24 Delicious Dessert Recipes to Make with Cherries

Cherry Pie Bars
Photo: Greg DuPree

Whether you have an abundance of fresh cherries on hand from your cherry tree, a can of cherry pie filling in your pantry, or a stockpile in the freezer that you're looking to cook up, these cherry recipes are the perfect way to use up that delicious bounty.

From cupcakes to cookies to pie and more, you'll be surprised by how many different recipes there are to enjoy the flavor of cherries. While we love making cherry-filled desserts, we also enjoy a pop of fruit in our dinner dishes too. The sweet and tart flavors add bright flavor to savory meals. Fresh cherries always inspire us to get cooking or baking, but these recipes take advantage of cherries no matter the season thanks to options that call for cherry pie filling or canned cherries.

From Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes to Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies and Cherry Delight, there's a recipe for everyone on this list. The hardest part may be deciding which one of these 24 sweet cherry recipes to make first.

01 of 24

Cherries-and Cream Icebox Cake

Cherries-and-Cream Icebox Cake
Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Cherries-and-Cream Icebox Cake

It's no secret: We love an icebox here at Southern Living. Why? It's a no-bake delight that just requires you to layer whipped cream, cream cheese, cherry preserves, and graham crackers, into one make-ahead pie.

02 of 24

Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting

Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting
Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Kathleen Varner

Recipe: Cheerwine Cherry Cupcakes with Cherry-Swirl Frosting

From the filling to the frosting to the cherry on top, there's no shortage of cherry flavor in these Cheerwine-inspired cupcakes.

03 of 24

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake

Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake
Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Pineapple Cherry Dump Cake

As the name implies, all you have to do is dump the ingredients for this easy cake into a baking dish and 45 minutes later you'll be enjoying it.

04 of 24

Cherry Flag Pie

Cherry Flag Pie
Photo: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Recipe: Cherry Flag Pie

Use fresh or frozen cherries to create this patriotic treat.

05 of 24

Cherry Delight

Cherry Delight
Photographer: Jennifer Causey Food Stylist: Melissa Gray Prop Stylist: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Recipe: Cherry Delight

This classic dessert recipe comes together in just 20 minutes making it perfect for potlucks and family dinners.

06 of 24

Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies
Courtesy of Damaris Phillips

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Cherry Cookies

These sweet treats are the first recipe Southern chef Damaris Phillips ever wrote. The dough can be made-ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator for up to one week and the freezer for up to six weeks.

07 of 24

Cherry-Pecan Swirl Bread

Cherry-Pecan Swirl Bread
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Cherry-Pecan Swirl Bread

Homemade bread is a labor of love, but your brunch crowd will be wowed by this masterpiece.

08 of 24

Cherry Bourbon Cheerwine

Cherry Bourbon Cheerwine
Becky Luigart Stayner

Recipe: Cherry Bourbon Cheerwine

This totally Southern cocktail is a spin on a refreshing cherry coke.

09 of 24

Cherry Cola Salad

Cherry Cola Salad
Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Cherry Cola Salad

This recipe debuted in the May 1980 issue and has stayed proven to be a classic ever since.

10 of 24

Ambrosia Macaroons

Dipped Pistachio Shortbread Cookies
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

Recipe: Ambrosia Macaroons

The classic fruity salad is transformed into macaroons that are topped with a single maraschino cherry.

11 of 24

Christmas Wreath Pastry

Christmas Wreath Pastry
Southern Living

Recipe: Christmas Wreath Pastry

Bright cherries are added to this sweet almond ring dessert, which doesn't just have to be for the holidays.

12 of 24

Three-Layer Jello Mold

Three-Layer Mold
Jennifer Causey

Recipe: Three-Layer Mold

Each layer of this congealed salad plays into the overall cool creaminess of the dish.

13 of 24

Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy

Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy
Photo: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Mary Clayton Carl Jones

Recipe: Cherry-Nectarine Pandowdy

Use a fork to break the pastry crust on this dessert, and watch as the crunchy crust soaks up the delicious flavor form the cherries and nectarines.

14 of 24

Cherry Pie Bars

Cherry Pie Bars
Greg DuPree

Recipe: Cherry Pie Bars

Aside from pantry staples, you'll need just a few ingredients to whip up these cherry-speckled treats.

15 of 24

Cherry-Pecan Brie

Cherry-Pecan Brie
Jim Franco

Recipe: Cherry Pecan Brie

Serving cherry preserves over brie is one of the most simple yet crowd-pleasing appetizers of all time.

16 of 24

Cherry Spice Cake Trifle

Three Days Ahead: Cherry-Spice Cake Trifle
Photo: Helen Norman

Recipe: Cherry Spice Cake Trifle

While we love the homemade spice cake, you can save time by using boxed spice cake mix if preferred.

17 of 24

Sparkling Cherry Limeade

Sparkling Cherry Limeade
Iain Bagwell; Prop Styling: Annette Joseph; Food Styling: Cynthia Groseclose

Recipe: Sparkling Cherry Limeade

A fun mocktail you can garnish with margarita salt, limes, and cherries. Add a little tequila and a splash of orange liqueur for an extra kick.

18 of 24

Cherry Dump Cake

cherry dump cake on plates
Emily Laurae/Southern Living

Recipe: Cherry Dump Cake

Can whole pitted cherries in heavy syrup before adding to this easy cake recipe.

19 of 24

Cherry-Chocolate Thumbprints

Cherry-Chocolate Thumbprints
Iain Bagwell; Styling: Heather Chadduck

Recipe: Cherry-Chocolate Thumbprints

These cookies feature the irresistible flavor combination of cherry and chocolate.

20 of 24

Cherry Cobbler

Cherry Cobbler
Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Cherry Cobbler

Cobbler is a easy, go-to dessert that you can whip up with few ingredients. This tart cherry recipe is no exception, with carefully chosen but select ingredients that make it delicious.

21 of 24

Cherry Turnovers

Cherry Turnovers
Micah A. Leal

Recipe: Cherry Turnovers

This recipe is so good we won't judge if you serve if for breakfast, lunch, or dinner—or all of the above.

22 of 24

Spiced Coconut-Cherry Mold

Spiced Coconut-Cherry Mold
Hector Sanchez

Recipe: Spiced Coconut-Cherry Mold

This recipe is a holiday favorite, and we can't help but assume it's because the red-and-white spiced gelatin salad so clearly matches any holiday table beautifully.

23 of 24

Cherry Winks

Cherry Winks
Joy Howard

Recipe: Cherry Winks

This throwback cookie rose to popularity in the 1950s when it won the national Pillsbury baking contest. Serve it at your next part and when you describe it as award-winning, you and your guests will understand why.

24 of 24

Mini Cherry Pies

Mini Cherry Pies
Joy Howard

Recipe: Mini Cherry Pies

These tiny, star-embellished treats were made for a patriotic holiday like President's Day, Veterans Day, or the Fourth of July

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