Easy Cherry Compote Recipe

Name: Easy Cherry Compote Recipe
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 pound cherries, pitted (fresh or frozen); ¼ cup organic cane sugar; 2 tablespoons water; 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

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Are you looking for a delicious and easy Cherry Compote recipe? If so, you've come to the right place! This cherry compote is made from fresh sweet cherries, lemon juice, and sugar, all of which combine into an amazingly delicious, sweet, and tart cherry compote that's ready in only 20 minutes!

If you've ever found yourself with a surplus of fresh cherries and a craving for something sweet and tart, you're in for a treat with this homemade cherry compote. Not only is this homemade compote simple to make like this Blueberry Compote, but it's also versatile and a great way to enjoy Bing cherries from the farmers market!

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What Is a Fruit Compote?
When Are Cherries In Season?
How To Choose Fresh Cherries
Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
How to Make This Easy Cherry Compote Recipe
Expert Tips
Equipment
How To Serve
Storage
Recipe FAQs
Related Vegan Recipes
Recipe
Comments

Cherry compote may sound fancy, but it's easy to make, like my Apple Compote or Rhubarb Compote. With a few simple ingredients like fresh cherries, a little sugar, and a splash of lemon juice, you'll be on your way to creating a mouthwatering cherry compote that's perfect for drizzling over vegan plain yogurt, vegan ice cream, Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes, or adding a burst of flavor to steel-cut oats, overnight oatmeal, or Vegan Cream of Wheat.

In this post, I'll walk you through how to make your cherry compote and share some ideas for how to use it. It's a simple dessert that's delicious spooned straight from the jar, it's that good! So, if you're looking for a sweet and delicious way to enjoy cherries this summer during cherry season or year-round, keep reading! Be sure to try this Vegan Cherry Cobbler, Vegan Cherry Pie, or Vegan Clafoutis! Another classic recipe you'll enjoy is these Vegan Oatmeal Raisin Cookies with coconut oil.

What Is a Fruit Compote?

A fruit compote is a chunky sauce made from cooked whole fruits or pieces of fruit, typically simmered in their juices with sugar, water, and other flavors such as vanilla, citrus zest, nuts, raisins, or spices. Dried, frozen, fresh fruit, or canned fruit can be used to make a compote.

Try my Poached Pears in Red Wine for a variation on a fruit compote. When the fruit compote is pureed, it is called a coulis.

When Are Cherries In Season?

Cherries grow well on the west coast. Those living in California, Washington, Idaho, and Oregon typically have access to cherries before the rest of the USA, with Washington producing the highest quantity of sweet cherries.
Cherries are in season from April through August, although I have seen them in stores in early September. In Colorado, the season lasts from mid-June through October.
Sweet, fresh cherries (Bing cherries, Lambert cherries, or Rainier cherries) are firm and are typically available at grocery stores when in season. They are perfect for eating out of hand.
Sour cherries are softer, tart, and acidic (Balaton cherries, Montmorency cherries, and Morello cherries), making them perfect for making cherry pies, jam, or dried cherries.

How To Choose Fresh Cherries

Choose shiny cherries that do not have bruising on them. It does not matter if they have stems on them or not. If they have stems, it means they were probably hand-picked. They are machine-picked if they have no stems (the cherries get shaken from the trees).

Once you bring fresh, sweet cherries home, they should be okay on the counter for a couple of days. Otherwise, refrigerate them for up to a week. If you find sour cherries, they do not last as long as sweet cherries on the counter or in the fridge; find a use for them promptly!

Ingredients

These are the simple ingredients to make this homemade cherry compote:

Pitted cherries - You can use black cherries, sweet cherries, Rainier cherries, or sour cherries, fresh or frozen. I used whole cherries; you can halve them or halve a portion and leave the rest whole. Sweet cherries will need more lemon juice than sour cherries. Sour cherries have a higher acidity than sweet cherries, so they need less lemon juice and more sugar. Start with a small amount, taste, and adjust to your liking.
Organic cane sugar - this is vegan. The amount of sugar used will vary depending on the sweetness of the fruit. You will likely need to add more sugar if you use sour cherries.
Lemon juice - freshly squeezed is best. Lemon juice provides acidity to balance the sweetness of the fruit. Depending on the variety of cherries, you may need to adjust the amount of lemon juice.

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients with measurements and recipe instructions.

Substitutions

Here are some substitutions you can try when making this homemade cherry compote:

Fresh cherries - You can use frozen cherries to make this recipe year-round.
Lemon juice - Use freshly squeezed orange juice instead.
Organic cane sugar - Use coconut sugar, agave syrup, or maple syrup instead. You can use regular white sugar instead of organic cane sugar. I mention organic cane sugar because it is vegan, and whether regular white sugar is vegan depends on the brand. Some brands filter cane sugar through a charcoal filter made of bone char so that the sugar may have been in contact with the bone char, which is not vegan-friendly. However, beet sugar is always vegan-friendly because it is not filtered through bone char since it doesn't need to be filtered through charcoal to whiten it.

To reiterate, choose organic cane sugar or beet sugar for vegan-friendly white sugar.

