Fresh Cherry Sauce Recipe (No Starch, No Refined Sugar)

This wonderful fresh cherry sauce is spiked with dried cranberries for well-rounded flavor that compliments a variety of desserts and dishes. The cranberries absorb quite a bit of moisture and the maple syrup cooks down, so no starch or thickeners of any kind are needed in the recipe.

Fresh Cherry Sauce and 12 Dairy-Free Ways to Serve It

With a range of optional ingredients, this fresh cherry sauce can top various sweet desserts and savory dishes. Here are some ideas for how to use it.

Make dairy-free yogurt parfaits (pictured)
Use it as a base ingredient for cocktails
Glaze grilled meats
Top dairy-free ice cream
Swirl it into homemade dairy-free vanilla ice cream or dairy-free chocolate ice cream
Drizzle it over pancakes or waffles
Serve it atop slices of plant-based cheesecake
Spoon it over vegan panna cotta
Serve it as an accompaniment to pork chops or lamb chops
Layer it on chocolate cream pie
Make dairy-free cheesecake parfaits
Spoon it over slices of dairy-free Texas sheet cake

Sweetener Note

You can substitute another liquid sweetener for the maple syrup if preferred or needed. Most natural liquid sweeteners, like honey or agave nectar, will work well. Sweeteners like golden syrup also work.

I know some of you will want to substitute a sugar-free sweetener, but I’d choose your sweetener wisely. Most won’t properly thicken the sauce.

This fresh cherry sauce recipe with photo was shared with us by nwcherries.com.

Special Diet Notes: Fresh Cherry Sauce

By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, gluten-free, grain-free, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, vegan, vegetarian, paleo, and refined sugar-free. The recipe is also corn-free since it’s made naturally without starch.

Fresh Cherry Sauce with No Starch

Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

45 mins

Please note that the Prep time is hands-on time only. Allow time for the sauce to cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. See the post above for serving ideas. If you don't want to commit to a large batch, you can cut the recipe in half. Half of ¾ cup is 6 tablespoons.

Author: Northwest Cherry Growers

Recipe type: Sauce

Cuisine: American

Serves: 16 servings

Ingredients

¾ cup water
¾ cup maple syrup (see Sweetener Note in post above)
4 cups fresh sweet cherries, stemmed and pitted
4 cups dried cranberries
4 peels (2 inches each) fresh ginger (optional)
3 tablespoons citrus zest (optional)
Black pepper, to taste (optional)
Fresh herbs, to taste (optional)
Raspberries, as desired (optional)

Instructions

In medium saucepan, stir together the cherries, water, and maple syrup. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally and more frequently as the sauce begins to form.
Add the cranberries and continue to cook, stirring often. Once reduced, remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the fresh ginger, citrus zest, black pepper, fresh herbs, and/or raspberries, if desired.
Let the sauce cool in the pan for 30 to 60 minutes, then transfer it to a wider, shallower pan to finish cooking more quickly.
Once cool, store the cherry sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.