Summertime means warmer weather, vacations, and an abundance of seasonal produce, including one of our favorites: fresh, sweet cherries. We love baking with cherries—using them in traditional pie and crisp recipes—but they're also delicious with more simple preparations, such as dipping them in melted chocolate.
You may be surprised that cherries work so well in savory dishes, such as a fruit salad dressed with balsamic vinegar and cracked black pepper or as a topping on crostini with a creamy goat cheese. You can also serve cherries over grilled or sautéed fish, which provides a pop of color and burst of sweetness.
Here we're bringing summer's finest sweet cherries centerstage with a handful of scrumptious fresh cherry recipes.
01of 19
Martha's Sour Cherry Pie
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/featured-recipe-marthas-sour-cherry-pie-168-vert-d113085_vert-034626f57f3a457db142b6c4c4898a04.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (1)")
We'd argue that summer isn't complete until you make this sour cherry pie, which is one of Martha's personal favorites. The tang of fresh sour cherries combined with a sweet filling and a buttery pate brisee crust makes each bite delightful.
View Recipe
02of 19
Pear and Sour Cherry Flat Pie
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/pear-and-sour-cherry-flat-pie-A102166-1e104a413259444ba6646bf4ced590f4.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (2)")
Bursts of cherry, pear, and spices come together in this cherry recipe that's perfect for summer get-togethers. It uses store-bought puff pastry to cut down on prep time and incorporates fresh lemon juice for a nice zing. This recipe technically calls for dried cherries, but you can substitute fresh cherries when they're in season.
View Recipe
03of 19
Cherry-Raspberry Semifreddo
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/cherry-raspberry-semifreddo-0520_horiz-0eb6b86f90dd4e0e9b18c60298e05f84.jpgitokCNrOTZJJ "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (3)")
Chill out with this frozen dessert made with a combination of sweet cherries and frozen raspberries, as well as elderflower liqueur, which lends a light floral flavor.
View Recipe
04of 19
Roasted Cherries With Tofu "Panna Cotta"
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/roasted-cherries-tofu-6504536-0918_horiz-0ade976c62464d718d99bc625dab202d.jpgitok4ACHiuvO "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (4)")
Panna cotta is a traditional gelatin-based Italian dessert, but this vegan version gets its body from silken tofu. We dress the protein-packed ingredient up with a luscious fruit topping made from roasted cherries and fresh raspberries tossed in a combination of honey and lemon juice.
View Recipe
05of 19
Rustic Cherry-Apricot Tart
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/sweet-cherry-apricot-pie-with-cornmeal-crust-103377748_horiz-ac2ebbff10904b17ba9fbc6bf762e604.jpgitokCCUQYtcR "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (5)")
Looking for a more casual dessert that's just as delicious and appealing as a fruit pie? Try this galette, which is filled with a combination of sliced apricots and fresh sweet cherries; the fruits are tossed with sugar for sweetness and cornstarch to thicken their juices.
View Recipe
06of 19
Cherry Cobbler
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/med105604_0610_cobler_vert-96ba3c4b53bc49418abfe84d0b9e2759.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (6)")
The biscuit topping on this classic cherry cobbler is extra rich and tender thanks to the addition of heavy cream. If you're making the recipe after cherry season, feel free to use frozen.
View Recipe
07of 19
Berries-and-Cherries Ice Cream Cake
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/berries-and-cherries-ice-cream-cake-103365994-cropped-d6464337b4fb47cbabe52a8917c1c468.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (7)")
Talk about a showstopper! Fresh cherries pull double duty here: they're folded into the vanilla ice cream layer and left whole to garnish the top.
View Recipe
08of 19
Baked Cherry Crisp
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/cherry-tart-0611mbd106136_hd-4c85cc3dd8104745bb3ba6785cf96c19.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (8)")
Store-bought phyllo dough is dressed up with cinnamon sugar, topped with cherries, and baked in this simple but scrumptious dessert.
