Chocolate Covered Cherries

Jul 17, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Candy confections Origin: Ugandan Vanilla: Extract Medium

Homemade chocolate covered cherries on parchment

Homemade chocolate covered cherries with a crisp chocolate shell. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works. Makes 24 candies.

Prep 40 min

Cook 5 min

Set 30 min

Total 1 hr 15 min

Yield 24 pieces

Diet —

Ingredients

Adjust yield

pieces

24.0maraschino cherries with stems, drained and patted dry overnight on paper towels
1 ½ cups (180.0 g)confectioners' sugar, sifted
2.0 tbsp (28.0 g)unsalted butter, softened
1.0 tbsp (20.0 g)light corn syrup
½ tsp (2.5 ml)VanillaGoods pure vanilla extract
8.0 oz (227.0 g)dark chocolate, finely chopped

Make it at home

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Instructions

Beat the confectioners' sugar, butter, corn syrup, and vanilla into a smooth, pliable dough. Chill for 15 minutes if sticky.
Flatten a teaspoon of dough around each cherry, sealing it completely, and set on parchment. Chill for 20 minutes.
Set aside a third of the chocolate. Melt the rest in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water (or in 20-second microwave bursts), stirring, until it reaches 115°F.
Remove from the heat and stir in the reserved chocolate until melted and the chocolate cools to 88 to 90°F. It's tempered when a streak on parchment sets glossy and firm within 5 minutes.
Holding the stems, dip each cherry to cover completely, including where the stem meets the candy.
Let set, then store airtight for 2 to 3 days so the centers soften and turn syrupy.

Tips

Vanilla swap: use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.
Best vanilla for this: Ugandan (bold, chocolatey, smoky), or Mexican (spiced, warm, woodsy). Any pure vanilla works.
Storage: Store airtight in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make chocolate covered cherries?

Plan on 40 minutes of prep and 5 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes to set. It makes 24 candies.

How should I store chocolate covered cherries?

Store airtight in a cool place for up to 2 weeks.

Can I use a different form of vanilla?

use vanilla bean paste 1:1 in place of the extract for visible specks, or the seeds of 1 vanilla bean for each tablespoon of extract.

Homemade chocolate covered cherries with a crisp chocolate shell. Best with Ugandan vanilla (bold, chocolatey, smoky); any pure vanilla works. Makes 24 candies.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 24 servings this recipe makes.

100 Calories / serving

3.9g Fat

16.0g Carbs

0.5g Protein

14.1g Sugar

Whole recipe (24 servings): ~2400 cal · 94g fat · 384g carbs · 12g protein · 338g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Per serving · 100 calories

What it takes to burn one serving

Brisk walking 19 min·1.1 mi·~2200 steps
Walking uphill or incline treadmill 14 min·0.7 mi·~1400 steps
Moderate cycling 10 min·2.0 mi
Swimming laps 14 min
Jogging 10 min·0.8 mi·~1600 steps
Stair climbing 9 min·~800 steps
Dancing 16 min
Bodyweight circuit training 10 min
Cleaning, errands, or playing with the dog 23 min

Rough estimates for one serving, based on standard MET values at about 155 lb. Your own burn depends on body size, effort, and fitness. Shown for context only — food is not something you have to earn.

Made with VanillaGoods

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