How to Can Cherries at Home

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Learning how to can cherries lets you keep a harvest on the pantry shelf for months without relying on the freezer. Cherries are a fruit that can be processed in a boiling-water canner, which makes the method approachable for a home kitchen. Food safety matters in any canning project, so this guide follows the process directions published by university extension and the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and it notes the points those sources leave to the printed processing tables. Always check the current tables for your jar size, altitude and canner type before you start.

Quick answer

Use firm, ripe, uniformly colored sweet or sour cherries, and wash and stem them before canning.
Choose a hot pack or a raw pack, then leave 1/2-inch headspace in each jar.
Process in a boiling-water canner using the time from the tested processing table for your jar size and altitude.
Let the jars cool, check the seals, and label them. Follow the extension guidance for any jar that does not seal.

Why processing rules matter for cherries

Home canning is a food safety procedure, not only a way to store fruit. Kansas State University Extension states that its processing methods “can be used to process sweet or sour cherries” and is written to help prevent foodborne illness when fresh foods are preserved at home. The time, jar size and headspace still need to match the published table for your conditions. The steps below describe the common approach, and the processing time itself should always come from the current table for your conditions rather than from memory or a family recipe.

Start with the fruit

The National Center for Home Food Preservation describes the first step as choosing fruit of good quality for canning. Kansas State adds that cherries should be freshly harvested, with a deep, uniform color and the maturity you would want for eating fresh. Discard fruit that is split, bruised or moldy, because those defects can carry spoilage into the jar. Plan to can cherries the same day you pick them if you can, since fruit that waits in a warm place loses quality quickly. Wash the cherries in cool water, then remove stems. Sort the batch so that all of the fruit is similar in size and ripeness, which makes the packs more even.

Pit or leave whole

Pitting is a personal choice, and the extension sources treat both options as acceptable. Michigan State University Extension advises that pitted cherries be placed in water containing ascorbic acid to prevent stem-end discoloration. The same guidance says the cherries can be pitted or left whole. The National Center for Home Food Preservation notes that unpitted cherries should be pricked on opposite sides with a clean needle to prevent splitting during processing. Pitted fruit is easier to use in pies and sauces later, while whole fruit keeps its shape and looks more like fresh fruit on a plate. Work quickly once the pits are out so the fruit does not sit exposed to air.

Choose a hot pack or a raw pack

The extension sources describe two packing methods. In the hot pack, the drained cherries are heated in a large saucepan with a small amount of water, juice or syrup, then packed into jars along with the hot cooking liquid. The National Center guidance uses 1/2 cup of liquid for each quart of drained fruit, brought to a boil before filling. In the raw pack, the cherries go into the jars without heating, and hot liquid is added on top. Kansas State describes a raw pack that adds hot water, juice or syrup to each jar and asks the canner to shake the fruit down gently as the jar is filled. A hot pack tends to fill the jar more fully and can give a softer texture, while a raw pack keeps the fruit firmer but may leave more air in the jar.

Choose the liquid

Cherries can be canned in water, apple juice, white grape juice or a sugar syrup. Syrup is the most common choice for flavor and color. Kansas State gives a general preference: a medium syrup for sweet cherries and a heavy syrup for sour cherries. The National Center page notes that the cooking liquid is used to fill the jars, so the liquid you choose affects the final product. Sugar is not required for safe processing of cherries in the sources reviewed, but it helps the fruit keep its color and texture. Whatever liquid you choose, bring it to a boil before pouring it over the cherries so that the jars are filled with hot liquid.

Prepare the jars and lids

Kansas State University Extension recommends that jars be washed and sterilized before filling. Its guidance for jars processed for less than 10 minutes calls for placing the jars in a boiling-water canner, covering them with water and boiling them for at least 10 minutes before use. Keep the jars hot until they are filled so that they do not crack when the hot fruit goes in. Use new two-piece lids according to the manufacturer directions. The rims should be wiped clean with a damp paper towel before the lids are applied, because food residue can prevent a good seal.

Fill the jars and leave headspace

Leave 1/2-inch headspace in each jar, which is the amount named in both the National Center and Kansas State directions for cherries. Headspace gives the food room to expand during processing and helps create a vacuum seal as the jar cools. Remove air bubbles by sliding a clean tool along the inside of the jar, then adjust the headspace if needed. Overfilling can cause liquid to escape during processing and may prevent a proper seal. Underfilling leaves too much air, which can affect color and quality over time. Check the headspace on every jar before lids go on.

