Easy Amaretto Cherries (Lazzaroni Copycat Recipe)
🍒 With just 7 ingredients and 15 minutes of active work, these budget-friendly cherries are a delightful twist on the fancy Italian original.
Equipment
- Cherry Pitter optional, but very useful
- Silicone Spatula or large cooking spoon
- Ladle optional, but makes canning easier
- Canning Funnel optional, but makes canning easier
- Stock Pot optional, for water bath canning
Ingredients
- 3 - 3.5 lbs Cherries pitted
- 1 ¼ C Granulated Sugar
- ½ C Amaretto
- ½ C Water preferably filtered
- 1 Lemon juiced; zest saved for another purpose
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon Almond Extract
Instructions
- Add cherries, sugar, amaretto, and water to a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, stirring often to help dissolve the sugar. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes, until cherries are beginning to soften and burst.
- Add lemon juice, vanilla, & almond extract, then continue to simmer for another 10 or so minutes until the sauce is syrupy and thick.
- Divide cherries and their juices evenly between 3-4 clean, quart-sized mason jars or 5-6 pint-sized mason jars (preferably wide-mouth), leaving ½ inch of head space at the top. If you don't use the canning step below, allow the jars to cool to touch, then store in the refrigerator for a year or more.
- If you want to water-bath can the cherries, you can. Make sure the mason jars and lids are fully sterilized by boiling in water for 15 minutes. Add cherries, secure the tops, then gently boil in a water bath for 25-30 minutes. The water should cover the jars by at least 2 inches. Remove from the water and place on a clean towel on the countertop, allowing them to rest undisturbed for 12-24 hours. After about 30 minutes to an hour of cooling, you should hear the lids pop as they vacuum seal themselves. If any jars do NOT click shut, you can either continue to boil them for another 5-10 minutes and wait for them to cool again ~OR~ just store them in the fridge once they're cool to touch. If the jars have properly sealed, they will keep in your pantry for 12-18 months. Once opened, use within 2 months for the best flavor.
Notes
Nutrition facts are per pint jar.
Optional Variations
- Nut-Free - Try making bourbon or rum cherries or swap in chocolate liquor for the amaretto. Don’t forget to replace the almond extract with more vanilla or just omit it.
- Booze-Free - If you don’t like keeping hooch in the house, make this amaretto cherries recipe with your favorite non-alcoholic almond liqueur (e.g. Lyre’s, Ritual, or Beckett’s).
- If you’re using fresh cherries, invest in a multi-well cherry pitter. It makes life so much easier! Of course, you can always go low-tech and use a piping tip, chopstick, or straw, or opt for pre-pitted frozen cherries. No matter what, beware of occasional pits—a few always seem to make it through.
- Water bath canning is optional, but is a great option if you don't have a lot of fridge space.
- You can also freeze the amaretto cherries for up to a year. To use, allow to defrost overnight in the fridge, then use however you'd like. They should keep well for up to a year in the fridge after opening. Just don’t re-freeze after defrosting or the texture will get funky.
Nutrition
Calories: 356kcalCarbohydrates: 89gProtein: 4gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.1gSodium: 31mgPotassium: 531mgFiber: 6gSugar: 79gVitamin A: 149IUVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!