These Easy Chocolate Covered Cherries (Cherry Cordials) with a liquid center are easy to make and with a little patience, are better than any store-bought chocolate-covered cherries you've ever had! You only need maraschino cherries and a few staple ingredients that every baker has on hand!
Originally posted January 2019, updated October 2024
Jump to:
- Chocolate Covered Cherries
- Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe
- The Secret to Perfect Chocolate Covered Cherries...
- What's the Difference between Chocolate Covered Cherries and Cordial Cherries?
- What kind of chocolate is best for cherry cordials?
- Equipment
- Ingredients
- Invertase and Cordial Cherries
- Substitutions
- How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherries with Liquid Center
- Pro Tips
- Storage Directions
- FAQ
- More Delicious Recipes
- Recipe
Chocolate Covered Cherries
These are perfect for any special occasion but are especially popular around Christmas and Valentine's Day. They make great gifts or treats or can satisfy a boujee chocolate craving! And I love it that you can and should make them ahead of time!
I just love these Chocolate Covered Cherries! The delicious combination of juicy cherries with a creamy liquid center and the smooth chocolate outside... perfection!
Also, for sentimental reasons - they are my Daddy's favorite candy! Of all the desserts he could eat, Queen Ann Cherry Cordials are his go-to! So being able to make them at home - that makes them special to me.
Chocolate Covered Cherries Recipe
For the longest time, I wondered how cherry cordials were made, and if it was even possible to make homemade chocolate covered cherries.
But after a little research, I realized it was absolutely doable! And this is an easy recipe. With a little time and patience, you will have the best chocolate coated cherries you've ever eaten!
If you make these chocolate cherries yourself you not only save money, but these are SO much better than store-bought cherries.
I even recommend doubling the recipe if you love them because you will eat several before they're actually ready, and nobody will stop at one or two!
Let's get started!
The Secret to Perfect Chocolate Covered Cherries...
Time.
The secret to perfect and delicious DIY chocolate-covered cherries is time. Lots and lots of time.
After making these, you should let them sit at room temperature for at least two weeks. For the best chocolate-covered cherries, wait longer—even three or four weeks.
The longer they sit - the more the center will liquefy and give you that perfect liquid center that is so scrumptious. (more on this here)
What's the Difference between Chocolate Covered Cherries and Cordial Cherries?
I didn't know the answer to this question. So I did some research. The terms "chocolate-covered cherries" and "cherry cordials" are often used interchangeably, but technically, there are some subtle differences between the two. PS - I usually use the wrong term. 😉
Chocolate-Covered Cherries: These are simply cherries (often maraschino cherries) dipped in chocolate. The inside may be just the cherry itself, or in some cases, it might include a syrup or juice, but there is no requirement for a liquid center.
Cherry Cordials: A specific type of chocolate-covered cherry with a liquid center that often includes alcohol. The cherries are typically surrounded by a sugary syrup or liqueur (hence "cordial"). The liquid center is usually created by using a sugar solution that liquefies over time, often during a process called "inversion". The cherries in Cherry Cordials might also be soaked in a type of liquor or alcohol before dipping.
What kind of chocolate is best for cherry cordials?
For cherry cordials, the best form of chocolate depends on your preferences and whether you're looking for convenience, quality, or ease of melting.
For this recipe for chocolate covered cherries, I keep things simple and use ingredients that any home cook can find and afford (ie., chocolate chips). But if you want to upgrade your chocolate-covered cherry recipe, upgrade your chocolate!
Here's a breakdown of the different kinds of chocolates:
Chocolate Chips
Best for convenience and budget: Chocolate chips are easy to use because they are designed to hold their shape when baked, but they can still be melted for dipping. They're also easy to buy at any grocery store and are budget-friendly.
The downside is they typically contain stabilizers, so the texture may not be as smooth or shiny as melting chocolate or chocolate bars.
However, if you don’t want to temper the chocolate (not always easy). chocolate chips can be melted and made smooth when paired with a small amount of oil.
You can use dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips (white chips are the most difficult to melt).
