Cherries bring a bold, juicy punch to desserts, and they work across the board, from flaky pastries and chilled cakes to crumbly crisps and frozen treats. Their tart sweetness pairs beautifully with chocolate, cream cheese, almonds, and cinnamon, making them one of the most versatile fruits to bake with. This mix of recipes includes everything from nostalgic pies to updated takes like icebox cakes, muffins, and cobbler-inspired bakes. Whether you’re using fresh, frozen, or canned cherries, these desserts pack big flavor with just the right mix of sweet and tangy.
Cherry Cream Cheese Pie
A graham cracker crust holds a smooth cream cheese filling topped with glossy cherry pie filling. It chills into a firm slice that’s easy to serve and always hits the right note. The combo of creamy and tart never gets old. It’s one of those desserts that feels like it came from a diner case, in the best way.
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Cherry Danishes
Flaky pastry layers are filled with cherry preserves and cream cheese, then baked until golden. The filling bubbles slightly, getting glossy and sweet while the edges crisp up. A light drizzle of icing brings it all together. They’re just as good with morning coffee as they are for dessert.
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Cherry Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
This creamy treat combines swirls of cherry with mini chocolate chips in a smooth, scoopable base. The fruit adds a bit of tang that balances the richness. It freezes well and scoops clean. Great in a cone or with extra chips sprinkled on top.
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Cherry Pandowdy
A rustic fruit dessert where tart cherries bake under a crumbled, broken crust that sinks slightly into the filling. The juice bubbles up around the edges, making the crust half crisp, half soaked in flavor. Serve it warm with cream or ice cream. It’s messy in a good way.
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Cherry Lush
This layered dessert stacks cherry filling, whipped topping, and sweet cream over a soft cookie base. After a few hours in the fridge, it slices easily but stays light and creamy. Each layer brings a different texture. It’s chilled, colorful, and crowd-friendly.
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Cherry Chip Scones
Buttery scones are dotted with cherry chips or bits of dried cherry for a tart bite. The edges bake up crisp while the inside stays soft and tender. A touch of almond extract brings out the fruitiness. They’re great plain or glazed.
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Cherry Apple Crisp
Tart cherries and soft apple slices bake under a brown sugar oat topping that turns golden in the oven. The fruit gets bubbly and the top stays crunchy. It’s a balance of warm spice and fresh fruit. Best served warm with something cold on the side.
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Cherry Apricot Upside Down Cake
Cherries and apricot slices caramelize under a buttery cake layer that flips beautifully onto a plate. The fruit forms a glossy, sticky topping that stays in place. The cake underneath soaks up the juices for extra flavor. It’s a bold spin on a classic upside-down dessert.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Apricot Upside Down Cake
Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Soft almond cookies hold a dollop of cherry jam in the center that sets as they cool. Each bite blends nutty, buttery dough with a tart fruit finish. These are easy to make in batches. They’re small but full of flavor.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
Cherry Chocolate Chip Pie
This rich dessert combines the gooey texture of a cookie pie with cherry bits and chocolate chips throughout. The filling bakes up soft and chewy while the crust holds its shape. It slices like a pie but eats like a cookie. Serve warm or chilled.
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Cherry Cinnamon Rolls
A cherry filling is spread over soft dough before being rolled up, sliced, and baked into spirals. The filling bubbles out slightly, giving sweet pockets of fruit throughout. A glaze drizzled over top seals the deal. It’s a fruity twist on the breakfast classic.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Cinnamon Rolls
Cherry Cheesecake Icebox Cake
Layers of graham crackers, cherry filling, and cheesecake-style cream stack up in this no-bake dessert. After chilling, the layers soften into a sliceable treat. Each bite is creamy, sweet, and a little tart. No oven, no fuss.
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Creamy Cherry Mango Popsicles
Fresh cherries and ripe mangoes blend into a creamy frozen treat with bold color and flavor. The layers swirl slightly as they freeze, giving a marbled look. They’re smooth, sweet, and great for hot days. A fun way to use fresh summer fruit.
Get the Recipe: Creamy Cherry Mango Popsicles
Sheet Pan Cherry Pie
This version of pie spreads out into a thin, crisp format that’s easy to slice and share. The filling bakes evenly and the crust stays flaky from edge to edge. Serve it in squares for a low-effort dessert. It travels well and feeds a crowd.
Get the Recipe: Sheet Pan Cherry Pie
Chocolate Cherry Cobbler Cake
Part cobbler, part cake, this dessert bakes up with a rich chocolate base and bubbling cherries on top. The batter rises around the fruit, creating pockets of cake and juice in every bite. It’s warm, gooey, and best eaten by the spoonful. Vanilla ice cream fits right in.
Get the Recipe: Chocolate Cherry Cobbler Cake
Cherry Dump Cake
Just layer cherry pie filling, cake mix, and butter, then bake until golden and bubbling. It’s a quick route to cobbler-like results without much prep. The top turns crisp while the middle stays soft. Great with a scoop of ice cream.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Dump Cake
Cherry Cheesecake Muffins
These soft muffins have a swirl of cheesecake filling and cherry in the middle. The fruit keeps them moist and adds bursts of flavor throughout. They’re rich without being heavy. Bake a batch and they’ll go fast.
Get the Recipe: Cherry Cheesecake Muffins
Sweet Cherry Handpies
Flaky pastry pockets hold a spoonful of cherry filling that stays thick and sweet after baking. The edges seal tight and the tops turn golden. They’re great warm or cold, with or without a glaze. Easy to grab, hard to stop at one.
Get the Recipe: Sweet Cherry Handpies
