Canning Cherries in Syrup
Cherries are easy to can at home using this recipe. We prefer to can cherries
in a heavy syrup, but you may use a lighter one if you wish, referring to the
chart below.

Remember to follow food safety instructions and select blemish free fruit. We
always prefer organic fruit without pesticides. We add lemon juice to most
recipes to help protect the color.
Cherries

weights are always approximated..
Pint

2/3 lb
Quart

1-1/3 lbs
Syrup (see chart below)
heavy
heavy
Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon
2 tablespoons
Waterbath Processing
25 minutes
30 minutes
  1. Pit the fruit using a cherry pitter. We recommend pitting cherries inside a bowl to limit
    splattering and facilitate cleaning up.
  2. Place clean fruit directly into sterilized canning jars.
  3. Select syrup strength and prepare syrup by combining water and sugar for pints or quarts in a
    pan, and then heat slowly and boil lightly until the sugar is completely dissolved.
  4. Pour lemon juice over the fruit.
  5. Pour hot syrup over fruit.
  6. Canning using cold pack method with 1/2” of headspace.
  7. Processing with a Water Bath 25 minutes for pints, or 30 minutes for quarts, at 212 degrees.
  8. For elevations above 1,000 foot level see Altitude Time Adjustments.
  9. After processing, remove from boiling water and place the jars on a towel, separated by 1” to
    cool naturally as quickly as possible.
  10. Labeling and Storing
Syrup Chart: Select the strength of the syrup from the chart below.
Syrup Content
  Water per Pint Jar
Sugar per Pint Jar
  Water per Quart Jar
Sugar per Quart Jar
very light
  3/4 cup
1/8 cup
  1-1/2 cups
1/4 cup
light
  3/4 cup
3/16 cup
  1-1/2 cups
3/8 cup
medium
  3/4 cup
1/4 cup
  1-1/2 cups
1/2 cup
heavy
  3/4 cup
5/16 cup
  1-1/2 cups
5/8 cup
CanningUSA.COM
A Simple Approach to Preserving Homemade Foods
Return to Main Table of Contents for other recipes and canning information
For comments and questions please write:
webmaster@CanningUSA.COM
© 2004 David G. Blackburn
Follow jar and cap manufacturer's recommendations and
instructions and visit their websites for updates on a regular basis.
Google
Printer Friendly Version
Watch our free videos
to learn how to can fruit.
Visit the
USA Canning Supply
Store!
or our new
UK Bookshop
You can find cherry pitters
at our canning supply store!
Click here to find out more
about our  
Technical Guide,
If I Can, You Can!™ It will
provide you with simple,
step-by-step instructions for
home canning, illustrated
using photographs.
Video 2:
Canning Fruit in
Syrup or as a Pie
Filling