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Cherries are bright and sweet, full of great nutrients for your little one and a breeze to puree if you are just starting on your homemade baby food journey!
"This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using this link."
Why you should make this puree now!
This cherry puree is pure fun and so easy to make! Your baby will love the taste of the sweet cherries and it's a super versatile puree for kids at any stage. It can be paired with many other flavors from other fruits to veggies, yogurt and even pureed chicken.
Not only is this cherry puree recipe great for babies, it's also delicious for adults' too. The cherry puree is great drizzled into a cocktail, mocktail or cooked down into a delicious ice cream topping. Spoon a bit into your favorite smoothie for an extra punch of cherry flavor.
Ingredients
Frozen Cherries vs. Fresh Cherries: Normally fresh produce is the way to go when making homemade baby food, but not so much with cherries. The frozen cherries are already pitted and de-stemmed making this recipe quick and easy. Just let them defrost a bit on the counter before using. If you do choose to use fresh cherries, make sure you have a cherry pitter on hand to make the process faster.
Simple step by step instructions
One of the best thing about this cherry puree (other than the taste), is how simple it is.
First, grab a bag of frozen cherries. Trader Joes frozen cherries are my go to, but any brand will work fine. Let the bag sit on the counter for 10 -30 minutes. The longer they are out the easier they are to blend.
Then, toss the slightly defrosted cherries into a high speed blender (I love my Vitamix) and blend until smooth.
If not using the cherry puree immediately, you can store it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Alternatively, pour the puree into a silicone ice cube tray and freeze. Once the puree has frozen, pop the cubes out of the tray and store in zip top freezer storage bags for up to 3 months.
For more info on storage baby food check out my Ultimate Guide for Making Your Own Baby Food.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to Health.com cherries are not only one of the healthiest fruits, they also rank as one of the most health protective foods overall. One cup, or about 21 cherries, contains less than 100 calories and 15% of your daily vitamin C needs.
One of my favorite facts about cherries though is that they are one of the only foods that naturally contain melatonin (a hormone that helps control sleep-wake cycles). While, I'm not a sleep specialist or doctor of any type, anything that can help with sleep is a win in my book 😴.
Cherries are typically in season from mid-May to end of July depending on where you live. However, cherries can be expensive and a pain to pit and stem, so as I mentioned before, frozen cherries are the key to making this simple puree quickly and all year round.
What does cherry puree pair well with?
- Cooked oatmeal: either use fresh puree or a frozen cube mixed in for a fruity twist on oatmeal.
- Spinach: pair with a spinach cube for a super healthy combination
- Banana: Mix with banana puree for a yummy baby friendly dessert
- Yogurt: either mix the puree with yogurt and freeze in cubes, or drizzle puree over the yogurt for a naturally sweetened treat.
- Roasted Broccoli: for a pop of color with roasted pureed broccoli add in some cherry puree, the kiddos love it.
- Applesauce: for a great sweet treat for little ones, a cube of cherry on top of applesauce ups the nutrients and looks great too.
Cherry puree doesn't just have to be for babies
Here are a few great ways the adults can enjoy it too!
- Swap a frozen cube of cherry puree for the blueberry puree in these overnight oats.
- Drizzle into champagne or use in your favorite cocktail.
- Heat it in a pan and cook it down a bit to use as a syrup over ice cream or swirled into cheesecakes or other baked goods.
One More Tip
Cherries have bright and vibrant color that can stain EVERYTHING! Fresh or frozen, these gorgeous fruits know how to leave their mark. So how do you get cherry juice stains out? OxiClean can take care of it! I just love the stuff and it has not failed me yet when it comes to treating stains from all the purees and life in our house. You need this stuff in your life!
Looking for other great puree recipes? Try these:
When you try this recipe and love it 😍 let me know by leaving a comment below or 5 ⭐ rating!
Cherry Puree
Equipment
Ingredients
- 16 oz cherries use one bag frozen or 16oz pitted if fresh
Instructions
- If using frozen cherries, take bag out of freezer 10-30 minutes before you start.
- Toss the defrosted cherries into a high speed blender
- Blend until smooth.
- Freeze into cubes or store in a jar in the fridge. This puree can stay in the fridge for 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
Nutrition
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