A chilled dessert is the perfect ending to a summer day. This cherry custard fits the bill perfectly, and keeps you swimsuit ready with its low cal ingredients. Some links in this post are affiliate links that earn me a commission if you click through and purchase.
When I made my mango custard a couple weeks ago and finally shared it with you, my family begged for more. If it works for mangoes, surely I can get creative with other fruit, right?
I call this a cherry custard, but it’s kind of a cherry bavarian since it includes gelatin. It has no eggs, however, so it isn’t truly a custard or a bavarian, but the texture remains similar, so roll with it!
Why cherries? Cherries are one of my favorite fruits – and interestingly one of the few foods I can eat when I have a migraine. I always have frozen cherries in my freezer, but with the weather getting warmer, I buy fresh cherries nonstop.
Who doesn’t love cherries? I make my 30 minute cherry syrup all the time. My cherry scones are a weekend breakfast staple in my house, since they’re so fast to make and so amazingly delicious. Check out the end of the post for even more fun cherry recipe ideas.
This cherry custard recipe works with both fresh or frozen cherries. I love working with frozen cherries because someone else pitted them. If you use fresh cherries, make sure to pit them first!
My family finds the cool and smooth texture of this cherry custard perfect for dessert. It’s satisfying without being too heavy or having too many calories. Yes, this is under 100 calories per serving, no lie!
I’ll be honest. My kids begged me to try this with cherries. When I made it and served it, my daughter didn’t want to try it. I made her and she said it wasn’t for her. Then she decided to try another bite, and the cherry custard disappeared. Five minutes later she begged for another one “because it’s my favorite thing ever, Mom, pretty please!”
Who am I to say no?
Why didn’t she love it right off the bat? We may have been at my parents who had special ice cream bars she wanted to eat instead and was being a typical 12 year old. Honestly, if my cherry custard wins out over the fancy ice cream bars my parents stock for the kids, I’m winning.
How to Prep Fresh Cherries
This recipe is easiest with frozen cherries because freezing helps release the juices. If you have fresh cherries, you can still use them.
Pit your cherries first, then cut them in half. Sprinkle the sugar over the cherries to macerate them, which helps release their juice. Let them rest for a half hour with the sugar, then proceed with the recipe as written.
Tools You Need to Make Cherry Custard
- Blender
- Measuring cups
- Liquid measuring cup
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Ramekins
- Cherry pitter (if using fresh cherries)
How to Make Homemade Cherry Custard
If you use fresh cherries, follow the instructions again to prep the cherries. Feel free to go with frozen cherries – I do! Let cherries thaw to just about room temperature. You can microwave them gently to speed the process, but I often just put the measuring cup in my fridge the night before I plan to make this instead.
Place cherries in your blender, along with the evaporated milk. Puree until smooth, then pour into a large bowl.
While the cherries puree, heat water. Add gelatin and sugar and to the hot water and stir until they’re totally dissolved. This will take 2-3 minutes. Make sure you start stirring as you add the gelatin. If you add the gelatin and then let it sit for a minute, it will turn into a hard clump and take way longer to dissolve.
Note that if you used fresh cherries, you already added the sugar to the cherries when you cut them. Don’t add extra sugar if you did!
Add ice cubes to cherry mixture, then pour gelatin into it and stir until fully dissolved. Again, this will take a minute or so.
Pour mixture into individual ramekins and chill for at least 3 hours. You can heat the ramekins by dipping into a bowl of hot water (don’t let it touch the bavarian custard), then use a knife to loosen and invert on a plate or serve in the ramekins.
I garnish the cherry custard with a little whipped cream and a sprig of mint for fun. This makes ~12-14 small ramekins. They’re good the day of and up to 2-3 days after.
Have you ever tried a cherry custard bavarian?
Check out more fun cherry recipes you should try
- Baked cherry oatmeal
- Cherry sangria
- Simple cherry syrup
- Cherry galette
- Food processor cherry scones
- Cherry cafloutis
- Goat cheese and dried cherry salad
- Cherry cream cheese danish braid
- Cherry ice pops
Cherry Custard
Ingredients
- 5 cups cherries
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup ice cubes
- 1 tablespoon whipped cream optional
- 12 mint sprigs optional
Instructions
- Thaw frozen cherries either overnight in the fridge or by gently microwaving them for 30 seconds then in 10 second increments.
- Place cherries in blender, along with evaporated milk. Puree until smooth, then pour into a large bowl.5 cups cherries, 1 cup evaporated milk
- While cherries puree, heat water. Add gelatin and sugar and to hot water and stir 2-3 minutes until dissolved.2 envelopes unflavored gelatin, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cup hot water
- Add ice cubes to cherry mixture, then pour gelatin into it and stir until fully dissolved.1/2 cup ice cubes
- Pour mixture into individual ramekins and chill for at least 3 hours. You can heat the ramekins by dipping into a bowl of hot water (don’t let it touch the bavarian custard), then use a knife to loosen and invert on a plate or serve in the ramekins.
- Optional: Garnish the cherry custard with a little whipped cream and a sprig of mint for fun.1 tablespoon whipped cream, 12 mint sprigs
- Store any leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to two days.
Notes
- This recipe uses frozen cherries. You can also use fresh cherries, if you choose. To do so, make sure to pit your cherries first. Slice cherries in half, then sprinkle with sugar in a bowl. Let sit for a half hour to help the juices release, then puree. Note that you already added sugar so should not add additional sugar to the gelatin. Aside from that, follow the recipe instructions as written.
- For more tips and suggestions, be sure to read the full article.
Nutrition
This site uses an online source to provide nutrition estimates as a courtesy. If you need exact values, please calculate yourself.
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Are you using sour (pie) cherries, or sweet (bing or Rainier) cherries?
I have been using bing cherries for this – that’s a good question. I’m actually intrigued to see how it would work with sour pie cherries. I love those, but they aren’t as easy to come by for me.
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