Canning cherries gives you convenient jars of cherries to have on hand for making cherry pie, pouring over ice cream, or using in a cherry cobbler. (See my Cherry Rhubarb Crisp recipe further down the page.)
Cherries are an acid food and can be safely water bath canned.
Canning plain cherries in a light syrup makes it easy to create desserts of your choice later. I like simplicity!
I made a few jars of cherry pie filling and canned some cherry jam this year too. My husband is a big fan of frozen cherries, so I also froze five 1-gallon bags of those as well. He says they are just like popsicles. I say they are much better for you too.
This Page Includes:
- Canning Cherries: Extended, Step-By-Step Directions
- Cherry Pitting Tip
- Skip to Pinnable Recipe Card
- {FAQ} How Do You Can Sour Cherries? How Do You Can Sweet Cherries?
- {FAQ} Can You Can Cherries Without Sugar?
- {FAQ} Pressure Canning Cherries?
- {FAQ} What About Canning Cherries with Pits?
- Members’ Extra
- A Recipe for You: Cherry Rhubarb Crisp
Canning Cherries: Extended, Step-By-Step Directions
Gather Your Canning Supplies:
- water bath canner
- canning jars
- canning seals and rings
- jar lifter and canning funnel
- large pot or blancher
- bowls
- large spoons
- sharp knife
- towels and dish cloths
- cherry pitter – optional
Ingredients:
- cherries – As many as you can stand to pit! (We had a LOT of cherries!)
- sugar – for the syrup
Syrup for Packing
Make syrup of your choice to pour over cherries. If you are doing sour cherries, you may want a medium or heavy syrup.
- extra light – 1 cup sugar to 4 1/2 cups water
- light – 2 cups sugar to 4 cups water
- medium – 3 cups sugar to 4 cups water
- heavy – 4 cups sugar to 4 cups water
You can also make a syrup with honey if you don’t want to use processed sugar.
- light – 1 1/2 cups honey to 4 cups water
- medium – 2 cups honey to 4 cups water
To make the syrup you’ll simply combine water and your sweetener in a pot on the stove. Heat and until boiling or until the sugar is disolved. Stir well. Keep this hot as it will need to be very hot when it goes into the jars.
How to Can Cherries
Cherry Pitting Tip
The first thing you’ll have to do is pit the cherries. Pitting is the most challenging part. :0
Actually, it is not challenging, just tedious. But if you just sit down and DO IT, you can make some delicious dishes. Have a friend come over and visit while you pit.
My husband likes cherries enough that he used to get my boys going, and they would all have a sit-down-and-pit-cherries party.
They’d make a mess, but the cherries are pitted when they are done. I love it. I certainly don’t want to pit all those cherries all by myself if I don’t have to.
Canning Cherries Raw Pack
Place cherries in a jar leaving a 1/2 inch headspace. You do not have to heat the cherries as long as they are not cold from the refrigerator. Room temperature is fine.
When I’m filling my jars I like to add 1/2 cup or so of hot syrup to the jar, then fill half of the way with cherries. Tap the bottom of the jar lightly on a pot holder laid on the counter to settle contents. Then fill the jar the rest of the way, tapping more to settle cherries without smashing. It is a balance of filling the jar, but not squishing your cherries tightly when canning cherries.
Cover cherries in jar with hot syrup, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and clean the rim of jar. It might be sticky and that stickyness might interfere with the seal of the lid.
Place your lids on the jar and add the screw bands just finger tight. Place the jar in the canner and continue until all the jars are filled. Then you’ll process according to either water bath canning procedures OR Steam canning procedures.
Process pints or quarts for 25 minutes, adjusting for altitude using the chart in the recipe card below. For more information on why this is important, see this altitude adjustments page.
For more details on how to use your water bath canner click here…
For more details on how to use your steam canner click here….
Canning Cherries Hot Pack
Place cherries and syrup in pot. (Use 1/2 cup syrup to 1 quart of fruit.) Heat this mixture to a low boil.
Fill the jars with cherries and liquid, leaving 1/2″ headspace and removing air bubbles.
Wipe the rim clean so any stickiness doesn’t interfere with the seal. Then place on lid and ring. Place the jar in the warm canner and proceed to fill all jars. Then process according to either steam or water bath canning.
For more details on how to use your water bath canner click here…
For more details on how to use your steam canner click here….
Process pints for 15 minutes or quarts for 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude using the chart below. For more information on why this is important, see this altitude adjustments page.
Pinnable Recipe Card
Canning Cherries
Ingredients
- Cherries
- Sugar for syrup optional
Instructions
- Start by preparing jars and getting water in the canner heating. You want the canner hot, but not boiling, when the jars are ready to be processed.See full water bath canning instructions here. 1. Make a light or medium syrup. 2. Wash and pit cherries. 3. Proceed with raw or hot pack.
