Old Fashioned Chocolate Covered Cherries

4.95 from 35 votes
158 Comments

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Plump cherries, creamy liquid center, rich milk or dark chocolate… What more could you ask for? These homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries are the perfect little gift to give to friends and family this Christmas.

Gift boxes of Chocolate Covered Cherries and a plate of Chocolate Covered Cherries.
Featured with this recipe
  1. Ingredients in Chocolate Covered Cherries
  2. Step-by-Step Instructions
  3. Frequently Asked Questions
  4. What Our Readers Are Saying
  5. More Cherry Recipes
  6. How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherries
  7. Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe

If you’ve never made homemade candy before, this is an easy recipe to start out with! All you need are a few ingredients and a little patience.

Ever since we started making these homemade chocolates, we have ditched the store chocolate forever. They’re SO much better than what you can buy at the store.

Also, be sure to check out our other Chocolate recipes, like Mint Chocolate Fudge, See’s Fudge Recipe, Easy Chocolate Truffles, and more. They’ll definitely provide satisfaction to your sweet tooth cravings!

Stand with Chocolate Covered Cherries and other Chocolate Covered Cherries in mini cupcake liners.


Ingredients in Chocolate Covered Cherries

If you’ve never made homemade candy before, these chocolate-covered cherries are an easy recipe to start out with! All you need are a few ingredients an a little patience.

  • Maraschino cherries – this recipe will make 36 chocolate covered cherries. Make sure to find the pre-pitted maraschino cherries with the stems still attached. You’ll drain all of the maraschino cherry juice and let the cherries dry.
  • Butter – just about three tablespoons, and make sure it’s softened to room temperature.
  • Corn syrup – this adds a sticky sweet texture to the candy mixture. Sometimes I like to add a tiny bit of almond extract for added flavor.
  • Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioners’ sugar, be sure to sift the sugar to make it light and airy.
  • Chocolate chips – Or chocolate candy melts. About a bag and a half is perfect. You can use semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate, white chocolate, or even dark chocolate.
  • Oil – vegetable oil works great, but you can use coconut oil too.
Chocolate chips, cherries, sugar, syrup, oil and butter to make Chocolate Covered Cherries.

Step-by-Step Instructions

  1. First, drain the cherries of all their juices and set on a paper towel to dry.
  2. Next, combine the softened butter and corn syrup in a stand mixer and beat until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and then either use a dough hook or your hands to knead until the mixture forms a dough. You may need to chill the dough until it’s nice and firm.
  3. Then, flatten out about a teaspoon of the dough in your palms (pictured below) and wrap each cherry. Place on a tray or cookie sheet and pop them into the fridge or freezer until they’re firm.
  4. Meanwhile, melt chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl combined with the oil for about 20 seconds at a time (stirring each time) until the chocolate is just melted and completely smooth.
  5. Dip each cherry into the chocolate (while holding onto the stem) and place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or parchment paper. You can try to gently shake off the excess chocolate too. Then let them cool at room temperature, do not put them in the refrigerator or it will ruin the chocolate.
  6. And now for the hard part: leave them alone! Place in an airtight container and store in a cool place for TWO WEEKS (I know, right?) But I promise the chocolate cordials taste best if you wait until the fondant softens, which is a couple of weeks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do cherry cordials last?

After the two weeks of waiting time, these chocolate covered cherries will stay good and fresh for several weeks. Just make sure to store them in tightly covered jars or another airtight container at room temperature or in the fridge.

Can I freeze chocolate covered cherries?

No, these candies don’t do well when frozen. Because of all the moisture in the fruit, the cherries expand when they freeze, cracking the fondant and chocolate layers. They’ll taste okay, but they won’t look pretty and you run the risk of the creamy center oozing out once they thaw.

Can I eat the cherry cordials before the two week set-up time?

Sure you can! But the fondant won’t have time to liquify inside the chocolate shell, so it just won’t taste as good. Sneak a taste, then put the rest away until they’re prime for eating.

Do chocolate covered cherries have alcohol in them?

Some people make them with liquor, most common are brandy or rum.

READ NEXT:Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods

Plate of Chocolate Covered Cherries next to gift boxes of chocolate covered cherries.

What Our Readers Are Saying

“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

More Cherry Recipes

If you love the flavor of cherries, try a few of our favorite treats using this juicy fruit.

How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherries

Stand with Chocolate Covered Cherries and other Chocolate Covered Cherries in mini cupcake liners.

