These Chocolate Covered Cherry Cordials are fun to create, delicious to eat, and make a beautiful joy-filled statement on any holiday platter.
This is one of those recipes that I’ve been wanting to try fooooooorever. But I’ve been intimidated to do so. Mom said I was crazy to think I couldn’t make these cherry cordials. But I’ve had very high standards in my head. I mean, have you ever seen my Aunt Patsy’s Chocolate Covered Cherry Cordials? They’re perfect. Absolutely perfect. Her chocolate covered cherries are gorgeously orb shaped, all neat and tidy, with just the right amount of chocolate shell that cracks when you bite down on them. I’ve always stared at them in awe whenever my aunt sets out her Christmas platter, turning one over between my fingers several times to take in their perfection before letting my taste buds explore.
But I did it. And you can, too. Just read on for the recipe, a tradition made famous in our family by Aunt Patsy.
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Many chocolate covered cherry cordial recipes let the maraschino cherries soak in some kind of liqueur first (hence the name “cordial”), but this recipe is alcohol-free, for all to enjoy.
A buttery fondant-like dough is created and then wrapped around each individual cherry. The fondant is easy to work, making the process both fun and therapeutic. Tessa chatted happily, rolling the balls of white, while I flattened them and encased the cherries.
The fondant wrapped cherries are then chilled for at least a few hours. We let them chill overnight, breaking the process down a bit more to accommodate our busy schedules.
Then chocolate is melted in a double boiler and the fondant wrapped cherries are dipped in, one by one.
I was elated when these chocolate covered cherry cordials were finished. Although not as perfect looking as Patsy’s always are, they were handcrafted-ly beautiful!
And my first taste?
Sweet and amazing! Just like I remember.
This photo that shows the cherry cordial bitten in half was snapped when the cordials were still a bit chilled. When left to sit at room temperature for awhile, the fondant will become softer, the cherries juicier.
I beg you to not let my intimidation of this recipe rub off on you. Patsy’s chocolate covered cherry cordials are fun to make, delicious to eat. And they make a beautiful joy-filled statement on any Christmas sweets platter. And don’t forget Valentine’s Day. Make them!
about 60 maraschino cherries, with or without stems
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use Guittard)
a 1″ x 2″ x 3/4″ piece of paraffin(found in the baking aisle) *
Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the butter, corn syrup, salt, and powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Then knead until completely smooth. If the dough is too soft, place it in the refrigerator to chill for a bit. Flatten a slightly mounded teaspoon of dough into a circle and shape it around each cherry. If you have very large cherries, you will probably need to use a bit more dough. Place dough wrapped cherries on a wax paper covered cookie sheet. Chill for at least a few hours or overnight.
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Drain cherries and place them on a paper towel lined platter to dry. Patsy always uses the cherries without stems. I experimented with both stemmed and stemless. The stemmed cherries take just a tiny bit more time to wrap with the dough, but a bit less time to dip in the chocolate. And they definitely have a different look, making for a really fun presentation. But I decided to make most of mine without the stem, mostly because I knew they would be easier for me to store.
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Place chocolates and paraffin in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water. Stirring gently, heat until ingredients are about 75% melted. Remove bowl from heat and set on a kitchen towel on the countertop; continue to stir until completely melted. One at a time, drop a chilled dough-wrapped cherry into the melted chocolate. Use two forks to quickly roll the cherry in the chocolate to cover it completely. Lift chocolate covered cherry out of the chocolate by setting it on top of one fork’s tines, and then tapping the fork gently on the side of the bowl, letting excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Then scrape the bottom of the fork along the rim of the bowl, removing the final excess chocolate. Set chocolate covered cherry on a wax paper or parchment paper lined pan, using a toothpick to gently scrape it onto the wax paper. Repeat the chocolate dipping process until all chocolate covered cherry cordials are created.
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These store very well in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Or in the freezer long-term, just be sure to chill them on the wax paper lined pan in the refrigerator first. Then transfer to an airtight container and separate layers with wax paper. To ensure juicy cordials when serving, be sure to remove them from the refrigerator or freezer to let them sit at room temperature for awhile. The cherries will get juicier with time, and having them at room temperature makes them juicier, too.
