Go Back
–+ servings
Cherry sauce used for topping desserts like cheesecake.
Print Recipe
5 from 189 votes

Cherry Sauce

This easy cherry sauce is sweet, tart, and perfect for topping a cheesecake, chocolate cake, and other desserts! Use any type of cherries, fresh or frozen, for this easy cherry topping!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6
Calories: 76kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pitted cherries fresh or frozen; about 3½ cups
  • 3 to 6 Tablespoons sugar start with less and adjust
  • 1 Tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeeze
  • 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

  • Cornstarch slurry: In a small bowl, mix together the cornstarch and water. Set aside.
    1 Tablespoon cornstarch, ¼ cup water
  • Cook cherries: Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and cornstarch slurry. Bring to a boil, stirring to avoid burning.
    1 lb pitted cherries, 3 to 6 Tablespoons sugar, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
    Cherries with cornstarch and sugar cooking in a pan.
  • Taste: Once the sauce thickens up, reduce the heat and taste. Adjust with more lemon juice or sugar as needed. Sour cherries may need more sugar and sweet cherries may need more lemon juice.
    If needed, add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches the right consistency. Note: sauce thickens after it cools.
    Cherry sauce cooked until bright red and glossy in a pan.
  • Serve: Wait for the sauce to reach room temperature before topping cold desserts like cheesecake and ice cream, or serve it warm over pancakes, cakes, and waffles. See Note 1 for storing.
    Cherry sauce used for topping desserts like cheesecake.

Notes

Makes roughly 2 cups of sauce. I used frozen sour (tart) cherries for this recipe. 
  1. Storing - To store, keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 or 4 days. It will become thicker once cold. 
  2. Reheat
    1. Microwave: Add the sauce to a microwave-safe container and heat for 20 seconds at a time, stirring after each time.
    2. Stovetop: Add the sauce to a pot and reheat on medium heat stirring occasionally. 
  3. Type of cherries - You can use sweet or sour cherries for this recipe. If using sour cherries, increase the amount of sugar to balance out the tart flavors. Keep in mind that fresh cherries release less liquid than frozen cherries so you may need to add more water to reach a thinner sauce if using fresh cherries. 

Nutrition

Calories: 76kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 171mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 49IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1mg