Nanking Cherry Jam Recipe (and More Ways to Use Your Harvest)

You’ve got a bowl of bright red Nanking cherries and you’re wondering what to do with them. Good news: Nanking cherry is one of the most versatile fruits you can grow. The intense, tart-sweet cherry flavor makes outstanding jam, jelly, syrup, pie, and wine — and the deep red color is absolutely stunning in a jar. This guide gives you tested recipes for every use, plus tips for handling the small pits efficiently.

Before You Start: Handling the Pits

Nanking cherries are small with a proportionally large pit — pitting them by hand for large batches is tedious. Here are the three best approaches depending on your recipe:

• Cook whole, then strain: The easiest method for jam, jelly, and syrup. Cook the cherries whole until soft, then press through a food mill or fine-mesh strainer to separate the pulp and juice from the pits and skins. Fast, efficient, and produces a smooth result.
• Cherry pitter: A handheld cherry pitter works well on Nanking cherries and is worth the investment if you have a large harvest. Pit over a bowl to catch the juice.
• Freeze first: Freezing and thawing Nanking cherries softens them slightly, making them easier to pit by hand and releasing more juice for cooking.

For most recipes below, the cook-and-strain method is recommended — it’s the fastest way to process a large harvest and produces the best texture for preserves.

📚 Don’t have plants yet? See our Complete Nanking Cherry Growing Guide →

Nanking Cherry Jam

Nanking cherry jam is the recipe most growers make first — and it’s spectacular. The deep red color is stunning, the flavor is intensely cherry with a pleasant tartness, and it keeps beautifully for a year or more when properly canned. This is a smooth jam made by cooking the cherries whole and straining out the pits — no tedious hand-pitting required.

Classic Nanking Cherry Jam

Makes: About 5 half-pint jars

Ingredients:

• 4 cups Nanking cherry pulp (from about 6 cups whole cherries — see method below)
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 package (1.75 oz) powdered pectin

To make the cherry pulp:

1. Wash cherries and remove stems. Place whole cherries in a large saucepan with ¼ cup water.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring and mashing as cherries soften — about 10 minutes.
3. Press through a food mill or fine-mesh strainer, pushing firmly to extract all pulp. Discard pits and skins.
4. Measure 4 cups of pulp. If you have more, save it for syrup or freeze it.

To make the jam:

1. Sterilize jars and lids. Keep jars hot until ready to fill.
2. Combine cherry pulp, lemon juice, and pectin in a large saucepan. Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly.
3. Add sugar all at once. Return to a full rolling boil and boil hard for exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Remove from heat. Skim foam if needed.
5. Ladle into hot sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace. Wipe rims, apply lids and bands finger-tight.
6. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes. Remove and cool undisturbed for 24 hours.

Flavor notes: Nanking cherry jam has a deep, intense cherry flavor with a pleasant tartness. If you prefer a sweeter jam, increase sugar to 3½ cups. For a more complex flavor, add ¼ teaspoon almond extract with the sugar — it amplifies the cherry flavor beautifully.

Uses: Outstanding on toast, biscuits, and scones. Exceptional as a filling for thumbprint cookies, layer cakes, and crepes. Pairs beautifully with sharp cheddar on a cheese board.

Nanking Cherry Jelly

For a crystal-clear, seedless preserve with an even more vivid ruby-red color, Nanking cherry jelly is the answer. The color in a jar held up to the light is extraordinary.

Nanking Cherry Jelly

Makes: About 5 half-pint jars

Ingredients:

• 3½ cups Nanking cherry juice (from about 8 cups whole cherries)
• 4½ cups granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 package (1.75 oz) powdered pectin

To make the juice:

1. Wash cherries and remove stems. Combine with ½ cup water in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil, mashing cherries as they soften. Simmer 15 minutes.
3. Pour into a jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined colander set over a bowl. Let drain overnight — do not squeeze the bag or the jelly will be cloudy.
4. Measure 3½ cups of juice.

To make the jelly: Follow the same process as the jam recipe above, substituting juice for pulp. Process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Tip: The leftover pulp from straining can be used to make a quick refrigerator jam or added to smoothies — don’t waste it.

Nanking Cherry Syrup

Nanking cherry syrup is the quickest and most versatile recipe in this guide — ready in 20 minutes and stunning on pancakes, waffles, ice cream, yogurt, and cocktails. The deep ruby color is as beautiful as the flavor.

Simple Nanking Cherry Syrup

Makes: About 2½ cups

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Nanking cherries (fresh or frozen)
• 1½ cups water
• 1½ cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Combine cherries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Mash cherries as they soften.
3. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes until cherries are completely soft.
4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing firmly to extract all juice. Discard solids.
5. Stir in lemon juice. Cool completely.
6. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or freeze up to 6 months.

Cocktail variation: Nanking cherry syrup makes an outstanding Old Fashioned — substitute it for simple syrup and add a dash of bitters. Also excellent in gin and tonic, prosecco, and lemonade.

