Cherry Pie Preserves Recipe

A glass jar of cherry pie preserves with some cherries scattered around.

Plump, juicy cherries swimming in glossy ruby-red syrup with vanilla, lemon, and just enough mace to taste like old-fashioned cherry pie filling. These easy French-style Cherry Pie Preserves deliver gorgeous whole fruit and concentrated, old-fashioned cherry pie flavor without the traditional multi-day process.

Servings 2-Tbsp servings

Calories 83kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Ingredients

900 grams cherries 2 pounds or 5-6 cups, washed and pitted, sweet and/or sour, fresh or frozen
540 grams granulated sugar 19 ounces or 2 2/3 cups + 1 Tablespoon
1 Tbsp lemon juice freshly squeezed
¼ teaspoon kosher salt I use Morton's. If using Diamond Crystal, use 1/2 teaspoon. If using table salt or fine salt, use about 1/8 teaspoon
¼ vanilla bean
⅛ teaspoon mace optional, or substitute nutmeg, cinnamon, or almond extract (see "Ingredients" section of post)

Instructions

Split and scrape the 1/4 vanilla bean. You'll be using the pod and the "innards" so don't throw anything away.
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients: cherries, sugar, lemon juice, salt, split/scraped vanilla bean, and mace. Stir well.
Cover and let macerate at room temperature until very soupy, 4-6 hours or overnight. If macerating overnight, refrigerate them.
Once soupy and loose, strain the mixture through a mesh strainer into a large saucepan or saucier. Reserve the cherries.
Over medium heat, bring the juices to a boil and cook to 220° F / 104.4° C.
Add the reserved cherries to the syrup and continue cooking, stirring frequently but gently to avoid crushing the cherries, until the mixture reaches 223° F / 106° C. Skim off any foam that rises to the top. (See Notes for instructions on making jam rather than preserves)
Fish out the vanilla bean, scrape it down to get all the cherry goodness off of it, and then discard. It has given its all to this project.
Pour into very clean jars or a large bowl, cover, and let cool. Refrigerate for 48 hours to allow peak set, but it's also okay if you need to dive in immediately.

Notes

To Make Cherry Pie Jam

After you return the cherries to the syrup, mash them against the side of the pan as they cook to break them up. For a smoother jam, after cooking, run the mixture through a food mill on the coarsest setting.

Nutrition