Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries are a pop of delicious flavor in your mouth! Dye-free, preservative-free maraschino cherries are dunked in melted chocolate for a special treat for the holidays or anytime. (Optional: soak cherries in rum, brandy or vodka first for extra flavor pop! 21 and older please.)

I woke up today and it felt like any other recent fall day. Rainy and overcast. (We’ve had a lot of rain around here.) But later things brightened considerably when Jon presented me with a bunch of bright red tulips! Tulips are my favorite. Tulips and peonies.

Special occasion? YES!!! Today is the 4th anniversary of Through Her Looking Glass. Somehow I’d forgotten, and glad he didn’t.

He also gave me a winner card that said “When I think about what it means to be brave, I think of you.” And that was very kind and generous. Because I distinctly remember feeling considerably less than brave while pushing the publish button on that first post. And subsequent ones. Wondering if this thing would soar, or crash and burn.

His card reminds me of Piglet. “It is very hard to be brave,” said Piglet, sniffing slightly, “when you’re only a Very Small Animal.” Piglet was always a wise little animal. I guess it was A.A.Milne who was truly the wise one.

So it’s hard to believe the holidays are nearly here. YAY! (I think.) This is always my favorite time of year. I’m making lists and checking them twice.

Maybe I’m just getting older, but it seems the days race by and Thanksgiving and Christmas come just a little faster every year.

Do you remember those delicious foil-wrapped Chocolate Covered Cherries? We used to have them around the holidays at our house. Some kind, generous soul (with good taste!) would gift us with a box.

Once they were open, they were nearly impossible to resist. That Black Forest combination of chocolate and cherries is the bomb!

Last year I made some adorable little chocolate mice with chocolate kisses and homemade chocolate covered cherries. They are the perfect treats to add to Santa’s milk and cookies on Christmas Eve.

I had no idea how easy chocolate covered cherries are to make until I made those tempting little mice.

Try natural maraschino cherries:

Even though I love them, I had stayed away from maraschino cherries for years, knowing the preservatives and dyes used to make them are unhealthy at best.

But recently I discovered some amazing natural maraschino cherries at Whole Foods. These Merry Maraschino Cherries by Tillen Farms have no preservatives or dyes or corn syrup.

You can also buy them on Amazon. So now I’m happily using maraschino cherries in baking and treat making again. No guilt.

TIPS FOR MAKING CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES:

• Use stem-on Merry Maraschino Cherries by Tillen Farms, free of corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, dyes and preservatives. (I got mine at Whole Foods for about $7.)
• If you don’t have coconut oil, use vegetable shortening or butter.
• Drain cherries, then place on paper towels to air dry for a bit.
• Make sure the cherries are dry before dipping in melted chocolate. (Lightly blot with paper towels if needed.)
• Melt chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat on the stove top so it doesn’t seize or burn. Or melt in the microwave on high power for 15 second increments, stirring well after each increment.
• Be careful not to get any water in the bowl with the chocolate or on any of the utensils you’re using. (It will cause your chocolate to seize up.)
• If you want thinner chocolate for dipping, add more coconut oil to the chocolate. (I suggest adding in 1 teaspoon increments, then stirring thoroughly after each addition until you get the consistency you want.)
• Let dipped chocolate covered cherries dry on parchment paper, stem up.
• To make chocolate covered cherries with liquor, soak cherries overnight in rum, brandy or vodka. ( 21+ please!)
• Store at room temperature for up to a week.
• Optional: Soak overnight in rum, brandy or vodka for a delicious alcoholic version.

Other recipes you might like with chocolate and cherries: Dark Chocolate Cherry Scones, Chocolate Cherry Fudge Bundt Cake and Chocolate Cherry Skillet Cookie. Or try this classic Cherry Garcia Ice Cream!

Print

Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries (w/or w/out alcohol)

Servings 24 chocolate covered cherries

Ingredients

• 2 cups semi-sweet milk or dark chocolate chips or other good quality chopped chocolate
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil or more for consistency
• 24 stem-on maraschino cherries
• I used Merry Maraschino Cherries, free of artificial colors, flavors, dyes, corn syrup or preservatives
• Optional: 1 cup brandy rum or vodka for soaking cherries

Instructions

• If using alcohol, soak cherries overnight in brandy, rum or vodka.
• Drain maraschino cherries and gently blot with paper towels.
• Lay cherries out on paper towels to air dry a bit.
• Separately, in the microwave or on the stovetop on very low heat, melt chocolate chips or chopped chocolate together with coconut oil.
• Stir until smooth.
• Hold dry cherries by the stem and dip into the chocolate mixture.
• Place chocolate dipped cherries stem up onto waxed or parchment paper to dry.
• Reheat remaining chocolate mixture if needed.
• Allow to air dry or place in the refrigerator for a few minutes to hurry up the process.
• Store at room temperature for up to a week.

Notes

Use stem-on Merry Maraschino Cherries by Tillen Farms, free of corn syrup, artificial colors, flavors, dyes and preservatives. (I got mine at Whole Foods for about $7.)

If you don't have coconut oil, use vegetable shortening or butter.

Make sure your cherries are dry before dipping in melted chocolate. Drain cherries, then place on paper towels to air dry for a bit. (Lightly blot with paper towels if needed.)

Melt chocolate and coconut oil over very low heat on the stove top so it doesn't seize or burn. Or melt in the microwave on high power for 15 second increments, stirring well after each increment.

Don't get any water in the bowl with the chocolate or on any of the utensils you're using. (It will cause your chocolate to seize up.)

If you want thinner chocolate for dipping, add more coconut oil to the chocolate. (I suggest adding in 1 teaspoon increments, then stirring thoroughly after each addition until you get the consistency you want.)

Let dipped chocolate covered cherries dry on parchment paper, stem up.

You may also like: Chocolate Covered Cherry Mice

The post Homemade Chocolate Covered Cherries appeared first on Through Her Looking Glass.