Honey Balsamic Roasted Cherries
Just when I thought straight-up cherries by the handful couldn’t be improved upon.
Applying heat to just about anything – but particularly juicy fruit – makes it better.
You can roast cherries, of course. They get along well with balsamic vinegar, and a sprig or two of fresh rosemary, and a good grinding of black pepper. And the heat of the oven until the slump over and into each other, and give up their juices, which then caramelize on the parchment papered-pan.
The whole thing takes about fifteen minutes, and then you can pour the warm cherries and their tangy juices over a log of soft goat cheese and bring it out onto the deck with a bottle of wine. Yes?
Or cool them down and spoon them over thick yogurt and granola in the morning with your coffee. Either way. I imagine the combo would also do well over ice cream, or whirled into a milkshake.
Honey Balsamic Roasted Cherries

Preheat the oven to 400F. Spread the cherries out in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Whisk together equal amounts of honey and balsamic vinegar with about half as much oil (about 1/4 cup honey and balsamic and 2 Tbsp. oil for 1 L cherries) and pour over the cherries. Add a sprig of rosemary, if you like, and toss to coat. Grind over a bit of black pepper.
Roast for 10-20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cherries soften and release their juices and everything gets dark and sticky. Serve warm, over ice cream or a soft log of goat cheese, on a cheese board or good bread, or over thick plain yogurt and granola.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400F. Spread the cherries out in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet. Whisk together equal amounts of honey and balsamic vinegar with about half as much oil (about 1/4 cup honey and balsamic and 2 Tbsp. oil for 1 L cherries) and pour over the cherries. Add a sprig of rosemary, if you like, and toss to coat. Grind over a bit of black pepper.
Roast for 10-20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cherries soften and release their juices and everything gets dark and sticky. Serve warm, over ice cream or a soft log of goat cheese, on a cheese board or good bread, or over thick plain yogurt and granola.
Now there’s a combination I would never have thought of, but it looks amazing! 😀 Great photos as well 🙂 x
YUM.
That is all.
Do this to fresh peaches… Maybe add some lemon thyme?
Heidi
Would this be easy to jar for use in the winter?
Thanks!
Looks yummy! Any tips for pitting cherries?
Ooh, brilliant Heidi! And Stephanie.. you probably could jar it, although it’s not overly syrupy after being roasted – I think I’d freeze it instead! Sorry Heather, I don’t have any brilliant tips for pitting cherries!
Made this tonight at the cabin with BC cherries. Delicious ! Rave reviews from the gang !
Cherries = July here. A partially unbent paperclip makes a good cherry pitter – stick one of the curves/loops in the stem end, and scoop out the stone with a loop of the clip. It’s usually pretty tidy, and you don’t have a hole straight through the cherry.
The tip of paring knife works too.
Julie – have you made cherry jam? – I remember big jars at breakfast at a hotel in Munich. I haven’t made any tho’ – maybe with a bit of kirsch and a few drops of something almond-y (flavouring/liqueur).
jake
Wow! I made this tonight. it was so easy and delicious with ripe BC cherries. This recipe is a keeper. Thanks Julie.
Julie, I need to know how you pit your cherries! Do you use a pitter?
oh, hell.
it’s 11:37 p.m. i can hardly fire up the oven NOW.
then again, i can hardly wait until morning…
(at least i have an oven. counting blessings, here…)
This was a huge hit this weekend when made for friends. The small amount that was left over was good on french toast the next morning.
This was delicious! My hubby was skeptical but really loved it! I would halve the cherries next time though! Thanks for this recipe!