Homemade chocolate covered cherry cordials are a delicious candy treat to make for Christmas....so much better than the boxed versions you can buy at the store. With just a few simple steps, you'll be feeling like a fancy chocolatier in no time!
COOK + BAKE | Updated June 16, 2023
A lot of our Christmas memories seem to revolve around food.
While I don't remember a lot of what my grandma baked throughout the year when I was a child, I vividly recall Christmas being the season when there were massive amounts of cookies and candies being prepared in her kitchen. And in addition to my favorite, her Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies, one of the recipes she made each and every year was for Chocolate Covered Cherries.
These candies are seriously like nothing you can buy in the store. Once you've eaten them, there is no going back to the boxed variety at the holidays. The incredible flavor paired with a juicy interior is indescribable. I find that I might as well double the batch because I'm likely to eat about half of them as soon as they ready.
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
If you enjoy eating cherry cordials at Christmas (or if you have never tried them), there are a few reasons why I think you'll really enjoy this particular recipe.
TIME TESTED, FAMILY APPROVED
If there is no other reason that I'm sure this recipe is a winner is the fact that it has been made for decades in my family. Recipes of the past tend to be the most loved for a reason. The older generations seemed to know what they were doing when it came to making delicious foods!
BETTER THAN THE BOXED VARIETY
There isn't necessarily anything wrong with the boxes of chocolate covered cherries that you can buy in the store at Christmastime. But you'll definitely notice a difference between the two when you try this recipe. There is something special about the freshly prepared candy filled with the homemade cherry syrup inside. Nothing store-bought (outside of a candy store) will compare.
NOT TOO HARD TO MAKE
Let me preface this by saying it is easy to tell others that the recipes you've prepared again and again aren't hard. But in my opinion, you shouldn't have any trouble trying to make your own chocolate covered cherries. You'll find the exact steps that I use to make them, as well as some helpful tips to guide you to success. They are a little time consuming, but so worth the effort.
GIFT-WORTHY
At Christmas, we are always looking for homemade gift ideas, and a small box of these handcrafted chocolates would be much appreciated by anyone you need to remember with a little something. Craft stores and candy shops sell small white boxes that you can fill with a little waxed paper and a handful of your homemade treats.
What You'll Need
To make homemade chocolate covered cherries, you'll need a few key ingredients.
- maraschino cherries
- dry candy fondant - Also known as fondant sugar. This is not the rolled fondant that you see used as cake icing. It is a powder that is mixed with the maraschino cherry juice to form the tasty syrup inside the candy. Look for it in craft stores, bulk food stores, or candy making shops. Online it is available at Amazon and other online candy supply shops.
- candy making chocolate - While you can melt ordinary chocolate chips, chocolate melting wafers made for candy making will give you the best flavor and texture. Dark, semi-sweet, or milk chocolate will work depending on your preference. Again, look for this in a candy making supply store, bulk foods store, or online at a retailer like Amazon.
In addition, you'll also need to purchase a special plastic mold designed specifically for making chocolate covered cherries. As with the supplies above, you can normally find these in craft stores, candy making shops, and online.
They can be washed to be used again and again. Unless you are only making a very small batch, you'll likely need at least a couple molds to make the candy making process go faster.
You may also want to purchase mini paper candy cups to set your individual pieces of candy into like the fancy candy stores. If you are keeping them all for yourself and storing them in a tin or container, they aren't necessary, but are a nice touch if you are going to be serving the candy to guests or giving them as a gift. The cups come in basic white, brown, and a variety of colors and seasonal patterns.
How to Make Chocolate Covered Cherry Cordials
Now I'll walk you through the steps for making homemade chocolate covered cherries. I've also provided a full ingredient list and detailed instructions in the printable recipe card below.
PREPARING FOR THE RECIPE
There are a few steps you'll need to take before you get right into making your candies:
- Drain the cherries in a strainer set overtop a bowl. Reserve the juice as you'll be using it to make the syrup inside the candy. Lay the cherries on a paper towel lined plate for at least an hour to overnight.
- Reserve a little space in your freezer where you can safely put the candy molds to quickly chill as you are working on your candy. This is optional, but speeds up the process and helps ensure that your candy is solid before moving on to the next step.
MELTING THE CHOCOLATE
Many people have their own preferred way to melt chocolate for candy recipes and if you are more comfortable sticking with how you've always done it, feel free. But my grandma learned this tip from a candy store owner and it has never failed to provide perfectly melted chocolate each and every time.
- Preheat your oven to 190° and then turn it off when it reaches that temperature.
- Pour the chocolate candy melts or chocolate chips into a glass baking dish and place it into the oven for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Stir the chocolate occasionally to make sure that it is melting thoroughly.
- When you see that it is almost completely melted, remove the baking dish from the oven and continue stirring until all the final bits have broken apart and you're left with a smooth consistency.
READ NEXT: Learn all about this easy, no-fail method for melting chocolate in the oven.
CRAFTING YOUR CHOCOLATES
- Dip your finger into the melted chocolate and thoroughly coat the inside of each individual space in the cherry mold. You could also use a small paintbrush or cake decorating brush if you don't like sticking your finger into the warm chocolate.
Make sure that there are no uncoated spots because the filling will leak out of them.
The chocolate needs to be thick enough that the chocolate covered cherry will be firm when removed from the mold, but not so thick that there isn't room for the maraschino cherry and filling to fit inside. - When all the spaces are coated with chocolate, place the mold into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes so the chocolate hardens. Put the baking dish of chocolate back into the still-warm oven so that it stays melted.
- While you are waiting for the chocolate to harden, mix 3/4 cup of dry fondant with 4 Tablespoons of the reserved cherry juice in a bowl. If it seems too thick, add more juice one teaspoon at a time. It should be liquid enough that you can pour it from your spoon into the spaces in the mold.
