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Classic homemade chocolate covered cherries (cherry cordials) with a soft fondant center and a smooth chocolate coating. Perfect for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, or any sweet occasion. Optional boozy cherry cordials by soaking cherries in brandy or rum.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes (plus 2-4 weeks resting time for liquid centers)
  • Yield: 40 pieces 1x

Ingredients

Scale
  • 40–60 maraschino cherries (pitted, stems optional)
  • Fondant: 2 cups powdered sugar
  • Fondant: 3 tablespoons butter, softened
  • Fondant: 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • Chocolate Coating: 1 pound dipping chocolate
  • Chocolate Coating: 1 pound semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • Chocolate Coating: 1 teaspoon shortening or coconut oil (for smoother chocolate)

Instructions

  1. Prep the cherries: decide whether to keep stems on or off. Pat dry cherries thoroughly with paper towels before wrapping.
  2. Optional: For cherry cordials, drain cherries and soak in brandy or rum up to 24 hours. Then dry thoroughly.
  3. Mix the fondant by hand in a medium bowl: combine softened butter and corn syrup until smooth. Sift in powdered sugar and knead into a soft, pliable dough.
  4. Refrigerate fondant for 15 minutes until firm.
  5. Wrap each cherry in about 1½ teaspoons of fondant dough: roll dough into a log about the size of your index finger, flatten slightly, place a cherry in the center, roll dough around cherry sealing seams.
  6. Roll the fondant-wrapped cherry between palms to smooth and shape into an even ball.
  7. Place covered cherries on parchment-lined baking sheet and chill for about 30 minutes (do not exceed 2 hours to prevent fondant from softening).
  8. While cherries chill, melt chocolate and shortening/coconut oil over low heat in a double boiler or fondue pot, stirring constantly until smooth and silky.
  9. Dip each chilled fondant-wrapped cherry one at a time into the melted chocolate, lift with a toothpick, tap off excess chocolate, and use a second toothpick to slide cherry onto parchment.
  10. Immediately dip the toothpick into chocolate and dab the hole left by the toothpick removal.
  11. Repeat until all cherries are coated and let them set until firm.
  12. For added stability, gently lift each firm cherry and dip just the bottom into the chocolate again to form a second coat; place back on parchment or paper candy cups.
  13. Store chocolate covered cherries in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place.
  14. Allow cherries to rest 2-4 weeks before eating to let fondant liquefy inside, creating the classic liquid center.

Notes

Make the cherries 2-4 weeks ahead to develop liquid centers naturally; invertase enzyme is optional but not necessary., The toothpick dipping method (removing stems) seals cherries nicely and gives a polished look, though dipping with stems on is easier., Keep all tools and utensils completely dry to prevent chocolate from seizing., If using only semi-sweet chips for coating, add about 1 tablespoon oil or coconut oil per cup to maintain smooth coating., Leftover chocolate after dipping can be saved for other desserts or hot chocolate., Avoid freezing as moisture expansion can crack the chocolate shell and ruin the texture.

  • Author: Laura
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Category: Dessert, Sweets
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 piece
  • Calories: 80 kcal
  • Fat: 3 g
  • Carbohydrates: 12 g
  • Protein: 0.4 g