Melting Wafers or Candy Melts
Best for ease of use: These are specifically designed for melting and coating, and they don’t require tempering. Melting wafers (like Wilton’s Candy Melts or Ghirardelli Melting Wafers) are easy to work with and produce a smooth, consistent coating. They come in dark, semi-sweet, milk and white flavors as well.
However, they are often made with vegetable oils rather than cocoa butter, which can affect the flavor. They are convenient but might not have the rich chocolate taste that some people prefer.
Chocolate Bars
Best for quality and flavor: Chocolate bars, especially high-quality dark or semi-sweet ones, are a great choice for cherry cordials. They usually contain fewer additives than chocolate chips, offering a purer chocolate flavor and smoother texture.
Note: I'm not talking about popular candy bars.. but rather baker's chocolate bars found on the baking aisle in your grocery store. You can chop these bars into small pieces and melt them.
This option works well if you want control over the chocolate’s flavor and quality.
Melting Chocolate
Best for professional finish: Couverture chocolate or melting chocolate is designed specifically for tasks like dipping and coating. It is real chocolate with a higher cocoa butter content, which makes it melt smoothly and gives a shiny, professional finish. Callebaut is my preferred brand.
This type of chocolate is ideal for chocolate covered marachino cherries if you want a smooth, glossy coating, but it requires tempering to set properly. And I'm gonna be honest... I don't like having to temper chocolate.
Which Should You Choose?
- For the best flavor and quality: Use chocolate bars or couverture chocolate.
- For ease of use without tempering: Use melting wafers or melting chocolate.
- For convenience and budget: Chocolate chips are the way to go, but may benefit from added oil to smooth the texture.
Equipment
- Mixer - a hand mixer or stand mixer will work just fine here. You'll need this to make the "dough" that you'll be wrapping the cherries in.
- Microwave safe bowl - you'll need this to melt chocolate. You can also melt the chocolate in a double boiler.
- Fork - to remove the dipped cherries from the chocolate.
- Airtight container - for storing the cherries
- Baking sheet or cookie sheet
- Paper towels
- Wax paper or parchment paper - to line baking sheet
Ingredients
These Easy Chocolate-Covered Cherries ingredients can be found at any grocery store. Unless, of course, you decide to upgrade the chocolate and/or use invertase.
- Maraschino cherries (with or without stems) - I prefer the look of cherries without stems but it's easier to dip them with the stems.
- Butter - I use salted butter, but unsalted would work just fine.
- Light Corn Syrup
- Powdered sugar, aka confectioner sugar
- Chocolate - for these cherries, I'm using milk chocolate chips . But milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate would work. See info above for the type of chocolate to use.
- Coconut oil - optional but really improves the smoothness of chocolate chips.
- Invertase, optional (not pictured - read section below)
Invertase and Cordial Cherries
I did not use invertase in this cordial cherries recipe (when shooting the pictures), but I wish I had.
Buy Now → 
Invertase is an enzyme that breaks down sucrose into glucose and fructose, creating a smooth syrup. It is inexpensive and lasts a long time because only a small amount is needed.
In chocolate-covered cherries, invertase is added to the fondant surrounding the cherry. Over time (a few days to weeks), it converts the solid sugar into a liquid, resulting in the signature syrupy center of the cordial.
Some liquefication will happen without invertase, but for the best results, this enzyme is critical for achieving a soft, liquid interior and extending the shelf life of the candies.
If you have some, add ½ to 1 teaspoon to this chocolate cherries recipe. If it makes the fondant sticky, add a tiny amount of extra powdered sugar to offset the liquid.
Substitutions
Cherries. Maraschino cherries are the classic cherries used in chocolate covered cherry cordials, but they're not the only cherries used. Sour cherries are another type of cherry I've seen used. These are not actually sour, but they're not as sugary sweet as maraschino cherries and they are not artificially bright red either.
Chocolate. See the full section above for white chocolate covered cherries or milk chocolate covered cherries and all the different types of chocolate you can use!
How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherries with Liquid Center
Homemade chocolate covered cherries are rich and delicious and once you make them homemade, you'll never buy them again!
1. Place the softened butter and corn syrup in a bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer). Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and mix until a dough forms.