Canning: To preserve shelf-stable, process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes in sterilized half-pint jars.

Nanking Cherry Pie

Nanking cherry pie is exceptional — use it exactly like pie cherry (Montmorency) with a bit of extra sugar to balance the tartness. The deep red filling and intense cherry flavor make a pie that rivals any cherry pie you’ve ever had.

Nanking Cherry Pie

Makes: One 9-inch double-crust pie

Ingredients:

• 4 cups pitted Nanking cherries (fresh or frozen)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3½ tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional but highly recommended)
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
• Double pie crust (homemade or store-bought)
• 1 egg + 1 tablespoon water for egg wash
• 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for topping

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Combine pitted cherries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, almond extract, and salt. Toss gently and let sit 15 minutes.
3. Line a 9-inch pie dish with the bottom crust. Pour in the filling and dot with butter.
4. Add the top crust, crimp edges, and cut several vents. Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
5. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes, then reduce to 375°F and bake 30–35 more minutes until filling is bubbling and crust is golden.
6. Cool at least 3 hours before slicing — the filling needs time to set.

Tip: Place a baking sheet under the pie to catch drips. The almond extract is optional but transforms the pie — it amplifies the natural cherry flavor dramatically.

Nanking Cherry Juice

Fresh Nanking cherry juice is intensely flavored, deeply colored, and loaded with antioxidants. Outstanding as a base for drinks, cocktails, and mocktails.

Simple Nanking Cherry Juice

Makes: About 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 6 cups Nanking cherries
• 1 cup water
• Sugar to taste (start with ¼ cup; adjust)

Instructions:

1. Combine cherries and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, mashing as cherries soften.
2. Simmer 10 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing to extract all juice.
3. Stir in sugar while juice is still warm. Taste and adjust sweetness.
4. Cool and refrigerate up to 1 week, or freeze up to 6 months.

Serving ideas: Mix 1 part juice with 3 parts sparkling water for a cherry soda. Add to lemonade for a stunning pink-red cherry lemonade.

Nanking Cherry Wine

Nanking cherry wine is one of the most rewarding uses for a large harvest. The berries ferment readily and produce a beautiful deep ruby wine with intense tart-sweet cherry character.

Simple Nanking Cherry Wine

Makes: 1 gallon

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs Nanking cherries (fresh or frozen)
• 2½ lbs granulated sugar
• 1 gallon water
• 1½ teaspoons acid blend
• ½ teaspoon pectic enzyme
• 1 Campden tablet (crushed)
• 1 packet wine yeast (Lalvin EC-1118 or Montrachet)
• 1 teaspoon yeast nutrient

Basic process:

1. Crush cherries (pits and all — the pits add tannin and complexity). Combine with water, sugar, acid blend, and crushed Campden tablet. Stir to dissolve sugar. Cover and let sit 24 hours.
2. Add pectic enzyme and yeast nutrient. Let sit another 12 hours.
3. Add activated wine yeast. Cover loosely and ferment at room temperature 5–7 days, stirring daily and pressing down the fruit cap.
4. Strain out solids and transfer to a 1-gallon glass jug with an airlock.
5. Ferment 4–6 weeks until bubbling stops. Rack (siphon) to a clean jug, leaving sediment behind.
6. Age 6–12 months before bottling. The wine improves significantly with time.

Nanking Cherry Shrub (Drinking Vinegar)

A simple, elegant way to preserve the cherry flavor for savory cooking and cocktails — outstanding in salad dressings, marinades, and glazes.

Makes: About 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Nanking cherries
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar

Instructions:

1. Combine cherries and sugar in a jar. Muddle or mash lightly. Cover and refrigerate 48 hours, stirring occasionally, until sugar dissolves and cherries release their juice.
2. Strain out solids. Stir in apple cider vinegar.
3. Store in a sealed jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

To serve: Mix 2 tablespoons shrub with 8 oz sparkling water. Use as a salad dressing base or glaze for pork and duck.

Freezing Nanking Cherries for Year-Round Recipes

The Nanking cherry harvest window is short — 1–2 weeks in late June or early July. Freezing lets you use every recipe in this guide year-round. Freeze whole (pits and all):

1. Wash and dry cherries thoroughly. Remove stems.
2. Spread in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
3. Freeze until solid — 2–3 hours.
4. Transfer to zip-lock freezer bags, removing as much air as possible.
5. Label with date; store up to 12 months.

Use frozen cherries directly in all recipes above — no need to thaw before cooking. The cook-and-strain method works perfectly with frozen cherries.

📚 Related: Serviceberry Recipes: Pies, Jams & Syrup — another early-summer berry that pairs beautifully with Nanking cherry →

Don’t Have Nanking Cherry Plants Yet?

Every recipe in this guide starts with one thing: Nanking cherry plants in your yard. We carry two outstanding named varieties — Gabe and Jules — both shipping directly to your door. Plant both for cross-pollination and maximum yield. A pair of mature plants can produce 20–30 lbs of cherries per season.

More Nanking Cherry & Edible Shrub Reading