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* The original recipe that Patsy uses calls for paraffin. She likes the sheen and the stable quality it gives to the chocolate shell on the cherry cordials, but said she has been reducing the amount she uses over the years. I experimented a bit with reducing the paraffin even more, and using other chocolate mixtures without the addition of paraffin. I really do like the texture and stability of the recipe that I have shared with you here the best, using a smaller amount of paraffin. I also tried a mixture of 1 pound good quality dark chocolate and 2 tablespoons shortening, which still offered a nice sheen. But the chocolate shell was noticeably softer, without the “crack” when you bite into the cherry cordial. Another solution would be to use a mixture of 8 ounces chocolate flavored almond bark and 8 ounces good quality dark chocolate. The almond bark helps to keep the chocolate shell harder, offering some additional stability and a bit of that desirable “crack”.
Adapted from Aunt Patsy’s recipe box, originally from her friend and neighbor, Teresa Schiltz.
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Had a quick question with using guittard chocolate can you use the unsweetened Baking bar and semi baking bar for coating the cherries? Or does it have to be the chips for the melting point of them
Brenda, thank you for answering my question about the paraffin-in my book, it’s a necessity! I like for my candy o look pretty and be delicious! This recipe is so easy and so good! Thanks for sharing! You have made my Christmas even better! Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Hi Shelby – some people just prefer to not use it since it is a wax and made with artificial ingredients. I think recipes like this are fine, where it’s used in small quantities. And I surely don’t eat these very much. They are a rare treat. :)
I made these for Christmas and oh my gosh they are AMAZING! I added a bit of cherry juice from the jar to the fondant and it gave it a great color and flavor. These have always been favorite candies of mine, but I’ve never tried to make them myself. These will be a holiday staple from now on. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
I just made these for the first time and they are fabulous! I have a dairy allergy so I substituted Earth Balance stick spread for the butter and used dairy free chocolate (with coconut oil for sheen, skipping the wax) and they are just divine! So glad I can enjoy my favorite holiday treat again without it making me ill!
Im making these for my father in law for Christmas. I have a couple questions though, it seems like I would drain and pat dry the cherries first before coating them in the fondant, or do we want that liquid to soak through? Do we just pull them out of the jar and coat away? And since we do drain them afterwards, do they get real soft from the liquid? Thanks, Im really looking forward to making these for him!
I made chocolate covered cherries for a friend once, many years ago now that I think about it. These make me want to make them again. Thanks for sharing! I’m thinking my smallest cookie dough scoop would scoop just enough to roll out and cover them with.
I love this recipe and I love that it is a family one. Chocolate covered cherries remind me of my grandpa at Christmas. I will have to try making these next week.
Fun to see this recipe featured. Have made these for years after getting the recipe from Patsy herself :). Had a group of friends help me make hundreds of these for each of our 3 children’s weddings, and they are present at all our Christmas celebrations. We have also used white chocolate chips and almond bark for some of them – delicious! Gave up the paraffin a while back – now use about half each of good chocolate chips and the almond bark. Thanks for sharing Patsy and now Brenda!
Patsy is my mom. Before she started making these, I used to like store bought chocolate covered cherries. Not any more! Now I will only eat my mom’s! Store bought ones are not even comparable.
These are delicious. Although, cordial does not refer to soaking the cherries in alcohol, rather it comes from the latin word “cor” meaning center, and referes to a chocolate covered candy with a fruit filling of some sort. These were so good that I will make them again substituting with granulated sugar in the fondant! That will make them like a Cella, which simply has a clear liquid syrup center if you let them sit for about 48 hours after dipping. Those were always my favorite as a kid. Yummmm… May have to adjust the ratio a bit though…
You did a great job on the cordials, Brenda. And your photos are wonderful too. Guess I need to try making these again, as they really are a special treat.
The thought of even making these never once crossed my mind – I just assumed they were too difficult and beyond my reach. Thank you so much for convincing me otherwise! Now I’m obsessed!