View Recipe
09of 19
Heirloom Tomatoes With Cherries, Balsamic, and Hyssop
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/heirloom-tomatoes-md109341_vert-8930dbd761204fd79dc68137f359de67.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (9)")
Quality is key in this five-ingredient fresh cherry recipe, so splurge on the best heirloom and cherry tomatoes, Bing cherries, balsamic vinegar, and herbs (we used fresh anise-hyssop leaves and flowers) you can find.
View Recipe
10of 19
Cherry-Cheese Strudel Pie
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/cherry-cheese-strudel-pie-6135d8da-1019b_horiz-c1bab9e5f7c14a01b492959a244ab366.jpgitokQRCD-bq6 "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (10)")
This crowd-pleasing fresh cherry recipe showcases a custard-like combination of cream cheese, ricotta, and egg marbled with a homemade tart cherry sauce. The blind baking technique and strategic scoring makes for a feather-light puff pastry crust.
View Recipe
11of 19
Coconut-Cherry Smoothie
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/coconut-cherry-smoothie-1214_vert-91088a9b9d604a668a9173e2a7fb13c4.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (11)")
You only need three ingredients—frozen cherries, coconut water, and fresh lime juice—to whip up this refreshing, not-too-sweet treat.
View Recipe
12of 19
Cherry and Goat Cheese Bruschetta
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/roasted-cherry-bruschetta-348-d112919_horiz-2000-37bd41f1c707429d933f62d854b6434e.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (12)")
Cherries baked with thyme make a spectacular topping for thick slices of toast slathered with fresh goat cheese.
View Recipe
13of 19
Chocolate Cherry Cake
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/chocolate-cherry-cake-0540-d112647_vert-1b1fb0c4481347338cde7cc01d0b7722.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (13)")
A splash of kirsch (cherry brandy) intensifies the flavor of the cherry topping for this decadent chocolate cake.
View Recipe
14of 19
Rustic Cherry Tart With Ricotta and Almonds
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/msl-ripe-fruit-ripe-fruit-0220-mmsl_vert-5514dcf93a2d44b1b67bb9607f21d25a.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (14)")
A crisp almond pastry crust is spread with creamy ricotta and topped with macerated cherries in this sensational summer dessert.
View Recipe
15of 19
Whole-Grain Strawberry-Cherry Crisp
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/strawberry-frozen-cherry-crumble-091-d111738_vert-6d4281bcc5404502b77e5a8439b3f375.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (15)")
Two of our favorite summer fruits come together under a crunchy oat-and-coconut topping in this better-for-you crisp.
View Recipe
16of 19
Drunken Cherries With Mascarpone Cream
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/drunken-cherries-with-mascarpone-cream-116-d107417-0615_vert-921a23f7c2e44e29a2bbe3a17c9a711f.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (16)")
Toss fresh cherries with grappa, lemon zest and juice, fennel seeds, and pepper, then let the flavors mingle in the fridge. Serve with vanilla-scented mascarpone cream and homemade Lemon-Almond Biscotti.
View Recipe
17of 19
Sweet Cherry Pie
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/med103255_0608_cherrypie_vert-a1fc537e60544e139d8e1ad56b6d60aa.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (17)")
Bing cherries need little more than a homemade crust to shine in this summer pie—just add a touch of sugar, cornstarch, and fresh lemon juice.
View Recipe
18of 19
No-Bake Cherry Cheesecake
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/mld10523_0810_2_cherry_horiz-ocms-6e8fad3ef0044b2590187be7962e4f98.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (18)")
Balsamic vinegar and cinnamon add a tangy, spicy depth to the fresh cherry topping for this cheesecake.
View Recipe
19of 19
Grilled Tilapia With Cherry Salsa
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/med103255_0608_sea_talapia_v2_0-92fa31ce69f948cf8f10dbecf21d957d.jpg "19 Fresh Cherry Recipes That Strike the Balance of Tart and Sweet (19)")
Firm, meaty tilapia is a great choice for the grill. This sweet-and-spicy salsa made with Bing cherries, red onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice takes the flame-kissed fillets to the next level.
View Recipe