2. Refrigerate the fondant mixture (dough) for a few hours until it stiffens and is easy to work with.
3. In the meantime, drain the cherry juice off the cherries. Then dry the drained cherries with paper towels. Use some extra paper towels to line a cookie sheet and lay the cherries out to dry completely. Let them dry for a few hours.
4. Prepare another baking sheet by lining it with a piece of wax paper or parchment paper. This is where you will place your cherries and allow them to harden.
5. Take about 1 teaspoon of dough and roll it out thin. Wrap the dough around each individual cherry.
6. Place the wrapped cherries back into the fridge for about 1 hour. This will make it easier to dip them in your chocolate.
7. Place the chocolate chips and coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl and melt for 30 seconds increments. Stir between each turn in the microwave and repeat until completely melted.
8. Take each cherry and drop it into the melted chocolate. The easiest way to dip cherries is to choose cherries with stems. If you do not want the stems, place your cherry in the chocolate and remove it with a fork.
9. Allow the chocolate to harden. In warmer months, I recommend placing them back in the refrigerator to speed up this process. I like to drizzle one with any leftover chocolate but that's just to make them pretty. You can do this with a fork or place some of the leftover chocolate in a piping bag and snip off a tiny bit for a thin drizzle.
10. After your cherries are set, place them in an airtight container and store them in a dry place. This is where the waiting begins. Let your cherries sit for 2-4 weeks. The ones photographed in this post had been sitting for 2 weeks. The longer they set, the more the inside will liquefy giving you that perfect chocolate covered cherry!
Note: if you add invertase to the fondant, they will liquefy faster. You can "test" one every few days until you get the level of liquid center you want.
Pro Tips
Use a mold! To ensure that you have perfectly shaped cherries, you can use a mold to make them. Here are a couple of options that would work great!
Vanilla or Almond. Add a little bit more flavor by adding ½ teaspoon of almond extract or vanilla extract to your sugar mixture that you wrap around the cherries.
Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries. Because maraschino cherries are extra sweet, I love to use dark chocolate on the outside for the best cherry cordials. The slight bitter taste of the dark chocolate balances the sweet cherries so well.
Double Dip! We like our cherries with a little bit thicker chocolate coating so I often will dip them, let them set up, the dip them again.
Storage Directions
How do you store chocolate-covered cherries? How long can you keep them?
The best way to store these is in an airtight container at room temperature (or a semi-cool place). As mentioned above, to get that melt-in-your-mouth gooey center, you will need for these to sit for 3-4 weeks at room temperature.
Beyond that, they will keep at least another 4-6 weeks at room temperature and still be delicious! Want to give these as Christmas gifts? You can make them before Thanksgiving. Want to have them for Valentine's Day? Make them in early January!
FAQ
No, freezing is not recommended. The liquid cherry center will expand and crack the chocolate. They might still taste delicious but the presentation will not be pretty.
Yes, you can use chocolate chips to make chocolate-dipped cherries. That's exactly what I did in this post. Here's the short version:
Melt the chocolate chips: Use a microwave or a double boiler to melt the chocolate chips gently. If using a microwave, heat in 20-30 second intervals, stirring in between until fully melted. Be careful not to overheat, as chocolate chips can burn easily.
Add a bit of fat (optional): If the melted chocolate is too thick for dipping, you can add a small amount of coconut oil, vegetable oil, or butter (about 1 teaspoon per cup of chocolate) to make it smoother.
More Delicious Recipes
Recipe
Chocolate Covered Cherries
- Total Time: 0 hours
- Yield: 36 cherries 1x
Description
These Easy Chocolate Covered Cherries (Cherry Cordials) with a liquid center are easy to make and with a little patience, are better than any store-bought chocolate-covered cherries you've ever had! You only need maraschino cherries and a few staple ingredients that every baker has on hand!
Ingredients
- 36 Maraschino cherries (with or without stems)
- 3 tablespoons butter softened
- 3 tablespoons corn syrup
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 18 ounces (1 ½ bags) of milk chocolate chips
- 1 tsp coconut oil
- ½ to 1 teaspoon invertase, optional*
Instructions
1. Place the butter and corn syrup in a bowl of a stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer). Slowly add in the powdered sugar one cup at a time and mix until a dough forms.
