We have made this a few times and love the results. This goes over ice cream very well (see bottom of recipe), or eaten as-is. A great and easy way to preserve cherries.

Ingredients

• 6 pounds cherries, washed and de-stemmed
• 2/3 C honey
• 8 C water
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4-5 whole cloves
• splash of kirsh (splish-splash, takin’ a bath…)
• 21 half pint jars (does this make ‘m legal?)

Notes

1. Combine honey, water and spices into a pot and bring to a boil. Low simmer for 5-10 minutes to get spices infused.
2. Heat water in water bath canner. Remove lids from jars.
3. Working in batches of 8 jars at a time: place cherries into jars, but keep 1/4 inch of space from lid. Put lid on, but only screw very lightly. Place into canner and process for 8 minutes. We find lining the cardboard box that the jars came in to be helpful, or a 9×13″ baking dish.
4. Move jars back into rag-lined bin, then tighten the lids. You should hear the beautiful sound of popping as they seal.

Yields 21 low, wide 1/2 pint jars.

Adapted from a Happy Girl Kitchen recipe.

I think that a bit more honey (to a full cup if not 1 and 1/3C) would make them taste a bit better, or pitting them. But, as Jordan says, “they are the olives of the dessert world”.

These are tasty on their own, or over ice cream. Add a bit of orange liquor like Cointreau or Grand Marnier to the mix and add as an ice cream sauce.