I have made these every year for Christmas for about ten years. I have doubled, tripled and quadrupled the recipe and have made as many as 260 at a time. Everyone loves them. I add almond extract to the fondant and don’t add salt. I keep the stems on and they are so much easier to dip and not any harder to roll the fondant around. I use equal parts dark chocolate and semi-sweet chips and a little bit of Crisco shortening to make the chocolate smooth and shiny. They are so yummy and my family just devours them.
Brenda, I’ve made these many times, fun to see you publish the recipe. I like to keep the stems on the cherries, makes it so easy to dip them in chocolate.
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This is one of those recipes that I’ve been wanting to try fooooooorever. But I’ve been intimidated to do so. Mom said I was crazy to think I couldn’t make these cherry cordials. But I’ve had very high standards in my head. I mean, have you ever seen my Aunt Patsy’s Chocolate Covered Cherry Cordials? They’re perfect. Absolutely perfect. Her chocolate covered cherries are gorgeously orb shaped, all neat and tidy, with just the right amount of chocolate shell that cracks when you bite down on them. I’ve always stared at them in awe whenever my aunt sets out her Christmas platter, turning one over between my fingers several times to take in their perfection before letting my taste buds explore.
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Had a quick question with using guittard chocolate can you use the unsweetened Baking bar and semi baking bar for coating the cherries? Or does it have to be the chips for the melting point of them
Brenda, thank you for answering my question about the paraffin-in my book, it’s a necessity! I like for my candy o look pretty and be delicious! This recipe is so easy and so good! Thanks for sharing! You have made my Christmas even better!
Merry Christmas to you and your family.
Just looking for facts: why should using paraffin be avoided? I still use it once or twice yearly for chocolate covered goodies.
Hi Shelby – some people just prefer to not use it since it is a wax and made with artificial ingredients. I think recipes like this are fine, where it’s used in small quantities. And I surely don’t eat these very much. They are a rare treat. :)
I made these for Christmas and oh my gosh they are AMAZING! I added a bit of cherry juice from the jar to the fondant and it gave it a great color and flavor. These have always been favorite candies of mine, but I’ve never tried to make them myself. These will be a holiday staple from now on. Thanks for sharing a great recipe!
YAY!! I’m so glad you like these. Thank you for coming back to let me know. Happy New Year!
Hello,
Thanks for sharing this recipe, they look decouple fabulous. I have a few questions.
1. How long will these keep?
2. If they sit long enough will the fondant turn to a syrup consistency ?
Thank you.
Caroline
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I just made these for the first time and they are fabulous! I have a dairy allergy so I substituted Earth Balance stick spread for the butter and used dairy free chocolate (with coconut oil for sheen, skipping the wax) and they are just divine! So glad I can enjoy my favorite holiday treat again without it making me ill!
I’m so glad you found a way to make this work for you! I’m thinking I should experiment with the coconut oil now…
Chocolate cherries are my husband’s favorite candy. I’ll have to try making them at home.
Thanks a bunch, I thought so too. I was just a little confused on the order of the recipe. I think my dad in law will like these a lot!
Im making these for my father in law for Christmas. I have a couple questions though, it seems like I would drain and pat dry the cherries first before coating them in the fondant, or do we want that liquid to soak through? Do we just pull them out of the jar and coat away? And since we do drain them afterwards, do they get real soft from the liquid? Thanks, Im really looking forward to making these for him!
Hi Sunnie – the recipe reads “Drain cherries and place them on a paper towel lined platter to dry”, and that is what I did. Hope you like these!
I made chocolate covered cherries for a friend once, many years ago now that I think about it. These make me want to make them again. Thanks for sharing! I’m thinking my smallest cookie dough scoop would scoop just enough to roll out and cover them with.
I might have to make these for my husband – he would love them!!!!
I’m not a huge sweets person, but there’s something about the chocolate-cherry combo that always keeps me coming back for more. These look fabulous!
These are AMAZING!!!
Thank you, Amanda. :)
Whoa! These are amazing! I’ve always wondering how these are made. I can’t wait to try them. Thanks for sharing!!! XO
Thanks, Liz. Have fun with these! :)
Beautiful! I’m definitely going to have to try these.
Thank you, Shannon!
I love this recipe and I love that it is a family one. Chocolate covered cherries remind me of my grandpa at Christmas. I will have to try making these next week.