Process in a boiling-water canner

Cherries are processed in a boiling-water canner using the time from the published tables. The National Center page lists process times for boiling-water canners, and the same site gives separate tables for dial-gauge and weighted-gauge pressure canners. Kansas State offers its own tables for water-bath and steam canners. The processing time depends on jar size, the packing method and your altitude, so the time printed for your own conditions is the one to follow. Start timing only when the water is boiling and the jars are fully covered. Keep the water at a steady boil throughout the process.

Cool, check and store

When processing is complete, Kansas State University Extension recommends turning off the heat and removing the canner lid. It advises letting the jars cool for 5 minutes before removing them. Place the hot jars on a towel or rack, away from drafts, and leave them undisturbed while they cool. After the jars cool, check each lid. Label the jars with the date, the cherry type and the pack style. Store the sealed jars in a cool, dry, dark place. Any jar that did not seal should be handled according to the extension guidance on unsealed jars rather than stored like the rest.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using a processing time from a different jar size or from a recipe that is not based on a published table.
Leaving the wrong headspace, which can cause liquid loss or poor seals.
Canning cherries that are overripe, split or moldy.
Failing to prick unpitted cherries, which can lead to splitting.
Skipping the wipe of the jar rims before applying lids.

How we chose

This guide relies on three sources that were opened on 2026-10-27. The National Center for Home Food Preservation page on whole cherries gives the hot and raw pack methods and the headspace rule. The Kansas State University Extension publication describes the sterilization, processing and cooling steps for water-bath and pressure canning. The Michigan State University Extension guidance adds the advice on ascorbic acid for pitted fruit. Where the sources agree, the guide states the step directly. Where the processing time depends on a table, the guide points readers to that table rather than repeating a number that was not confirmed against the full printed version.

What we could not verify

The processing table values in the National Center and Kansas State publications were not transcribed for this guide, because the tables depend on jar size, canner type and altitude. This guide therefore does not give a single processing time for cherries. The sources also do not provide a detailed comparison of canned cherry texture across every variety, and the Michigan State guide is dated 2023 while the Kansas State publication is updated for 2026.

What the sources do not say

The sources reviewed do not say how long canned cherries keep their best quality on the shelf, and they do not give a single figure for the altitude adjustment without the full table. They also do not address how to adjust processing for home-made syrup blends beyond the general guidance on syrup weights. Readers should use the full current tables and the extension office for their state for those details.

Frequently asked questions

Can you can cherries in a water bath?

The National Center for Home Food Preservation page on whole cherries describes processing in a boiling-water canner, and the Kansas State publication gives water-bath and steam canner tables. Cherries are commonly processed in a boiling-water canner for home canning, using the time from the table that matches the jar size.

Should cherries be pitted before canning?

Both options are described in the sources. Pitted cherries need ascorbic acid in the water to prevent discoloration, according to Michigan State University Extension. Unpitted cherries should be pricked on opposite sides with a clean needle to prevent splitting.

What is the difference between a hot pack and a raw pack?

A hot pack heats the drained fruit and cooking liquid together before filling the jars. A raw pack fills the jars with unheated fruit and adds hot liquid on top. Both methods leave 1/2-inch headspace in the sources reviewed.

How much headspace should cherries have?

The National Center page and the Kansas State publication both call for 1/2-inch headspace in jars of cherries. Leaving the right amount of room helps the jar seal and keeps liquid from escaping during processing.

What should you do if a jar does not seal?

The extension sources advise checking the seal after the jars cool and following their guidance for unsealed jars. Consult the current publication from your state extension office for the exact steps for a jar that did not seal.

Related guides

For a different approach to preserving the same fruit, read how to freeze vegetables from the garden, which covers freezing methods for garden produce. If you are growing your own cherries, see how to grow cherry trees.

Sources

National Center for Home Food Preservation, “Cherries-Whole,” https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can/canning-fruits-and-fruit-products/cherries-whole (opened 2026-10-27)
Kansas State University Extension, “Preserve It Fresh, Preserve It Safe: Cherries” (MF1180), https://bookstore.ksre.ksu.edu/download/preserve-it-fresh-preserve-it-safe-cherries_MF1180 (opened 2026-10-27)
Michigan State University Extension, “Using, Storing, and Preserving Cherries” (2023), https://ccfruitandnuts.ucanr.edu/sites/default/files/2025-07/Using%2C%20Storing%2C%20and%20Preserving%20Cherries-%20Michigan%20State%202023.pdf (opened 2026-10-27)