Simple Recipe Ideas to Use Leftover cherries

It’s surprising considering the abundance of cherries in England, that cherry pie is not (like in the USA) more popular. Cherries are expensive but delicious and make a lovely pie filling, serve with vegan custard or ice-cream.

This cherry pie recipe (Willow’s Kitchen) is super-simple to make, packed with fruits and sweetened with coconut sugar.

Keep recipes away from pets, due to fruit pips/seeds and fresh dough. Read more on food safety for people and pets.

To avoid palm oil, make your own pastry with vegan butter (like Flora, which has no palm oil).

This recipe has a homemade pastry base, or use a simpler recipe at the post above. The pitted cherries are then combined with sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and vanilla.

If you eat a lot of cherries, it’s worth investing in a cherry stoner, which can also be used for to remove olive stones.

You simply add the cherry mix over one half of the rolled-out dough, then cover with the other half (after cutting it into strips and weaving into a lattice shape).

Chill the pie  for half an hour (sprinkle on optional sugar) and bake until done. There won’t be many leftovers!

How to Buy & Store Cherries

Red cherries have a lighter flavour, but most interchange nicely in recipes. Look for ones with bright firm skin, and only wash them just before serving (they only keep a few days in the fridge). Look in farm shops for organic cherries with low food miles.

Fresh vs soft cherries, and when to cook them

Firm cherries (skins taut, flesh springy) are best for no-cook toppings, oats, and salads. Soft cherries (wrinkled skins, lots of juice) are better cooked into compote, chia jam, or crumble filling.

Before you sweeten anything, taste a cherry. Some batches are sweet, others are sharp. If yours are tart, you’ve got easy fixes:

• Add a drizzle of maple syrup or agave to sauces and oats.
• Blend with a ripe banana for smoothies and bowls.
• Pair with vanilla or orange zest to soften the sharp edge.

How to pit, store, and freeze cherries

A cherry pitter is tidy, but you don’t need one. Push the stone out with a reusable straw, or use the blunt end of a chopstick while holding the cherry over a bowl.

Store pitted cherries in a sealed container lined with kitchen paper. Keep them in the fridge and try to use very ripe ones within 2 to 3 days.

For freezing, pit first, then spread cherries in a single layer on a tray. Freeze until firm, then tip into a bag or tub. Use frozen cherries straight from the freezer in smoothies, or thaw them for sauces and baking.

Simple vegan recipe ideas

Creamy cherry overnight oats 

When mornings are hectic, cherries do the hard work for you, because they bring flavour and colour without much effort.

• For overnight oats, mix 50 g oats, 150 ml plant milk, 1 tablespoon chia seeds, a pinch of salt, and a handful of chopped cherries. Refrigerate overnight. In the morning, loosen with more milk, then top with extra fruit.
• For a smoothie bowl, blend frozen cherries with a banana and a few spoonfuls of soy yoghurt. Pour into a bowl and add crunch.

Easy boosts if you want it more filling:

• Use soy milk instead of oat milk for extra protein.
• Add a spoon of peanut butter, almond butter, or sunflower seed butter if you need nut-free.
• Stir in silken tofu for a thicker, creamy blend (it tastes neutral once blended with fruit).

Top with toasted seeds, chopped nuts, or granola, whatever’s already in the cupboard.

Warm cherry compote in 10 minutes

Cherry compote is the “save it before it goes” option, especially for soft fruit. It also freezes well, so it’s ideal when you’ve got more cherries than time.

Add about 300 g pitted cherries to a pan with a splash of water, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until glossy and spoonable. Sweeten only if it needs it.

If you want a thicker, pie-like sauce, stir in a little cornflour slurry (1 teaspoon cornflour mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water) and cook for 30 seconds.

Three easy ways to use cherry compote:

• Spoon it over vegan pancakes or waffles.
• Swirl it into vegan ice cream or coconut yoghurt.
• Layer it into a quick parfait with crushed biscuits and yoghurt for a last-minute dessert.

Easy cherry crisp (or crumble)

This is comfort food that uses up fruit fast, and it’s forgiving if your cherries are a bit soft.

Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Toss pitted cherries with a squeeze of lemon, 1 to 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sugar), and 1 tablespoon plain flour to catch the juices. Tip into a small baking dish.

For the topping, rub together oats, ground almonds, a pinch of cinnamon, and coconut oil until clumpy. Sprinkle on top and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until bubbling at the edges.

Gluten-free is simple, just use gluten-free oats. For nut-free, swap ground almonds for extra oats and a handful of seeds. Serve warm with vegan custard for the full crumble-shop feeling.