Thanks, Nicole. Cordials seem to remind everyone of someone, so fun! :)
These are absolutely gorgeous!!! My mom would flip if I made these for her!!
Thank you, Liz. Merry Christmas!
Also store them on waxed paper in cardboard shirt size gift boxes in a cool place. That way the insides get really soft and melty!
Fun to see this recipe featured. Have made these for years after getting the recipe from Patsy herself :). Had a group of friends help me make hundreds of these for each of our 3 children’s weddings, and they are present at all our Christmas celebrations. We have also used white chocolate chips and almond bark for some of them – delicious! Gave up the paraffin a while back – now use about half each of good chocolate chips and the almond bark. Thanks for sharing Patsy and now Brenda!
So fun to hear from you, Lois. Thanks for adding to the story and sharing your variations and tips. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
I have never made cherry cordials, but now I must! These are so pretty!
Thanks, Tieghan. :)
Gosh, this soooooo reminds me of my Dad. Feeling a little teary.
I had no idea one could make these. What a fun post.
Thanks, Carol. Merriest Christmas to you!
Patsy is my mom. Before she started making these, I used to like store bought chocolate covered cherries. Not any more! Now I will only eat my mom’s! Store bought ones are not even comparable.
I agree with you, Joan. I just can’t eat the ones at the store any more! Merry Christmas!!
These are delicious. Although, cordial does not refer to soaking the cherries in alcohol, rather it comes from the latin word “cor” meaning center, and referes to a chocolate covered candy with a fruit filling of some sort. These were so good that I will make them again substituting with granulated sugar in the fondant! That will make them like a Cella, which simply has a clear liquid syrup center if you let them sit for about 48 hours after dipping. Those were always my favorite as a kid. Yummmm… May have to adjust the ratio a bit though…
You did a great job on the cordials, Brenda. And your photos are wonderful too. Guess I need to try making these again, as they really are a special treat.
Thanks, Mom. I really had so much fun with these. Never realized how easy they are to make!
Lovely! Your Aunt would be very pleased and they look wonderful!
Thanks, Paula. Merry Christmas!
My dad would totally flip for these! Cordials are his favorite!
So fun! Thanks, Megan. :)
Oh my…word! I’m not a fan of cordials…can you believe that? But I think I can be a fan of homemade ones!! These look amazing!!
I love chocolate and cherries, but have never really been a cordials fan. BUT. These homemade ones are life changing. SO. GOOD.
Great pics and explanation, Brenda! And thanks, Matt!
Thanks, Patsy. And thanks for letting me share this special recipe! Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Beautiful Brenda!! Perfect for gift giving!!!
Thank you so much, Jenny!
These are gorgeous! What an impressive gift for the holidays!
I have yet to make cherry cordials. I’m gonna have to give it a go with your recipe (love that you did a alochol-free version).
Aunt Patsy rocks, these look absolutely incredible!
Wow, so pretty and they look so good! I must make!
The thought of even making these never once crossed my mind – I just assumed they were too difficult and beyond my reach. Thank you so much for convincing me otherwise! Now I’m obsessed!
I have made these every year for Christmas for about ten years. I have doubled, tripled and quadrupled the recipe and have made as many as 260 at a time. Everyone loves them. I add almond extract to the fondant and don’t add salt. I keep the stems on and they are so much easier to dip and not any harder to roll the fondant around. I use equal parts dark chocolate and semi-sweet chips and a little bit of Crisco shortening to make the chocolate smooth and shiny. They are so yummy and my family just devours them.
I never knew how easy it was to make chocolate covered cherries! They are my favorite. Yours are stunning and would make wonderful gifts!
Thank you so much for posting! These look gorgeous and I can’t wait to try them!!
Oh, wow, I wouldn’t have thought about making these. Beautiful and such a great “bite.” Pretty, too, for Christmas! :)
This look fantastic! A true Christmas classic!
I love making these, and will make your version this year for Christmas gift-giving. Thanks for sharing!
Brenda, I’ve made these many times, fun to see you publish the recipe. I like to keep the stems on the cherries, makes it so easy to dip them in chocolate.