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Homemade Cordial Cherries - Juicy maraschino cherries wrapped in a sweet, powdered sugar fondant, dipped in sweet and smooth chocolate and topped with Christmas sprinkles.

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Prepare to be amazed by these Homemade Cordial Cherries! These delicious treats combine cherries, a sweet fondant and rich chocolate for an absolutely irresistible holiday indulgence.

You can choose to enjoy them yourself, or make them as a gift for loved ones. . .either way, they are irresistible.

They are perfect to make ahead of time during the hustle and bustle of the holiday season and are so much more flavorful and rich than anything you can buy at the store!

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HANDMADE CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES

Before you get started, make sure you have the following ingredients:

Maraschino cherries with stems
Butter, softened
Corn syrup
Powdered sugar
Milk chocolate chips
Christmas sprinkles

Once you've gathered all your ingredients, follow the steps below for an irresistible special homemade treat!

MAKING THE FONDANT FOR CORDIAL CHERRIES

Place cherries on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Allow all juice to absorb off the cherries.
Place softened butter, corn syrup, and powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl.
Work together with your hands until a dough forms. If dough is too sticky, add a bit more powdered sugar.
Roll 1 teaspoon of dough in your hands and then press it into a flat circle. Place a cherry in the center of the dough.

DIPPING THE CORDIAL CHERRIES IN CHOCOLATE

steps for making chocolate covered cherries

Gently wrap the dough up and around the cherry, covering it completely and place the wrapped cherries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place them in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Dip the wrapped cherries into the melted chocolate, covering them completely.
Allow the excess chocolate to drip off.
Place cherries on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Note: After the first dip, the underside chocolate layer of the cherry may be very thin. If you are giving these as gifts, you may want to dip the bottoms lightly again into the melted chocolate to hold the center. The fondant tends to breaks down into liquid over time so if you don't dip into the melted chocolate a second time, your cherries may leak.
Add sprinkles immediately before the chocolate hardens.

Handmade chocolate covered cherries topped with sprinkles

TIPS FOR MAKING HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHERRIES

Make sure the cherries are dried well to prevent the chocolate from seizing. Use a fork to dip cherries into melted chocolate, tapping off excess. Work quickly to prevent the chocolate from hardening too fast.
The longer the cordial cherries sit, the better they will taste. By letting them sit, the flavors have more time to meld together, enhancing the taste.
Keeping the stems on makes it easier to dip the cherries in the chocolate, but if you prefer to not have stems, use a fork or dipping tool to make the dipping process easier.

chocolate covered cherries on a white serving plate

WHAT OTHER KINDS OF CHOCOLATE CAN BE USED TO DIP CHERRIES INTO?

Depending on your preference, feel free to use whatever chocolate you wish! You can use milk chocolate, semi-sweet, dark chocolate, or white chocolate.

With white chocolate, you can even use gel food dye to color the chocolate if you'd like!

View of the center of a chocolate covered cherry

HOW CAN I INFUSE ALCOHOL INTO CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES?

If you want to incorporate liquor into your recipe, pour 1- 1 -¼ cups of vodka, rum, amaretto, or brandy into the cherry jars after draining until it just covers cherries.

Place the lids back on the jars and refrigerate for 24 - 48 hours to allow the cherries to soak up the flavor.

plate of cordial cherries with the center of one exposed

WHAT'S THE BEST WAY TO STORE HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE CHERRIES?

If your home is cool ( 70°F or below) you can store the cherries at room temperature for about 1-2 weeks. Otherwise, they can stay fresh for 2-3 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge.

holding the stem of a chocolate covered cherry

CAN YOU FREEZE HOMEMADE CORDIAL CHERRIES?

Freezing these cordial cherries is not recommended as the chocolate will crack in the freezer as the filling expands inside.

a view of the inside of a chocolate covered cherry

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