Variations

Here are some delicious variations on this simple cherry compote recipe:

Deluxe - Add a tablespoon of brandy or stir in a tablespoon of kirsch, Grand Marnier, or Amaretto while cooking.
Spices - This cherry compote is incredibly delicious with a cinnamon stick, star anise, and a few whole cloves, in addition to a tablespoon of Grand Marnier, while the cherry compote cooks. Remove the spices as the cherry compote cools before serving.
Flavor - Add a small amount of almond extract or vanilla extract to the cherry compote while cooking
Fruit - Add blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries to the compote as it cooks.
Lemon juice - Use balsamic vinegar or orange juice instead.
Thicker - Mix a couple of teaspoons of cornstarch with the water before you start cooking for a thicker cherry compote, similar to cherry pie filling.
Zest - Add the zest of one lemon or one orange.

How to Make This Easy Cherry Compote Recipe

It is easy to make this simple cherry compote, even if it is your first time!

Cherries and sugar in saucepan on wood background.

Step 1: Add the pitted cherries, organic cane sugar, and water to a heavy, wide saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until the sugar is dissolved and the cherries soften and release their juices, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Overhead view of cherry compote in saucepan on wood background.

Step 2: Remove the cherry compote from heat and stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust lemon juice and sugar if needed. Allow the cherry compote to cool before transferring it to a clean glass jar. Store the cooled cherry compote in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Expert Tips

Choose a large saucepan to cook the cherries in a single layer. If your pan is smaller, you will need to do several batches.
Be careful not to add too much water since the cherries release cherry juice as they cook. Stir occasionally while cooking, being careful not to crush the cherries.

Side view of cherry compote in black bowl on wood background.

Equipment

Cherry pitter - If you don't have one, place the cherry on an empty wine bottle and use a chopstick to push the pit through into the bottle. I bought this cherry pitter online and am happy with it! Bonus: you can use it to pit olives too.
Large, heavy saucepan - if you have a small or medium saucepan, you will need to cook the cherries in batches since they need to be in a single layer.
Glass jar - I like to use these glass jars with these plastic lids.

Overhead view of cherry compote in black bowl on wood background.

How To Serve

You can serve this cherry compote warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

There are so many ways to enjoy this delicious compote! It's the perfect simple dessert or dessert topping. Serve this cherry compote on top of chocolate cake, pound cake, vegan cheesecake, French toast, waffles, oatmeal, crepes, pancakes like these Vegan Sourdough Buckwheat Pancakes, vegan vanilla ice cream, whipped coconut cream, vegan yogurt, chia pudding, in a parfait, or mix a portion of it into Vegan Coconut Popsicles.

This easy cherry compote makes a delicious topping for Vegan Buckwheat Banana Waffles and Vegan Banana Oat Pancakes. Or you can put it in these Cherry Coconut Popsicles, or on the side with this vegan Chocolate Tahini Banana Bread or Cherry Clafoutis! If you have extra cherries, make this vegan cherry pie!

Add the cherry sauce to club soda, iced tea, prosecco, or sparkling wine.

Storage

Refrigerate: Store this cherry compote in the fridge for up to one week in an airtight container.
Freeze for up to six months in a glass container or freezer-safe ziplock bag; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheat the cherry compote in a small saucepan on the stovetop on low heat until warm.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use frozen cherries to make this cherry compote?

Yes, you can use frozen cherries. There is no need to thaw them overnight in the fridge before cooking them. Skip adding water to the cherry compote since frozen cherries have more water than fresh cherries. They may take a little longer to cook.

Should this cherry compote be served warm or cold?

You can enjoy this cherry compote either way! You can serve this cherry compote warm, at room temperature, or chilled as the perfect topping for dessert or breakfast. If you wish to enjoy it warm, gently reheat it on the range until it is warmed through.

If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

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Recipe

Angled view of cherry compote in glass container.

Easy Cherry Compote Recipe

Author: Emily Miller

If you love cherries, then you'll love this sweet and tart Easy Cherry Compote recipe! It's perfect for topping pancakes, waffles, ice cream, and more. Plus, it's a great way to use up any leftover cherries.

5 from 163 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 58.4kcal

EQUIPMENT

Cherry pitter
large saucepan heavy
Glass jar

INGREDIENTS

▢ 1 pound cherries, pitted fresh or frozen
▢ ¼ cup organic cane sugar
▢ 2 tablespoons water
▢ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

INSTRUCTIONS

Add the cherries, organic cane sugar, and water to a heavy, wide saucepan and cook over medium to medium-high heat until sugar is dissolved and cherries soften and release their cherry juice, approximately 15 minutes. If you are using frozen cherries, it will take a little longer to cook them.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Taste and adjust lemon juice and sugar if needed.
Allow the cherry compote to cool before transferring to a clean glass jar. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.

NOTES

Allow the cherry compote to cool before transferring it to a clean glass jar. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freeze for up to 6 months.
This recipe makes approximately 2 cups of cherry compote. For 8 servings, each serving is ¼ cup.
Choose a large saucepan to cook the cherries in a single layer. If your pan is smaller, you will need to do several batches. Be careful not to add too much water since the cherries release cherry juice as they cook. Stir occasionally while cooking, being careful not to crush the cherries.

NUTRITION

Serving: 1 servingCalories: 58.4 kcalCarbohydrates: 15.1 gProtein: 0.6 gFat: 0.1 gFiber: 1.2 gSugar: 13.3 g

Tried this recipe?Please consider leaving a comment and star rating!

Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.

Comments

5 from 163 votes (145 ratings without comment)