Chocolate Covered Cherries

4.95 from 35 votes
These old-fashioned Chocolate Covered Cherries are a favorite of ours around Christmas. They make the sweetest gift for friends and family.
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 0 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course candy
Cuisine American
Servings 36 chocolates

Video

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
    Cherries drying on a paper towel for Chocolate Covered Cherries.
  • In a medium bowl, combine butter and corn syrup until smooth.
    Bowl of butter and Caro syrup mixture to make Chocolate Covered Cherries.
  • Stir in powdered sugar and knead to form a dough. Chill to stiffen if necessary.
    Ball of white fondant in a bowl for inner layer of Chocolate Covered Cherries.
  • Wrap each cherry in about 1 teaspoon of dough.
    Hand holding a cherry on top of the fondant circle for Chocolate Covered Cherries.
  • Place wrapped cherries on a cookie sheet and chill until firm.
    Baking sheet of fondant covered cherries for Chocolate Covered Cherries.
  • 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.
    Hand dipping fondant cherry into a bowl of melted chocolate for Chocolate Covered Cherries.
  • Place dipped cherries on wax paper-lined sheets. Allow chocolate to dry/harden.
    Tray of freshly dipped Chocolate Covered Cherries.
  • 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)
    Chocolate Covered Cherries being stored in a Tupperware container.
  • After two weeks, cherries can be served or gifted in candy wrappers, gift bags, or boxes.
    Plate of Chocolate Covered Cherries next to gift boxes of chocolate covered cherries.

Nutrition Information

Calories: 93kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 4mgSodium: 16mgPotassium: 1mgFiber: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 0.1mgCalcium: 13mgIron: 0.1mg

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About the author

Erica Walker

Erica lives in Boise, Idaho with her husband, Jared, an attorney, and her three beautiful girls. Beyond the world of recipes, she loves adventuring with everything from kayaking, to cruising, to snowboarding and taking the family along for the thrill ride.

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Comments

  1. I’ve been looking for a recipe like this one for a while now. Thank you for posting it! I have one question. I will be hosting a candy making day, and want to have everything prepped in advance. Do you think it would be okay to make up the fondant the day before and keep it in the refrigerator until ready to use? TYIA!

    1. I haven’t tried that before, so I can’t guarantee anything. However, if you do try it, I would recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap and storing it in an airtight container in the fridge.

      1. Unfortunately, we don’t recommend that! They can expand and actually burst if kept in the freezer. The fat from the chocolate can also create white spots on the outside if they are frozen.

      2. I make hundreds of them every oct/nov and freeze them for Christmas. I’ve been doing this for about 10 years now and never have and issues, plus once I take them out of the freezer and thaw them on the counter the fondant breaks down and makes them creamy/liquid filling.

  2. How cool of a temp do they need to set at? I have an outdoor refrigerator i was going to turn up as high as it will go (around 48*) and put them in Tupperware containers in there??

  3. I made a sample batch a week ago. They have been sitting, covered and the chocolate is changing colors. I’m nervous to make a huge batch for people to have the chocolate go bad. Suggestions? Thanks in advance.

    1. What color is it changing to? If it is turning white, it probably isn’t mold. Chocolate can sometimes “bloom” which means some of the fat separates from the sugar and pushes to the surface. It doesn’t affect the taste. To avoid blooming, make sure they are stored chilled and don’t get too warm at any point in the process.

  4. I made these a couple of weeks ago. The center did not liquefy. Maybe I used to much fondant to wrap the cherries in? Disappointed. They taste good though.

  5. Could I use agave instead of corn syrup, my granddaughter is allergic to both rice and corn, I also have homemade marshmallow fondant if that would work

    1. We haven’t tried it that way before, so I can’t definitively say how it will affect the recipe. Let us know how it turns out if you do try it, though!

  6. Can’t wait to try these cherries. I was wondering if the current published ingredients (3 Tbspn corn syrup/2 cups powdered sugar) is the one that was edited for 60 cherries or the original recipe for 36, as someone commented about.

    1. I’m so sorry for the confusion. I’m not sure how that was changed back 60. This recipe is for 36 chocolate covered cherries. I’ve corrected it on the recipe. Thank you so much for letting us know!

  7. 5 stars
    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

    1. Cindy, we love getting comments like this! I’m so happy this recipe will bring back a family tradition. Please let us know how your son likes them! What a fun surprise! 🙂

  8. 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?

    1. 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!

    1. Yes, corn syrup is the same as Karo syrup. “Karo” is a brand of corn syrup. Thanks for asking!

  9. 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.

  10. I use those cherries molds. They work really good and no mess. But I don’t have powdered sugar can I use Icing sugar?

    1. 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!

    1. 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!

  11. 5 stars
    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.

  12. 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!