Description
Sweet, tangy, and packed with bold flavor, these pickled cherries combine apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, and black pepper for a bright summer appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound fresh cherries, stemmed and pitted
- 3–4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 bay leaf
- ¾ cup water
Instructions
- Wash and pit the cherries, then divide them between two clean pint jars.
- Tuck thyme sprigs between the cherries inside the jars.
- Combine water, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, salt, peppercorns, fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, and bay leaf in a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring until the sugar dissolves completely.
- Reduce heat and simmer the brine for 5 minutes.
- Carefully pour the hot brine over the cherries, leaving 1 inch of headspace.
- Cover the jars and cool to room temperature.
- Refrigerate the jars for at least 24 hours before serving.
Notes
- Makes 2 pint jars.
- Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- For milder flavor, strain spices before pouring brine over cherries.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Pickling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/4 cup
- Calories: 56
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 149
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 13
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0