Easy Cherry Compote

This Easy Cherry Compote is sweet, glossy, and packed with juicy cherry flavor. Made with fresh or frozen cherries, it’s the perfect topping for everything from pancakes and cheesecake to yogurt and ice cream, and it comes together in just 20 minutes. Once you see how easy it is to make, you’ll want to keep a jar in the fridge all season long.

I also use frozen cherries in my Cherry Cooler and my Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie.

Ingredient Notes

Here’s my carefully selected ingredients and some notes on them.

• Cherries– pitted, or frozen and thawed. I used Bing, and give other options later in this post.
• Sugar- granulated sugar works fine here. You can also use raw sugar.
• Lemon juice- freshly squeezed! I love my Citrus Press for this.
• Cornstarch Slurry– This is 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 2 tablespoons of cold water, stir well. This is used to thicken the compote slightly. You can use arrowroot powder in place of cornstarch if you prefer.
• Almond Extract– this is optional, but highly recommended! It complements the cherries beautifully and I think sets this recipe apart.

How to Make Easy Cherry Compote

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice. Stir occasionally as the sugar dissolves and the cherries begin to release their juices.
   Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring now and then, until the cherries are soft and the liquid is glossy and fragrant.
2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and continue to cook for 1–2 minutes, until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat. Stir in the almond extract, if using. The compote will continue to thicken as it cools. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving Ideas For Cherry Compote

One of the things I love most about this cherry compote recipe is how versatile it is. It’s equally at home on a stack of pancakes as it is on a cheese board or alongside roasted meats. Keep a jar in the refrigerator and you’ll find plenty of ways to enjoy it throughout the week.

Breakfast Favorites

Spoon cherry compote over pancakes, waffles, French toast, oatmeal, overnight oats (this is my base recipe, leave the fruit and peanut butter out), or Greek yogurt and granola for an easy breakfast that feels a little extra special.

Desserts

This compote is delicious served over cheesecake or swirled through cheesecake batter, vanilla ice cream, pound cake, angel food cake, or panna cotta. It also makes a beautiful filling for crepes or a topping for parfaits.

Savory Pairings

Don’t stop at dessert. The sweet-tart flavor of cherries pairs wonderfully with roast pork tenderloin, duck, baked brie or Grilled Brie, goat cheese, and charcuterie boards.

Storage Tips

• Store cherry compote in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
  
• For longer storage, freeze in small containers or freezer bags for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before using.
  
• If the compote thickens too much after chilling, simply stir in a spoonful of water or lemon juice to loosen it.

Cherry Compote vs. Jam vs. Pie Filling

Cherry compote is a simple fruit topping made by gently cooking cherries with sugar until the fruit softens and releases its juices. Unlike jam or pie filling, compote is meant to remain soft, spoonable, and full of fruit.

While they all start with fruit, cherry compote, jam, and pie filling are quite different.

Compote

Lightly sweetened and loosely set, with plenty of whole fruit and juices remaining. It’s meant to be spooned over foods like yogurt, pancakes, cheesecake, and ice cream.

Jam

Jam is cooked much longer, breaking down the fruit and creating a thicker, spreadable consistency that’s ideal for toast and sandwiches.

Pie Filling

Cherry pie filling is typically thicker and sweeter than compote. It contains more starch and is designed to hold its shape inside baked desserts like pies, turnovers, and pastries.

If you’re looking for something fresh-tasting and versatile, cherry compote falls right in the middle between a fruit sauce and a preserve.

Cherry Buying Guide

Whether you’re picking cherries at a local orchard or grabbing a bag from the grocery store, starting with good fruit will give you the best cherry compote.

What to Look for When Buying Fresh Cherries

Color

• Look for cherries that are deeply colored and glossy: Dark red to almost black for Bing-type cherries.
• Pale or dull skin usually means underripe fruit or age.

Firmness

• Cherries should feel plump and firm, not soft or shriveled.
• A little give is fine; mushiness is not.

stems

• Green, flexible stems are a good sign of freshness.
• Brown, brittle, or missing stems often indicate older cherries (though stemless cherries aren’t necessarily bad if the fruit itself is firm).

skin

• Avoid cherries with cracks, wrinkles, or leaking juice, which can signal overripe fruit or poor storage.
• Minor surface scuffs are fine; splits are not.
• Look out for signs of mold where the stem joins the fruit; rainwater and debris can collect in this little dimple, and mold can set in.

When Cherries Are In Season

Sweet cherries, including Bing, Rainier, and Lapins varieties, are typically available from late May through July, with peak availability in early to mid-summer. Sour cherries, such as Montmorency cherries, usually arrive a little later, from late June through early July, and can be more difficult to find fresh.

Although it does depend on your location. Here in Michigan if I’m picking from a local orchard, It’s usually late June/early July. But they are still available in stores before and after that.

Methods for Pitting Cherries

1. Cherry Pitter (my favorite method)

• Fast, tidy, and consistent
  
• Ideal if you pit cherries often or work in volume
  
• Look for models with a splash guard to save your walls (and shirt)
  

2. Paring Knife

• Slice the cherry around the pit, twist to open, and pry it out
  
• Slower, but precise
  
• Best if you want halved or neatly shaped cherries
  

3. Paperclip or Hairpin (who thought of this?!)

• Unbend a paperclip into a hook
  
• Insert at the stem end, catch the pit, and pull
  
• Surprisingly effective, though a little messy
  

4. Bottle + Chopstick/Metal Drinking Straw  Trick

• Place the cherry on the mouth of a narrow bottle
  
• Push the pit through with a chopstick or straw
  
• Satisfying, efficient, and oddly fun, but expect juice splatter, so wear an apron!