Cherry Simple Syrup | How to Use Cherry Pits to Make a Delicious Syrup

This cherry simple syrup is made with cherry pits. It has a delicate, delicious flavor– far from any artificial cherry flavor you might be familiar with. And don’t worry, it’s nontoxic. But more on that later on.

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When I bought fresh cherries last week, I was only planning on making brandied cherries. But as I started seeing the cherry pits pile up, I knew I couldn’t let them go to waste. I recalled that a friend of mine told me he used cherry pits in his homemade Luxardo cherry recipe. I considered adding the cherry pits to my brandied cherries and then figured I’d try to make a cherry simple syrup instead.

In the back of my mind, I felt like I remembered something about cherry pits being toxic. If that was true, how was my friend able to use them in his recipe? Hmm… A quick Google search helped me sort that out.

Cherry pits, like the pits of other stone fruits such as peaches and plums, contain kernels inside called noyaux. The noyaux contain amygdalin, which turns into cyanide when it’s consumed or digested. This sounds a little scary, huh? The good news is that even if you swallow a few cherry pits on accident, you’re in the clear. This is because the amygdalin-ridden noyaux is safely nestled inside the casing of the pit. The outer shell of the pit is meant to withstand stomach acids. This is so that the precious kernel (where the amygdalin is) is protected even if an animal eats the fruit. The only way to expose the kernel is if you crack the pit open.

So, it is totally safe to use whole cherry pits. As long as you don’t crush, crack, or chew on the pits, no harmful toxins will be released. But, if you accidentally add a cracked cherry pit to the saucepan, it’s fiiine because we’re boiling the syrup anyway.

Yes, it is safe to use the kernel itself if you cook it. Noyaux is used commonly in Europe to flavor ice creams and other various sweet treats. If the noyaux is toasted or boiled prior to use, it renders the amygdalin harmless.

Hopefully, you’re feeling confident that this cherry simple syrup made with cherry pits is indeed safe. Like 100% safe. If you want more information, or if you’re wanting to hear this information from a more certified source, check out Poison.org’s article.

Now that I’ve cleared the air about cherry pits being poisonous, we can move on to talking about the cherry simple syrup.

Pitting cherries is a pain in the B-U-T-T so to make this chore easier, I invested in a cherry pitter. I loooove this one because it has a built-in splatter shield. It made the process a lot cleaner. If you’re gonna be pitting a whole bag of cherries, be kind to yourself and invest in a cherry pitter.

The great thing about using the cherry pits to flavor the syrup is that they impart a delicate almond flavor. Bits of the fruit flesh will cling to the pit and will flavor the syrup as well.

When I was making the syrup, I noticed that the syrup color was more brown than red so I threw in 3 or 4 cherries. This created the gorgeous maroon color like you see in the photos.

Wondering how you can use this cherry pit simple syrup? You can add some to your iced tea, use it in baking, drizzle it over some pancakes or waffles, make a mocktail with Sprite or sparkling water, or of course, in a cocktail. This would go beautifully in an Old Fashioned. I also think it would make an interesting Cherry Gimlet.

Let me know in a comment below how you plan on using this cherry simple syrup.

If you’re interested in creating other flavored simple syrups, check out these 6 other flavors.

Ingredients to Make Cherry Simple Syrup Made with Cherry Pits

• 1/2 cup cherry pits (this will come from about 3 cups or 1 pound of fresh cherries)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 cherries (optional)
• 1/4 oz brandy (optional– to preserve it)

How to Make Cherry Simple Syrup Made with Cherry Pits

Add the cherry pits, sugar, water, and cherries to a small saucepan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the contents into a mason jar or other sealable container. Add the splash of brandy and allow the syrup to cool before placing the lid on. Store in the fridge for 1-2 months.

If it begins to look cloudy, toss it. You can also freeze some of the syrup. Just keep in mind it may not freeze all the way due to the high sugar content and the small amount of brandy.