Old Fashioned Chocolate Covered Cherries are a favorite of ours around Christmas. They make the sweetest gift for friends and family.
How Long Do Chocolate Covered Cherries Take to Set Up?
These Old Fashioned Chocolate Cherries are such a fun candy to make and give away at Christmastime. But it’s important to remember they take TWO WEEKS to set up completely. A little time intensive, but they are so worth the effort! True old fashioned chocolate cherries turn into a creamy smooth center once they’re set. So start prepping now; they are so delicious!
How Long Do Old Fashioned Chocolate Covered Cherries Last?
How Long Do Old Fashioned Chocolate Covered Cherries Last?Another tip from us to you is this: hide these candies in a place where your family can’t find them and snitch until they are completely ready. A nook in the garage, on the high shelf in the kitchen, wherever. Just don’t forget where they are! A couple of Christmases went by where we forgot to retrieve our yummy treats. But it’s okay because these goodies will stay good and fresh until Valentine’s Day.
More Cherry Recipes
If you love cherries, try a few of our favorite treats using this juicy fruit.
- Chocolate Cherry Cake – this is a tasty pudding based cake.
- Microwave Cherry Crunch – easy to make and cooks in the microwave for a fast dessert.
- Cherry Vanilla Cookies – like chocolate chip, but better!
- Mini Cherry Cheesecakes – easy little bite sized cheesecakes.
- Chocolate Cake with Cherry Topping – chocolate cake with cream cheese frosting and cherry topping.
- Alligator Jaws – one of my favorite cherry recipes! A triangle shaped doughnut with cherry cream filling.
- Cherry Limeade Cupcakes – a tart yummy cupcake great for any occasion.
12 Days of Christmas Treats
Check out our list of 12 Days of Christmas Treats. You’ll find all of our holiday favorites including:
- Mom’s Christmas Caramels
- Peanut Clusters
- Cinnamon Almonds
- German Chocolate Fudge
- Peppermint Bark Brownies
How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherries
Ingredients
- 36 Maraschino cherries with stems
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1 1/2 bags 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 tsp of dough. 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 and place on wax paper-lined sheets. Place in an air-tight container (like a large tupperware) and 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)!
Adelle says
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.
Erica says
We haven’t tried it that way.. if you try it let us know how it turns out!
veronica says
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
Erica says
They should set up nicely. How were they falling apart?
Celena says
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.
mary says
Can the cherries be placed in mini baking cups instead of putting on the wax paper?
Erica says
If that is what you want to do, I am sure it would be fine!
shauna says
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….
Erica says
Sometimes doubling can make things tricky. Let me know how yours turns out by adding more sugar and flour
Jenna says
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.
Echo says
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!
Gretchen says
My grandmother added coconut. Yummy
Christopher knupp says
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.
Echo says
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!
Stephanie says
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
Erica says
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. You can always freeze them, too, if you are worried about them going bad. Hope this helps!
patricia says
What purpose does the oil in the chocolate serve
Erica says
It keeps it nice and smooth 🙂
Brenda Cathey says
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.
Erica says
You will want to do 18-20 oz.
Kelly says
My fondant is sticky, do I add more sugar. I can’t flatten it out to wrap cherries
Erica says
Yes, if it is too sticky you can add more sugar so it is more like a soft play-dough consistency
Jackie says
I wrap mine in marzipan, and then dip in Milk chocolate…delicious
Jeanne says
Can you use fresh strawberries in place of the cherries?
Erica says
No– you definitely need to use the jars of cherries. The strawberries will not last
Catie says
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!
Erica says
Hmmm.. not sure what could have happened there :/ what elevation are you at? Do you live in a place with high humidity?
Kathy Anderson says
Can you use coconut oil for the 2tsp oil?
Erica says
Yes, it actually works great 🙂
Kathy Anderson says
Can you use coconut oil for the oil?
Maria says
I would imagine that the chocolate would set up perfect if you put coconut oil instead of vegetable oil or whatever ” oil ” it calls for. That’s a great way to make the chocolate shell for ice cream!
Kimberly says
Just finished making these and I am impressed!! Pretty excited! Can’t wait for the two weeks to be up. Thank you for the recipe and easy directions.
Echo says
Just wait until you taste them! You are going to love them!
Norma says
Can you use the almond bark or chocolate bark from Walmart for the dipping chocolate??
Echo says
Yes, you can. The almond bark or chocolate bark already have added wax for easy coating, so you will not need to add the oil. Thanks for asking!
Stella says
I use those cherries molds. They work really good and no mess. But I don’t have powdered sugar can I use Icing sugar?
Echo says
Powdered sugar, icing sugar, and confectioner’s sugar are all the time type of sugar. There are varying textures and degrees of fineness, but they will all work great in this recipe. Thank you for asking Stella!
Jessica says
I’d love to make these as a gift for my father in law but Christmas is 12 days away.. is that enough time?
Erica says
You would be cutting it close :/ You might be ok if you did them tonight.
Jessica says
I’ll try them… worst case scenario he has to wait a few days. Haha thanks for getting back to me!
Doreen says
I cannot fined corn syrup. what can i use please.
Echo says
Hi Doreen, here are some suggestions for making your own corn syrup – and a link to Amazon if you would like to buy it. Thanks for asking!
http://www.tasteofhome.com/cooking-tips/pantry-pointers/substitute-for-corn-syrup
http://www.cakecentral.com/forum/t/677262/uk-equivalent-of-light-corn-syrup
http://amzn.to/2hNQDkq
Terri Sheridan says
What can one use in place of the corn syrup? That crap is POISON!!! Allergies and all, too! I already have to find ORGANIC maraschino cherries. Ugh. Corn syrup sucks. I can SMELL it in foods. Wish one could use something that’s not a commercial by-product. Please let me know. I loved these as a kid, before I was educated on the health problems associated with HFCS and CS. Thank you.
Echo says
Hi Terri,
I read an article recently on Epicurious.com about corn syrup and healthy substitutions in recipes. I have not tried this myself in this recipe, but I really like their ideas, and I think the Brown Rice Syrup would work the best for the Chocolate Covered Cherries. Here is the link to the article:
http://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-substitute-corn-syrup-article
Diane says
My mom used to make these years ago abd used a big slab if chocolate. Is corn syrup the same as Karo surup.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Yes, corn syrup is the same as Karo syrup. “Karo” is a brand of corn syrup. Thanks for asking!
Davey says
Hello I have a bag of dry fondant can I use that ? I only have one mold can I reuse it only holds 12 cherries. Where does clear liquid come from in some candy?
Favorite Family Recipes says
Hi Davey– You will want to use the fondant in our recipe to get the consistency just right. The liquid comes from the fondant reacting with the cherry juices. The fondant will liquify and become soooo good!