- Remove the mold from the freezer and place a maraschino cherry into each hole making sure that the top of the cherry does not rise above the top of the mold. If it does, gently press it down. Then fill each hole almost to the top with the cherry fondant syrup you mixed. Place the mold back into the freezer for 10 minutes.
- Take the mold out and remove the chocolate from the oven. Spoon chocolate over each hole, being sure to use enough to completely cover the cherry and fondant filling and completely seal the edges. Again, anywhere there is not enough chocolate will allow the candy to leak. Gently smooth the chocolate over the top of the opening with your finger. Place the mold back into the freezer one final time to harden.
- After 15 minutes, remove the mold from the freezer and turn it over onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper. If the candies do not come out easily, lightly tap the mold on the counter to release them.
CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRY CORDIALS
Homemade chocolate covered cherry cordials are a delicious candy treat to make for Christmas....so much better than the boxed versions you can buy at the store. With just a few simple steps, you'll be feeling like a fancy chocolatier in no time!
MAKES ABOUT 3 DOZEN CANDIES
INGREDIENTS
- 12 ounce package chocolate candy melts
- 10 ounces jar maraschino cherries
- 4 to 5 Tablespoons maraschino cherry juice
- 3/4 cup dry fondant powder
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: Drain the cherries and and lay them on a paper towel lined plate for at least an hour to overnight. Reserve the juice for making the filling.
STEP 2: Melt your chocolate: Preheat the oven to 190° and then turn it off. Place a glass baking dish filled with the chocolate in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until melted.
STEP 3: Dip your finger or a paintbrush into the melted chocolate and thoroughly coat the inside of each hole in the candy mold making sure there are no uncoated spots. When all holes are covered, place the mold in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Put the chocolate back into the oven to stay melted.
STEP 4: In a bowl, mix fondant with 4 Tablespoons of the reserved cherry juice. If it seems too thick, add more juice one teaspoon at a time. It should be liquid enough you can pour it from a spoon into the holes in the mold.
STEP 5: Remove the mold from the freezer and place a maraschino cherry into each space making sure the top of the cherry doesn't rise above the top of the mold. If it does, gently press it down. Then fill each hole almost to the top with the cherry fondant syrup you mixed. Place the mold back into the freezer for 10 minutes.
STEP 6: Take the mold out and remove the chocolate from the oven. Spoon chocolate over each hole, being sure to use enough to completely cover the cherry and fondant while sealing the edges. Gently smooth the chocolate over the top of the opening with your finger. Place the mold back into the freezer one final time.
STEP 7: After 15 minutes, remove the mold from the freezer and turn it over onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper. If the candies do not come out easily, lightly tap the mold on the counter to release them.
Frequently Asked Questions
HOW LONG DO CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES LAST
The cherry cordials should be stored in a tightly sealed container or tin. They will last for a few weeks and actually get better as they age!
CAN YOU CUT THIS RECIPE IN HALF
One great thing about making this recipe is that you can make as many chocolate covered cherries as you'd like. The recipe is written for about 3 dozen candies, but you can double the amounts or cut it in half.
We don't use a set recipe when we make them because we've done it so many times and know the consistency that we're looking for with the cherry fondant filling. If you just want a few, melt a little chocolate in the microwave, prepare a small batch of the filling, and make as many as you can.
DO YOU HAVE TO PUT THE MOLDS IN THE FREEZER
It isn't mandatory to put the molds in the freezer, but it does help to ensure that your chocolate is hardened. If your kitchen is warm, your chocolate coating may not solidify enough between each step to ensure that your candies will turn out as they should. Having a solid outer shell is extremely important for this particular type of candy or you'll loose all the juicy filling that you've place inside.
I hope this is a recipe you'll make year after year just like my grandma did. They are a nice treat to pop in your mouth as you walk through the kitchen and can be packaged beautifully to give as a simple gift to someone you want to remember this holiday.
OLD-FASHIONED HOMEMADE PEANUT BRITTLE - Another recipe we make and share each year
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE - THE BEST peanut butter fudge recipe you'll find with tips on customizing it for other fudge flavors
CRANBERRY PISTACHIO BISCOTTI
SOUR CREAM COOKIES - Old fashioned alternative to sugar cookies that can be made as drop or cut-out cookies
CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHUNK GINGERBREAD COOKIES
Other Christmas Treats You Might Enjoy
OLD-FASHIONED HOMEMADE PEANUT BRITTLE - Another recipe we make and share each year
PEANUT BUTTER FUDGE - THE BEST peanut butter fudge recipe you'll find with tips on customizing it for other fudge flavors
CRANBERRY PISTACHIO BISCOTTI
SOUR CREAM COOKIES - Old fashioned alternative to sugar cookies that can be made as drop or cut-out cookies
CHEWY CHOCOLATE CHUNK GINGERBREAD COOKIES
MORE CHRISTMAS TREATS YOU'LL WANT TO TRY
This post is part of the Tastes of the Season series hosted by Kristen of Ella Clair & Co. If you are looking for more Christmas recipes, be sure to glance at the other recipes listed below.
Click here to see all of my previous Tastes of the Season posts.
Nonna's Famous Toffee by Ella Claire | Peppermint Fudge by Zevy Joy | Donut Hole Tree by Love Grows Wild | Chocolate Covered Cherries by anderson + grant
Peppermint Truffles by Maison de Pax | Christmas Tree Gingerbread Cake by Inspired by Charm | Gingerbread Brownies by My Sweet Savannah | Dark Chocolate Pretzel Bark by Finding Home Farms
Peppermint Smores by Nest of Posies | Classic Peppermint Bark by Nina Hendrick Design Co. |
Homemade Marshmallows by Boxwood Avenue
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