Learn how to make Dehydrated Cherries in a dehydrator or the oven. You can use dried cherries for baked goods, salads, yogurt topping, a healthy snack, and more!
Jump to:
- Why I Love This Recipe
- More Cherry Recipes You Might Like
- How to Make Dehydrated Cherries in a Dehydrator
- Can you Dry Cherries in the Oven?
- Can you Freeze Dehydrated Cherries?
- What to do with Dried Cherries
- My Favorite Dehydrator
- The Best Cherry Pitter
- Dehydrated Cherries
- DID YOU MAKE THESE DEHYDRATED CHERRIES?
Why I Love This Recipe
Dehydrated cherries are one of my all-time favorite summer snacks and they are so easy to make. Every year we get an abundance of cherries from a local farm here in the Pacific Northwest and we allocate at least half of them for drying. There are also so many things you can use dried cherries for, keep reading for my suggestions below!
Once you have dehydrated fruit either in a dehydrator or the oven, you will realize just how easy it is to preserve delicious summer fruits for months to come. Check out my posts for Dehydrated Strawberries, Dehydrated Oranges, and Dehydrated Pears for more ideas.
More Cherry Recipes You Might Like
- Fresh Cherry Tart Recipe
- Easy Cherry Crumble Bars
- Cherry Margarita
- Amarena Cherry Recipe
- Luxardo Cherries Recipe
How to Make Dehydrated Cherries in a Dehydrator
Wash, de-stem, and pit the cherries. You can either slice each cherry in half or leave them whole.
Place each cherry on the dehydrator rack until the entire level is full. Fill all of the levels, making sure to leave room around each cherry so that the air can circulate them.
Place the lid on the dehydrator and set it to 135º. It will take anywhere from 6-10 hours for the cherries to fully dehydrate. Start checking them around 6 hours.
Can you Dry Cherries in the Oven?
Yes, you can dry cherries in the oven! Start by preheating the oven to 200ºF and lining a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cherries on the parchment paper with room to breathe around them.
Cook them for 6-8 hours or until done. Flip the cherries over at hour 3. Allow the cherries to cool on the pan before you remove them.
Can you Freeze Dehydrated Cherries?
Yes, you can freeze-dried cherries for up to 6 months. Place them in a sealed bag or container made for the freezer. They also freeze well when vacuum sealed.
What to do with Dried Cherries
- Eat them as a healthy and easy snack
- Use them in baked goods like muffins or scones
- Put them on your favorite salad
- Use them in homemade granola or granola bars
- Put them on top of yogurt or oatmeal
- Add them to your favorite pancake or waffle batter
- Put them in a fruit crisp or pie filling
My Favorite Dehydrator
I have a Nesco dehydrator that I use all the time. I’ve had it for quite a few years and it is still as good as the day I got it. It’s pretty lightweight and is easy to clean...you can put the trays in the dishwasher!
The only negative I can think of is that it does take up some space because it’s bulky. There are quite a few options for dehydrators out there, some are even bigger if you want to dehydrate a ton of food at once. The one shown below is a great beginner option.
The Best Cherry Pitter
I have tried a few different cherry pitters and this one is definitely my favorite. Handheld cherry pitters work, of course, but they take longer to pit 2 pounds of cherries and your hand will most likely be sore after a while.
The cherry pitter shown below only does one cherry at a time, but it goes much faster and the pits fall into the bin below for easier cleanup. In my opinion, it's worth every penny if you like fresh cherries.
Dehydrated Cherries
Equipment
- dehydrator (if you don't have a dehydrator, you can use your oven)
Ingredients
- 2 pounds cherries rinsed, destemmed, and pitted
- lemon juice (optional topping)
Instructions
- Wash, destem, and pit the cherries. Place sliced or whole cherries on the trays (see notes). I prefer cutting them in half because they turn out more like dried cherries you would buy in the store. Place each cherry on the dehydrator rack until the entire level is full. Fill all of the levels, making sure to leave room around each cherry so that the air can circulate them. You can sprinkle them with lemon juice if desired, but it's really not necessary.
- Place the lid on the dehydrator and set it to 135º. It will take anywhere from 6-10 hours for the cherries to fully dehydrate. Start checking them around 6 hours. You want them to be just a little rubbery but not wet. They will become more firm once they cool.
Notes
- You can either slice each cherry in half or leave them whole. Leaving them whole will obviously increase the dry time. I also increase the temp by 10-15º.
- To make these in the oven, preheat the oven to 200ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cook them for 6-8 hours or until done. Flip the cherries over at hour 3.
- Store dried cherries in a sealable container in a cool dark place or freeze them for later.
- Times will vary depending on how big the cherries are, the humidity, the outside and inside temperature at the time, and your dehydrator.
- Always read the manual for your dehydrator and follow all safety recommendations.
Nutrition
Any nutrition calculations are only estimates using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
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DID YOU MAKE THESE DEHYDRATED CHERRIES?
If you make some Dehydrated Cherries don’t forget to leave a comment below. You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook and show me how they turned out!
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Mihaela|https://theworldisanoyster.com/ says
What a great way to use cherries when not in season (which is always too short!) and preferably use them for Amarena:))
Emily says
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if cherry season was all the time?!? 🤣
Cindy Mom the Lunch Lady says
I've been thinking of buying a dehydrator but I really do not have any extra room for another appliance. These cherries look wonderful!
Emily says
You can make them in your oven…😁
Sarah says
Yum!I love cherries but the season is so short! What a great way tobe able to enjoy them for longer 🙂
Emily says
We have a short cherry season too but now you can enjoy them all year long!
Anaiah says
I love making dehydrated fruit! These dehydrated cherries were delicious and they turned out perfectly. I added them as a topping to my smoothie bowls. Yum!
Emily says
Putting these cherries in a smoothie bowl is genius!! 😁
Bobbie says
I just dehydrated strawberries and after reading this I will definitely try cherries! They look so good and I bet will be great in my oatmeal!!
Emily says
You are going to love them in oatmeal!!
Jeannie says
Thanks for sharing this using the oven too! Id love to add these the next time I make scones.
Emily says
You are welcome, they will be delicious in scones!
Sue says
I used to dehydrate fruit and for some reason got away from it. I need to dig out my dehydrator, cause these cherries are exactly what I am craving!
Emily says
Sometimes it’s a pain to drag it out, but once you do you won’t regret it!
Erin says
So simple! I am excited to have freshly dehydrated cherries to add to my salads!
Emily says
Dehydrated cherries are amazing in a salad…enjoy!
Brianna says
Love how this concentrated the cherry flavor!
Emily says
It’s amazing what happens to fruit when it’s dehydrated!
Amy says
I have the BEST dehydrator and we usually only dry apples! Can't wait to make cherries!
Emily says
Since you know how good dehydrated fruit is already you will love these cherries. Enjoy!
Liz says
Mine turned out perfectly. Thank you!
Emily says
Glad to hear it, Liz, you are welcome 🤗
Audrey says
These were such a fun and tasty treat.
Emily says
I’m so glad you liked them!
Nora says
What a great recipe! I love having dehydrated fruit at home to use later for oatmeal, rice pudding, etc.! Thanks for the recipe!
Emily says
Thanks, Nora, and you are welcome!