Keto Maraschino Cherries
Cherry Cake is a Pike Family Tradition for Christmas and as much as I love my new ketogenic health, I've found that I really miss this once a year treat.
This recipe has been a few years in the making. Each year as the season approaches, the need to perfect this recipe reads its head and consumes me. There have been many attempts, don’t get me wrong, none of them were horrible...they just weren’t ‘the one’.
I have found that to perfect the cake I had to go back a step or two and make my own candied cherries. I know it’s an extra step and a bit of Tom foolery, but if you’re a cherry Cake aficionado like me, it’s a small price to pay for keto friendly cherry cake that you can enjoy guilt free.
- Prep Time15 min
- Cook Time15 min
- Total Time30 min
Ingredients
For the cherries
- 1/2 cup Keto friendly sweetener we used Erythritol monk fruit blend
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 cup vodka or water
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 4 cups cherries, stemmed and pitted
Directions
Combine sweetener and water in a small saucepan and bring boil for about 3-5 minutes
Remove from heat and stir in all other ingredients. Set aside.
Fill a mason jar with cherries.
Pour hot syrup over cherries and fill up to 1/4 inch to the top of the jar
Process with rings and bottles for 3-5 minutes
Set aside ( we put ours in the fridge) for two weeks.
Wait two weeks for the cherries to preserve, then remove the cherries from liquid, making sure to reserve the syrup.
Place the reserved cherry juice in a frying pan over medium heat
Add 1 cup of Keto approved sweetener and stir until the sweetener is almost completely dissolved.
Add the cherries, stir, and bring to a boil.
Cover and reduce the heat, and simmer until the cherries are slightly dehydrated and firm, for about 20 minutes. Making sure to stir often.
You will see the cherries start to turn glassy or translucent in the pan. Don’t cook them too long or you will dehydrate them altogether. You want these to retain a little of the moisture if using for a cherry cake
Remove from the heat.
Want candied cherries? (Like craisins or raisins).
Cook then for longer, about 45 minute sundress a very low heat, allow to cool completely, place them on a cooking sheet to dry
Once they’re dry, these can be reconstituted at any time by soaking them in water for about 10 minutes.
Water can be substituted for the vodka for a non alcoholic version
Frozen cherries can be used off season (unsweetened)
Nutrition & Macro Information
- Amount per serving
- Calories0
- % Daily Value*
How long will they keep?
That would be dependent n many factors, including how you store them and how well they’re bottled. Also whether you use water or alcohol in the mix. We’ve used these for months after they were stored. My best advice is to use your own discretion.