Easy, Homemade Cherry Sauce

Easy, homemade cherry sauce is a must make for all your favorite cherry dishes, from topping ice cream to gluten free turnover filling, you just can’t go wrong!

Easy, Homemade Cherry Sauce

I love the flavor of fresh cherries. They are perfect in savory dishes like this Coffee Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Red Wine Sauce, or in sweet dishes. Lately one of my favorite things to make with cherries is this homemade cherry sauce. It’s perfect for all kinds of dishes. Turnovers, over ice cream, or even in these Gluten Free Cherry Cheesecake Bars (coming soon!).

My favorite thing about it is how easy it is. Just a few simple ingredients and a little bit of time.

How to Make Homemade Cherry Sauce

This homemade cherry sauce starts off with a pound of fresh cherries. Cut them in half and make sure there are no pits. Frozen cherries that are completely thawed can also be used (about 14 ounces since the pits are already removed).

Once they are cut you add the sugar and let them macerate for about 10 minutes before cooking them down into the sauce.

Macerating the cherries helps the juices to start coming out before you begin cooking them down.

Once they have macerated, it’s just a matter of cooking them down and adding a little cornstarch to thicken. You can leave the sauce chunky or throw it through the blender if you want a smoother sauce.

Usually, I keep it a little chunky.

Endless Uses

Honestly, I first developed this sauce as a filling for Gluten Free Cherry Turnovers (I used Schar Gluten Free Pastry Dough), and they were just amazing. We then went on to top anything and everything with this sweet cherry sauce.

Cherry Cheesecake bars will be coming tomorrow. It’s also perfect for making milkshakes.

What are some of your favorite uses for cherries?

Let me know in the comments!

Happy Gluten Free Eating!

Print Recipe

4.33 from 28 votes

Easy, Homemade Cherry Sauce

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh cherries pitted and cut in half
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon cornstarch

Instructions

• Combine cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl and stir to combine.
• Mash slightly.
• Let sit for 10 minutes.
• Pour cherry mixture into sauce pan and bring to boil, stirring frequently over medium heat.
• Lower heat to medium low and continue to cook, mashing and stirring, for 5 minutes.
• Stir in one tablespoon of cornstarch.
• Continue cooking and mashing for another 5 minutes.
• Remove from stove and allow to cool.

Notes

Frozen cherries can be used, about 14 ounces since they are already pitted. Be sure to thaw completely.
Sauce can be pureed if a smoother sauce is desired.