It’s Cherry Season! 3 Sweet Cherry Recipes

We recently harvested cherries from our own cherry tree! This is the first year we had a decent amount to pick. We had so many that we decided to make a few delicious sweet cherry recipes with them: a sweet cherry pie, a sweet cherry frozen snack, and a sweet cherry smoothie!

Our family loves cherries, sweet cherries and sour cherries. Our Father’s Day tradition, when we lived in New Jersey, was to go sour cherry picking at a nearby farm. My husband is Persian and grew up eating a lot of sour cherries. So, it was perfect and so much fun to go to a farm and pick our own.

We have moved out west and live in Utah now and out here, there are some sour cherry farms but they are not ready to be picked on Father’s Day and we have yet to find a sour cherry-pick your own farm. We have not been able to carry on this tradition for about 5 years, until now!

This Fathers Day, we decided it was time to pick all the cherries from the cherry tree. It isn’t a very big tree and didn’t look like we had that many cherries to pick. But by the time we were done, we had a huge bowl full along with another bowl full to give to my parents.

And I didn’t even realize until after we were done, we went cherry picking on Father’s Day! We were able to start back up our tradition. Such a fun day!

Sweet Cherry Pecan Crumb Pie

The Sweet Cherry Pecan Crumb Pie is a winner in our house! We love to serve it warm topped with whipped cream or with a side of vanilla ice cream. This recipe calls for coconut sugar but can be replaced with white or brown sugar as well. 

Why coconut sugar? Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index than refined sugar. It contains inulin and may slow down the absorption of glucose in the body. Coconut sugar also contains small amounts of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and fiber. (1)

Simple Homemade Pie Crust

For this pie, we used our Simple Homemade Pie Crust recipe. Click here to see the full recipe and step by step instructions. Alternatively, purchase a 9-inch uncooked pie crust from the grocery store.

Only half of the Simple Homemade Pie Crust recipe will be needed for the Sweet Cherry Pecan Crumb Pie. We made a full batch, cut it in half to make two separate balls of dough, wrapped both in beeswax wrap and placed on in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes and the other in the freezer to use at a later date.

Sweet Cherry Pecan Crumb Pie

The Sweet Cherry Pecan Crumb Pie is a winner in our house! We love to serve it warm topped with whipped cream or with a side of vanilla ice cream. This recipe calls for coconut sugar but can be replaced with white or brown sugar as well. We chose to use coconut sugar because it is less processed, contains small amounts of nutrients and has a low glycemic index .

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Course Dessert

Ingredients

  

Sweet Cherry Filling

• 3 cups fresh cherries
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 2 tbsp corn starch
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Crumb Topping

• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 cup coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup raw pecans chopped
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 4 tbsp butter cubed

Instructions

 

Sweet Cherry Filling

• Pit 3 cups of cherries.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the cherries, coconut sugar, cornstarch, and salt.
• Add the lemon juice and vanilla and mix well.
• Set aside and make the crumb topping.

Crumb Topping

• Combine the first 6 ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.
• Add the cubed butter. Using your fingers, break up the butter cubes into the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Sweet Cherry Pecan Crumb Pie Preparation

• Follow the directions for our Simple Homemade Pie Crust to prepare the pie dough. Alternatively, purchase a 9-inch uncooked pie crust from the grocery store.
• Preheat the oven to 375° F.
• Add the cherry filling to the prepared pie pan.
• Layer the crumb topping evenly over the cherry filling.
• Place the prepared pie on the middle rack of the preheated oven and bake for 40 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.
• Remove from the oven and cool the pie on a wire rack.
• Allow the pie to cool to room temperature before serving, 2 hours is recommended. If sliced too soon, the filling will not have time to set and may fall apart or have a runny consistency when serving.
• To serve the pie warm, loosely cover it with foil and place it in a 350° oven for about 20 minutes.
• Enjoy!

Keyword cherry, cherry filling, crumb topping, pecan, pie, pie crust

Frozen Salted Sweet Cherries

This recipe is one my husband shared with us. He loves to eat his sour cherries this way and it is great with sweet cherries as well. It is super simple, yet so satisfying. Craving something frozen and sweet to eat? Head over to your freezer for this snack!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup cherries

• Pinch of salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pit one cup of cherries.
2. Place the cherries in the freezer for at least 2 hours. (Use store-bought cherries if you do not have fresh.)
3. Sprinkle cherries with salt. 
4. Enjoy!

Sweet Cherry Cashew Smoothie

My daughter has been experimenting with a lot of smoothie recipes since quarantine began and while on summer break. This recipe is one of her creations. We made it using some of our freshly harvested cherries. We hope you like it!

Sweet Cherry Cashew Smoothie

Craving a cold sweet and healthy treat? Try the Sweet Cherry Cashew Smoothie. Perfect for a hot summer day. The flavors of cherry and vanilla are a perfect pair while the cashews provide a smooth creamy texture. Enjoy!

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Course Drinks

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 cups cherries, frozen
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4-1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup dairy-free or plain yogurt
• 1 cup dairy free or whole milk

Instructions

 

• Pit 1.5 cups of cherries.
• Place the cherries in the freezer for at least 2 hours. We prefer to use frozen fruit in our smoothies. It keeps the smoothies cool and fresh. (Use store-bought frozen cherries if you do not have fresh.)
• Add all the ingredients in the blender.
• Blend until smooth.
• Enjoy!

Notes

Optional add-ins: 

• 1-2 Tbsp cacao powder for the Chocolate Sweet Cherry Smoothie
• 1-2 Tbsp vanilla (or chocolate) protein powder, 2 Tbsp Hemp seeds, and 1 Tbsp almond butter for the Sweet Cherry Post Workout Smoothie 
• 1 cup spinach to increase the greens for the Sweet Cherry Green Smoothie

Keyword cashew, cherry, chia seeds, dairy free, oat milk, diary-free, nut-free, gluten-free, vegan, smoothie, summer, vanilla, yogurt

Our family looks forward to cherry season every year. This year we were lucky to harvest enough cherries to enjoy them fresh and to make these 3 delicious recipes with them.

Sweet Cherry Pecan Crumb Pie, Frozen Salted Sweet Cherries, and the Sweet Cherry Cashew Smoothie have made our cherry season a delight this summer. Please enjoy these recipes. Comment below and let us know what you think.

***Health Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This article is for informational purposes only. The content in this article should not be substituted for medical advice. Always consult a medical professional before making any healthcare changes. Written by a Mama who loves to research, learn, and share experiences, thoughts, tips, and ideas on nutrition and health.***