2. Refrigerate dough for a few hours until it stiffens and is easy to work with.
3. Prepare your cherries by removing them from their juice and drying them on a paper towel.
4. Take a piece of wax paper and place it on a baking sheet. This is where you will place your cherries and allow them to harden.
5. Take about 1 teaspoon of dough and roll it out thin. Wrap the dough around each individual cherry.
6. Place back into the fridge for about 1 hour. This will make it easier to dip them in your chocolate.
7. Place your chocolate and coconut oil into a microwave safe bowl and melt for 30 second increments until completely melted.
8. Take each cherry and drop into your chocolate. This part is easier if you choose cherries with stems. If you do not want the stems, place your cherry in the chocolate and remove with a fork.
9. Allow the chocolate to harden. You can place them back in the refrigerator to speed up this process.
10. After your cherries are set, place them in a air tight container and store in a dry place. This is where the waiting begins. Let your cherries sit for 2-4 weeks. The longer they set, the more the inside will liquefy giving you that perfect chocolate covered cherry!
Notes
*For a more liquid center, add ½ to 1 teaspoon of invertase to the dough. If it makes the fondant sticky, add a tiny amount of extra powdered sugar to offset the liquid.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Rest Time: 2-4 weeks
- Category: Dessert
Terry
I find this ingredient list quite vague. What size bags of c chips are you using? It would be much easier to use grams.
Susan
You're right - it is vague, and I'll get it updated. A typical bag of chocolate chips here in the US is 12 oz, so 18 oz would be needed for this recipe.
Bea
10 oz 283 gm
12 oz 340 gm
20 oz 567 gm (largest bag)
8 oz 226 gm (toffee bits)
I thought even the UK had oz & GM on food packages? Ours do from overseas.
Sondra
can you use butter instead of coconut oil
Ruth Lewandoski
Can I use a candy mold to cover my cherries
Susan
Hi Ruth! I bet that would work well!
Donna
After they're put in an air-tight container, are they left at room temperature or in the refrigerator for the 2-4 weeks?
Susan
Hi Donna! They're best stored at room temperature to help them liquefy.
Katie
Turned out so good!
Bea
Hi Rose, love the recipe. I put mine in a candy mold instead of dipping. It works great. They stay beautifully done & look very professional too. I might try individually dipping next time. Thank you!
Evie
Hi, I know I'm late to this party, LUV the idea of using a mold, was wondering what candy mold was used? Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks in advance 😉
Rose Atwater
I just added them to the post - thanks for asking! These are the two I'd recommend: Three-part Bon Bon Mold or Polycarbonate Cherry Cordial Mold
Evie
Thank you!!
Catherine
Hi, this recipe looks great, but do they stay shiny as they sit for 2 weeks? Won't the chocolate turn hazy (bloom) if you don't temper it before dipping? Thanks
Karen
Is milk chocolate a must, or can you use semi sweet or dark chocolate?
Rose
I think any chocolate would work great.
Ramona’s
This recipe is by far the easiest to understand and prepare. The results are wonderful. Better than I imagined. I let them set for three weeks and the liquid inside was absolutely perfect. This will be my new recipe I will pass down to my grandchildren.
Karen
My chocolate is speckled like the cocoa in it separated..I went right by the recipe except I live in Texas and we had a really warm humid day when I made them so I put then
M in the fridge to firm up after dipping them. Then I did a second batch with dark chocolate and did NOT refrigerate them but they’ve done the same thing..wonder why?
Rose
It's called "blooming" when that happens. The cocoa butter inside your chocolate melts and separates from the rest of the ingredients when it is in a warm environment that is not properly managed. As a result, it then rises to the surface and settles, thus creating the off-white bloom. There's nothing wrong with it and it's perfectly safe to eat - but I know it's' frustrating and sometimes difficult to prevent in the warm south.
Melissa
If you decide to make these again your best bet would be temper your chocolate (don't use chocolate chips) or get a coating chocolate such as almond bark, merkins etc if you can.
Stacie Collins
So you don’t need Rum or anything else to make the centers liquify? I love it? Why does others have to add other additives to liquify the centers?
Melanie
Just wondering…can you sub maraschino cherries and the paste with homemade cherry pie filling?