For a Raw Pack
- Add 1/2 cup or so of syrup to the jar.
- Fill half of the way with cherries, tapping jar to settle contents.
- Finish filling jar.
- Cover with hot syrup, leaving 1/2” headspace.
- Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean and place on your seal and ring. Place the jar in the canner. Proceed to fill all jars. Process according to the chart below.
For a Hot Pack
- Place cherries with syrup (1/2 cup syrup to 1 quart cherries) in pot.
- Heat to a low boil.
- Fill jars with cherries and liquid, leaving 1/2” headspace.
- Remove air bubbles. Wipe the rim clean and place on your seal and ring. Place the jar in the hot canner. Proceed to fill all jars. Process according to water bath canning instructions.
Processing time is listed below.
Processing
Adapted from: The National Center for Home Food Preservation
Last Updated: 3/31/2021
Canning Cherries Tips & FAQs
How Do You Can Sour Cherries? How Do You Can Sweet Cherries?
These directions are for either sweet cherries like bing cherries (this is what you see in the pictures) OR sour cherries that you use for pies.
Can You Can Cherries Without Sugar?
I prefer extra light syrup, but you could use just water if you don’t want to add any sweetness.
Pressure Canning Cherries?
Cherries are a high-acid food, so they’re safe for water bath canning. No pressure canner required! To read more about when to use a pressure canner, check out this page.
What About Canning Cherries with Pits?
Actually, canning cherries with the pits is perfectly acceptable, but I don’t really recommend it. It makes them quicker and easier to use if you go ahead and pit them now. If you want to can them with the pits, just prick each cherry with a sterilized needle to prevent it from bursting.
Related Pages
Cherry Pitter that WORKS!
Cherry pitters can be frustrating. Here’s one that actually works!
Cherry Pie Filling
Cherry pie filling, canned in batches, gives you the freedom to make a cherry pie or cobbler on the fly! Just pop open a jar and pour into a pie crust. So easy!
Cherry Cobbler Recipe
Old-fashioned goodness from an old-fashioned recipe.
Cherry Jam Recipe
Cherry jam is easily made and mastered. Control the sugar and flavor to suit you!
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A Recipe for You: Cherry Rhubarb Crisp
Cherry Rhubarb Crisp
Ingredients
- 2 cups cut up rhubarb
- 2 cups fresh pitted cherries or 1 pint well-drained, canned cherries
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup flour I used whole wheat
- ⅓ cup butter at room temp
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix rhubarb and cherries in an ungreased, 8×8" baking dish.
- Sprinkle salt over fruit.
- Mix sugar and flour. Mix in butter until mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle over fruit.
- Bake 40-50 minutes or until top is lightly browned and fruit is bubbly.
- Serve warm with cream or vanilla ice cream.
Processing
Last Updated: 4/14/2021
Source: The National Center for Home Food Preservation
Page last updated: 7/6/2021
How long can these cherries last on a shelf in a Michigan basement?
At least 12 months is the official recommendation, but it’s not really a safety issue – it is more of a quality thing. 🙂 Read more: https://www.simplycanning.com/food-canning/
-Rachel (Sharon’s assistant)
Do you need to cook the sugar & water to make a syrup?How long?
Yes, you do. To make the syrup just add your sweetener of choice to the water and bring to a boil until the sugar disolves. It will need to be hot when it goes in your jars. Thanks for asking. I’ll clarify in the article above as well.
Hi Sharon, thanks for the super easy recipe. I just put up 6 quarts and 9 pints! Do we have to wait to eat them, like pickles? Thanks again!
Kristi, Nope you can open them and eat them whenever you’d like. 🙂 Although the point of canning is so you can have them when it is not cherry season. If I were you and you still have fresh cherries available I’d just eat fresh now. BUT… having said that it can be exciting to open the first jar of something you’ve canned just to see what it turned out like. So go for it!
Hi! Do you need to soak the pitted cherries in any acid to reduce browning?
No, you don’t have to. You can if you like. I used to but I don’t anymore. I don’t find it is needed.
My grandma use to can cherries but hers looked white or yellowish im trying to recreate them any tips on how or what kind of cherries
Would they have been Rainier cherries perhaps?
-Rachel (Sharon’s assistant)
Your passion for canning and food preservation is really inspiring ! Thank you so much for the detailed information which has helped me no end with water bath canning my first cherry harvest ever! I’ve never canned anything before and this article means I will definitely be returning for more advice ☺️🍒
Thank you Suzanne!