15 Recipes to Use Up Frozen Cherries

Cherry-Chocolate Loaf
Photo: Chef John

Tangy and sweet, frozen cherries are a great option to keep handy in your freezer, whether you're using store-bought or froze last year's bounty. Use them to create fruity baked goods, decadent desserts, bold smoothies, and more. Scroll through to get recipes that use a variety of cherry types, from sweet to sour to black, so you can find a way to use up your favorite stone fruit.

01 of 16

Fresh Cherry Crisp

Fresh Cherry Crisp
Cory Ward

This easy cherry crisp uses sour cherries balanced out by a sugary sauce. "Fresh, frozen, or canned cherries may be used," says recipe creator ARANDYGAIL. They suggest serving it up with a cold scoop of vanilla ice cream.

02 of 16

Cherry-Berry Coulis

Cherry-Berry Coulis in a glass
France C

A blend of frozen cherries and other berries are the backbone of this fruity sauce. Pour it over pancakes, French toast, yogurt, or even cheesecake.

03 of 16

Cherry Pie

cherry pie decorated with cherry-shaped cutouts
aj

Ben S. shares this award-winning pie recipe: "This is the 1999 American Pie Council's National Pie Championship first-place winner in the Fruit and Berry Category." Frozen sour cherries can be used in place of the fresh option.

04 of 16

Cherry Berry Blast Smoothie

Cherry Berry Blast Smoothie in a glass
lutzflcat

By using frozen cherries and strawberries in your smoothie, less ice is needed and therefore the finished drink has a much stronger fruity flavor. Great for starting the day or having a light snack.

05 of 16

Fresh Cherry Muffins

Fresh Cherry Muffins on a white plate
naples34102

Make a batch of these almond- and cherry-infused muffins over the weekend to enjoy all week long. This recipe calls for fresh cherries, but according to reviewer mamamia28 using frozen works well too, "Delicious. Used frozen dark, sweet cherries from Costco that I slightly thawed and quartered."

06 of 16

Cherry Cobbler

Cherry Cobbler in a glass dish
Phillis Compton

This ultra sweet cobbler features ripe red cherries and a cakey topping. "This is a very good recipe from a neighbor, and it is requested often," says Mary Lehmann. "Fresh or frozen cherries may be used in this recipe."

07 of 16

Cherry Smash

Cherry Smash cocktail in a glass
Buckwheat Queen

In this swanky cocktail, frozen cherries are muddled with bitters before getting combined with rye, vermouth, simple syrup, and a splash of lemon juice. Recipe creator FrackFamily5 says, "I buy a bag of frozen cherries and keep them on hand to use as needed."

08 of 16

Cherry Pie with Almond Crumb Topping

Cherry Pie with Almond Crumb Topping
allinarow

This isn't your average cherry pie. It features a crunchy crust that's similar to streusel. "I used two bags of frozen dark sweet cherries and liked that it didn't get overly sweet," says reviewer Karen Eyers.

09 of 16

Cherry Wild Rice

Cherry Wild Rice in a white bowl
lutzflcat

A handful of cherries elevates this wild rice side dish from basic to wow-worthy. With a dash of orange juice and zest, it's the perfect recipe for toeing the line between sweet and savory.

10 of 16

Cherry-Chocolate Loaf

Cherry-Chocolate Loaf
Chef John

"I am very proud of my banana bread recipe, which is why I adapted it into this amazing cherry-chocolate loaf," says Chef John. "While cherries really aren't anything like bananas, this really did work out extremely well — this loaf is a delicious option for breakfast, brunch, or dessert."

11 of 16

Raspberry and Cherry Smoothie

Raspberry and Cherry Smoothie in a glass
lutzflcat

Frozen cherries and raspberries are the stars of this ultra fruity smoothie. A hint of fresh ginger and splash of lemon juice add a refreshing layer of flavor.

12 of 16

Cherry Ice Cream

Cherry Ice Cream in a glass bowl
mauigirl

Both frozen dark cherries and cherry juice concentrate pair up to create this irresistibly rich ice cream. Many reviewers described it as tasting like Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia without the chocolate.

13 of 16

Sweet Dark Cherry Cobbler

Sweet Dark Cherry Cobbler in a glass
ReneePaj

A dash of cinnamon and pat of butter elevate this cherry cobbler filling to wow-worthy status. All you need is a cool scoop of ice cream to melt on a piece right out of the oven.

14 of 16

Sour Cherry Pudding Cake

Sour Cherry Pudding Cake in a glass dish
Scott M

Somewhere between a cake and a pudding, this creamy cake is flavored with almond extract and studded with cherries. Reviewer Lisa Williams says, "A friend gave me several pounds of frozen tart cherries and I was looking for a good recipe that wasn't cherry pie cherry pie is too syrupy for me but this recipe makes a a crazy good coffee cake."

15 of 16

Cherry Banana Smoothie

Cherry Banana Smoothie in a glass
5Foot3

Sweet frozen cherries and creamy banana are the base for this bold smoothie, with a hint of tang thanks to Greek yogurt.

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