Want more recipe inspiration to celebrate the last part of the cherry season? Imagine juicy cherries bursting with flavor, covered with decadent chocolate…these chocolate-covered cherries are everything you want in a bite-sized dessert. This easy candy recipe is perfect as a summer dessert, but can also be served during the holidays or other special occasions.
To make it, you’ll need fresh, juicy cherries, white and dark chocolate, hazelnut grains, cookies, and cream. Unlike cherry cordials, these treats are made with real cherries, so you get all the cherry flavor in a single bite. There are the best chocolate-covered cherries—make them today!
Chocolate-Covered Cherries Vs Cherry Cordials
Chocolate-covered cherries and cherry cordials are essentially the same thing. A cherry cordial is made by preserving cherries in a sweet liqueur or sweet syrup and then enclosing it with chocolate. The result is a very sweet cherry candy with a liquid center.
These Chocolate-Covered Cherries differ slightly in that as they don’t have a liquidy center. The cherries are covered with cookie dough, then dipped in chocolate. It makes them less sweet with added texture.
Chocolate-Covered Cherry Ingredients
Cherries – use fresh cherries with stems attached as this makes it easier to dip them in the chocolate. You can also use maraschino cherries, but it's best to avoid frozen cherries as they won’t keep their shape.
Chocolate – use high-quality white chocolate for the cookie dough and dark chocolate for the dip; if you prefer it to be less sweet, use dark chocolate for the cookie dough.
Cookies – use rich tea biscuits (like Maria cookies) or digestive biscuits (like Graham crackers).
Nuts – crushed nuts add texture; you can also use almonds or pecans.
How To Make Chocolate-Covered Cherries
Prepare the cookie dough. Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler (see how to set one up in the recipe notes). Add the melted white chocolate, cream, and milk to the crushed cookie biscuits. Mix to form a dough.
Prepare the sugar dip. Mix the powdered sugar with water to form a paste and set aside.
Form the cookie dough. Scoop some of the cookie dough and flatter it to form a disk.
Make the chocolate-covered cherries. Dip a cherry into the powdered sugar frosting and wrap it in the cookie dough. Refrigerate. Once they’re ready, dip each cherry in melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed hazelnut grains. Refrigerate again for 30 minutes.
Tips For Making The Best Chocolate-Covered Cherries
If the chocolate is too thick for dipping, you can add a bit of coconut oil.
To make sure the dark chocolate stays firm and does not melt, you’ll need to temper it. To temper the chocolate, you will need a thermometer. Heat the chocolate over a double boiler, until it reaches 122 – 131°F (50 – 55°C), then continue stirring while it cools down again to the right temperature 88 – 90° F (31 – 32°C).
Chocolate-Covered Cherries Variations
As a variation, use your favorite alcohol instead of milk and mix with the powdered sugar.
Instead of covering the cherries with cookie dough, you can also use fondant.
Instead of sprinkling the cherries with crushed nuts, drizzle with melted white chocolate. For an added special touch, color the chocolate with a drop or two of red food coloring.
How To Store Chocolate-Covered Cherries
Store the chocolate-covered cherries in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can You Freeze Chocolate-Covered Cherries?
It’s best not to freeze the chocolate-covered cherries, as the chocolate might crack.
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Ingredients
Instructions
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Place the cookies in a large mixing bowl.
Place the cookies in a large mixing bowl.
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Crush them until fine.
Crush them until fine.
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Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler.
Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler.
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Add the cream.
Add the cream.
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Stir until the chocolate melts.
Stir until the chocolate melts.
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Add the white chocolate and milk.
Add the white chocolate and milk.
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Mix to form a dough.
Mix to form a dough.
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Mix powdered sugar with water to form a paste, and set aside.
Mix powdered sugar with water to form a paste, and set aside.
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Scoop some of the cookie dough and use your hands to flatten it into a small disk.
Scoop some of the cookie dough and use your hands to flatten it into a small disk.
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Dip a cherry into the powdered sugar frosting and place in the cookie dough disk.
Dip a cherry into the powdered sugar frosting and place in the cookie dough disk.
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Wrap the dough around the cherry.
Wrap the dough around the cherry.
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Repeat with the remaining cherries and dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Repeat with the remaining cherries and dough. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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Dip each cherry in melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed hazelnut grains.
Dip each cherry in melted chocolate, then sprinkle with crushed hazelnut grains.
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Refrigerate again for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Refrigerate again for 30 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
To set up a double boiler, you’ll need a medium-sized pot and a heatproof bowl (usually glass). Make sure that the bowl and pot fit nicely onto each other—the bowl should be resting on top of the pot (in other words it should be larger). Place water inside the pot (it should not touch the bowl) and place over medium heat.
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