie sheet and chill until firm.
- In a microwave-safe bowl melt chocolate chips with oil for about 20 seconds at a time (stirring each time) until chocolate is just melted and completely smooth. Dip each cherry in by its stem.
- Place dipped cherries on wax paper-lined sheets. Allow chocolate to dry/harden.
- When chocolate is no longer shiny, place chocolate covered cherries in an air-tight container (like a large Tupperware or Rubbermaid container). Store in a cool place for TWO WEEKS (yes, it is a long time, but patience, I promise they taste best if you wait until the fondant softens).
- After two weeks, cherries can be served or gifted in candy wrappers, gift bags, or boxes.
Notes
• If the fondant gets sticky, chill it before wrapping more cherries.
• The two week rest is what gives the centers that classic soft texture.
• Do not freeze these if you want the coating to stay intact.
• A small drop of almond extract can add a nice cherry cordial flavor.
• Good quality chocolate makes a big difference in taste and texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can you use coconut oil for the 2tsp oil?
Yes, it actually works great 🙂
Mine looked fantastic, but when I let them cool completely and then took them off the wax paper, the bottoms all looked like they had expanded and pushed the chocolate out, letting the fondant poke through!! 🙁 Not sure what I did wrong! They aren’t sticking, as they come off the wax paper super easily. Might try dipping them and then placing them straight into mini cupcake liners and hoping the bottoms stay sealed!
Hmmm.. not sure what could have happened there :/ what elevation are you at? Do you live in a place with high humidity?
Can you use fresh strawberries in place of the cherries?
No– you definitely need to use the jars of cherries. The strawberries will not last
I wrap mine in marzipan, and then dip in Milk chocolate…delicious
My fondant is sticky, do I add more sugar. I can’t flatten it out to wrap cherries
Yes, if it is too sticky you can add more sugar so it is more like a soft play-dough consistency
How much semi-sweet chocolate do you use if you don’t use the chips? Recipe sounds great. Plan on making these soon. Thanks for this recipe.
You will want to do 18-20 oz.
What purpose does the oil in the chocolate serve
It keeps it nice and smooth 🙂
I like making food baskets for Christmas gifts. I start making my holiday treats in advance, then freeze the treats until Christmas. What is the best way to store the chocolate covered cherries if I make them 6 to 8 weeks in advance, and can I store them for an extended time?
Thank you
I haven’t stored them for more than just a couple weeks after they are finished setting so I don’t know how they will last after 6-8 weeks. I would imagine they would probably be fine if they were kept in a cool place in an air-tight container.
I make my own chocolate from scratch it takes longer but turns out a lot better than any store bought kind. Thanks for another recipe. My family is going to drive me crazy. Cause now I’m going to have to make about 25 dozen.
Wow – 25 dozen!?! That is a lot of cherry chocolates, especially when you are making your own chocolate. That is amazing. You are so nice to do that much work for your family. I hope they appreciate it!
My grandmother added coconut. Yummy
Just finished making these. Definitely, definitely use cherries with stems. It was a pain in the behind to dip them without. Also, I had to double the recipe to cover 60 cherries.
I found that I had to use extra fondant when I used cherries without stems as well. When you use cherries with stems it doesn’t take as much. They will be worth it!
Help….my fondant is sticky and I couldn’t knead it…I doubled the dose and I’ve put it in the freezer…tried more ps. ..little flour….
Sometimes doubling can make things tricky. Let me know how yours turns out by adding more sugar and flour
Can the cherries be placed in mini baking cups instead of putting on the wax paper?
If that is what you want to do, I am sure it would be fine!
just finished making these had a hard time with them they were falling about when I dipped them in the chocolate they look very messy oh well as long as they taste good
They should set up nicely. How were they falling apart?
Try putting them in the freezer on a parchment lined cookie sheet before dipping them. Hold together better and the chic sets up faster. Your chocolate may have been too hot, melting the fondant and making it gooey.
Can I add a little cherry juice when wrapping it in the fondant? A chocolate store has the cherries that when you bite into them cherry juice runs out.
We haven’t tried it that way.. if you try it let us know how it turns out!
So does this recipe make the kind of chocolate covered cherries with the white cream liquid? How do you make them with the clear liquid? Thanks!
Yes, that is why it takes 2 weeks to set.. the fondant liquifies and gets extra creamy
You can also speed up the process by putting a bit if Invertase in your fondant. That is what some candy makers use. You can find it on line.
That’s awesome! I am going to try that!!
These sound great
Do they have to set for 2 weeks. Or that’s the storage time? Watching to make but don’t have that much storage space in refrigerator
It takes 2 weeks to set so the fondant has time to liquify… after 2 weeks they will taste the best
They don’t need to be in the fridge. Just leave them on top of the fridge for two weeks and they’ll be perfect. 🙂
Erica said to let them set up for 2 wks at room temp – not frig. ☺
Whst is the purp use of wrapping them. Why not just dip them in chocolate
If you just dip them in chocolate the center won’t be creamy
Do you have to wait 2 weeks to eat them?
They taste the best that way, yes