Bet
love this recipe. just one little tip I learned the hard way. after the chocolate firms up check for little holes and dab alittle chocolate on them. I had several leaking the yummy liquid out.
Linda
Can I use invert sugar instead of corn syrup, or, can I add invert add to the fondant to help it liquify?
PMP
Absolutely delicious! The only change I made was I substituted vegetable shortening for the coconut oil!
Debi
I make these every year and they are easy. after reading some comments I suggest freezing the balls before dipping. Also, I always have to touch up little seepage holes after dipping. I leave mine out in a cool place for a week where they will start to liquidity inside. After that I refrigerate them.
Rose
Great tip!!
Judy
I used chocolate almond bark for my cherries worked out wonderfully
Scarlett
what can i substitute for coconut oil?
Rose
vegetable shortening (aka Crisco!)
Holly
I’m in Florida and even though my A/C is on leaving at room temp for several weeks I started getting mold.
Melissa
This is a great and easy recipe. Hardest part is not eating them. I even made a batch with cherries that soaked in brandy for a few days. Only thing I did different is I used tempered chocolate which I highly recommend or even using a coating chocolate. I'm not sure if it's just me but anything that's not tempered it melts way too easily.
Shahira Kamal
Please,can I use store bought fondant to enclose the cherries before dipping in chocolate ?
Dawn Laperriere
can you add a flavoring to this
Susie Jewell
I a assuming we can eat them right away if we wan to. Just letting them sit let's them liquefy correct??
Rose
Absolutely!
Alana
I am hoping to start making these tonight. Am I able to wrap the Cherries in the dough and leave them in the refrigerator overnight covered, then dip them in chocolate tomorrow? Or will this affect the outcome? Thanks!
Rose
Yes, that will not cause issues at all!
Joann
I’ve made these since I was a kid. My grandma‘s recipe called for wax to be added to the semi sweet chocolate chips as they were melting. I cannot wait to try it with milk chocolate, which I like much better. Does the coconut oil do the same effect as the wax oil does, makes the chocolate shine?We always put ours in the fridge to cool. Cannot wait to try leaving them out they would definitely. Keep the dough in its original form.
Do you roll the dough out? That’s the hardest part to me. We pinch off a piece and flatten and then wrap around cherry. Thanks for your help!
Lori
I am excited to try. Yum Didn't know what kind of chocolate is best, Milk or dark or semi sweet?
thank you
Melissa
Was excited to make these. Followed the recipe and let them sit at room temp in the seventies for just over five weeks now, but no liquid yet. None at all. Any ideas? Thanks...
Melissa
I made these in the beginning of November and it is now January 12th. they are still solid and have not melted inside, nor created the normal chocolate covered cherry filling. I followed the recipe and just can't figure out what happened. any ideas?? thanks so much...
Cassie
Same. I made mine 7/21/24. Stored in an air tight container in the pantry. Opened them 8/11/24 and no cordial. The filling is still wrapped around the cherry but not liquified. I dried my cherries out completely-maybe they were too dry?
Rose Atwater
Oooh, I'm not sure what happened!
Jackie
Yum! I remember my mom making these when I was little! I will have to try them out myself. Once our fence installer leaves this afternoon I am going to run to the store to grab the ingredients! Thanks for sharing.
Esme Slabbert
What a lovely looking treat to use cherries. Love it.
Thank you for popping over and for participating and sharing at SSPS 334. See you again next week at #335
Jennifer Wise
I need to do this! I LOVE the chocolate-cherry combination and often buy "cherry cordials" at Christmastime, but I have a recipe similar to yours that I pull out every now and again. I need to start doing it at Christmas instead of buying the store-bought ones--because you are SO right! These are SO MUCH better! 🙂 Pinning to save and share. Visiting from The Hearth and Soul linkup.
Cindy F
I made these into mini cherry truffles- melted milk chocolate in the bottom and sides of a mini muffin liner, chilled, added the fondant (filling) covered cherry and covered with more melted chocolate. SO good!
Rose Atwater
I'm SO happy to hear this! Merry Christmas!
Cindy
Just made my second batch of 48 minis. Addictive!
Reno Swiger
My fondant is more like an icing than a fondant- i dont understand what happened