Maraschino cherries

Sweet cherries preserved in a sugar syrup, usually dyed bright red and flavored with almond-like notes, used to top sundaes and decorate desserts.

Maraschino cherries: A small glass dish of bright red maraschino cherries with stems in syrup
  • Baking ingredients and additives

Also called: cocktail cherry

The name comes from maraschino, a clear liqueur made from sour marasca cherries, which was originally used to preserve them. Most modern maraschino cherries are light-colored sweet cherries that are brined, then soaked in sweetened, colored and flavored syrup.

They are the classic garnish on sundaes, banana splits and milkshakes and sit in the rings of pineapple upside-down cake. Their color can bleed into batters and frostings, so drain them and pat them dry before chopping. Darker, less sweet versions are also available.

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Sources

Written by VanillaGoods in our own words from these sources. Last reviewed October 15, 2026.

  1. Maraschino cherries (Q1078150), Wikidata