How to Make Dried Cherries

Cherries are delicious fresh from the tree, but did you know you can dry them at home, so you can enjoy them year round? You can use a food dehydrator, your oven, or just the heat of the sun! This article will explain all three methods for you.

Ingredients

Cherries- any kind will do, just make sure they're fresh, and have no blemishes.

Steps

1
Wash the cherries well in cool water and remove the stems.^{[1]
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2
Pit the cherries. This is much easier with a cherry pitter, which leaves the cherries whole, or you can cut them in half with a paring knife, and remove the pits.^{[2]
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3
Pat the cherries dry with paper towel.
4
Once dried, place the cherries, cut side up on baking sheets. Make sure they are not touching.
5
For the oven, or dehydrator, preheat to 165 F degrees, for about 3 hours, or until the tops look leathery and wrinkled. Then reduce heat to 135, for about 16-24 hours.^{[3]
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6
You can tell the cherries are done, when they start to look similar to raisins. They should be hard, but still pliable, a little bit sticky, and when you squeeze them, no liquid should come out.
7
If you would like to dry your cherries in the sun, it's almost the same procedure.
8
Place the patted dry cherries on trays, and cover them with cheesecloth. Also, it is a good idea to put the trays on top of something, so they're not on the ground.
9
Leave them in the sun for 2-4 days. It really depends on the temperature and humidity, so check them often.^{[4]
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Once they are fully dried, place the cherries in a 160 degree oven for 30 minutes. This will kill any (unlikely) bacteria that may have formed.

Community Q&A

Question

I have frozen sour cherries from my garden, but I did not pit them first. Can I still use them?

Community Answer

You wouldn't want to ingest cherry pits, so it would be smart to unthaw them and remove the pits before using them to make dried cherries.
Question

Can the pits be used for anything?

Community Answer

I wouldn't use them. Cherry pits contain cyanide, which can make you sick, so don't use the pits.
Question

I have dried cherries with sugar and oil added. Can I still cook with them?

Allison Schick

Top Answerer

You can probably still use them in recipes, but the flavor or texture may be slightly different, especially in baked goods, depending on the amount of oil.
Question

After you pit the cherry, can they be dried whole rather then slicing them in half?

Allison Schick

Top Answerer

Yes, but the process may take longer and the dried cherries will be bigger, which could make them hard to eat.

Warnings

If you're drying your cherries in the sun, make sure it's a sunny forecast for the next few days. Rain will ruin your batch of cherries.

Thanks!
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