Cherry season is fleeting. Make the most of it with these 5 recipes.

Cherry season is quickly approaching, and we couldn’t be more excited to take advantage of it. Once the crimson-red stone fruits arrive, the window to enjoy them is fleeting. In the United States, cherry season typically runs from late spring through summer, with the timing depending on region, weather and variety.

To make the most of it, here’s a mix of sweet and savory cherry recipes from The Washington Post archives, including both sweet cherries — the kind you might snack on straight from the bag — and sour cherries, which especially shine in baked desserts.

The season for sour, or tart, cherries, with their fragile, soft skins, is especially short. If cherries haven’t reached your market just yet, or fresh ones are hard to come by in your area, don’t fret. Many of these recipes work well with frozen or canned cherries, so you can enjoy them year-round.

Sour Cherry Lattice Pie

Sour cherries are often considered the best variety for making pie. Here, they’re paired with a lattice crust, which allows the moisture to evaporate as they cook. For the crust, we recommend this Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust, but a store-bought one also works well in a pinch.

Cherry Gazpacho

This refreshing soup from Joe Yonan has glowing reviews, ranging from “Yum!” to “Good lord this is fabulous.” Unlike the traditional tomato-based versions in Spain, his gazpacho is flavored with sweet cherries, mini cucumbers and bell peppers.

Cherry Clafoutis

This classic French dessert is a low-effort option for summer entertaining. It’s made with a simple batter that’s poured over sweet cherries and baked until the custard is just set. .

Black Bean Salad With Cherries

This bean salad is another great recipe for summer parties and cookouts, featuring bits of sweet cherry for unexpected bursts of flavor.

Cherry Phyllo Turnovers

Store-bought phyllo dough is key in making these cherry-stuffed pastries. The sweet filling is seasoned with cardamom and can be made any time of year using frozen fruit.

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Sour Cherry Lattice Pie

2 pie crusts, for a 9-inch pie pan, (see Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust, a 2-crust pie recipe)

¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons (175 grams) granulated sugar

2½ tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch fine sea or table salt

1½ pounds (680 grams) fresh sour cherries, pitted, juices reserved (scant 4 cups)*

¼ teaspoon pure almond extract

All-purpose flour, for dusting the work surface, if needed

If using the Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust, prepare it according to the recipe instructions, fit one of the crusts in a 9-inch pie dish, cover with a tea towel or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours. If using another pie crust recipe or store-bought crusts, have it ready in the pie dish as well, but note the baking timing may vary.

About 20 minutes before you are ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch and salt until combined. Add the cherries and their accumulated juices, and the almond extract, and stir to combine. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for at least 10 minutes and up to 3 hours.

About 10 minutes before assembling the pie, remove the second disk of pie crust dough from the refrigerator to allow it to soften and become more pliable.

Remove the pie plate with the unbaked bottom crust from the refrigerator; remove the covering. Spoon the cherries and their juices into the bottom pie crust.

Place the second dough between two sheets of parchment paper, and roll out the dough to an oval about 10½-by-8 inches wide and about 1/16-inch thick. Rotate your parchment-encased dough periodically to ensure an even thickness. Work quickly, so the dough remains smooth and cool. (It's best to use parchment paper, but if you do not have any, lightly flour the work surface before rolling out the dough.)

Using a ruler and a fluted pastry wheel or a sharp paring knife, cut the dough oval into 10 strips. Arrange five strips evenly over the cherry filling. Gently fold back every other strip just past the center point of the pie and then place a strip on top that runs perpendicular. Reposition the strips so that they lie flat on top of the perpendicular strip. Working in the same direction, gently fold back the strips that were not folded back the first time. Lay a second perpendicular strip on top and unfurl the folded-back strips. Repeat with a third perpendicular strip, folding back the strips that were folded back the first time.

Apply the remaining 2 strips to the other side of the pie, starting toward the center and working toward the edge. Remember to alternate strips that are folded back so that the strips form a woven pattern.

Using sharp kitchen scissors, trim the strips to a ½-inch overhang, if necessary. Use water to moisten the edge of the bottom crust where it contacts each strip, then tuck the overhang under the bottom crust edge, pressing down to seal it.

Crimp the edges in a decorative fashion.

Use a pie crust protector or create a protective shield for the edge of the pie crust (to prevent overbrowning) by lightly crimping a ring of aluminum foil over it. Place the pie on the floor of the oven for 20 minutes, then transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Adjust an oven rack so it is on the lowest level in the oven, place the baking sheet with pie on that rack and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the juices bubble through the lattice and the center is slightly puffed. If the lattice becomes too dark in the last 15 minutes of baking, cover it loosely with a piece of aluminum foil with a vent hole in the center.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for at least 3 hours before cutting.

Active time: 40 minutes | Total time: 1 hour 40 minutes

6 servings (One 9-inch pie)

* Note: If you must use Bing cherries, which are much sweeter, reduce the sugar to about ⅔ cup (133 grams) and cook the filling on the stove top over medium to medium-low heat until thickened, 8 to 10 minutes, before filling the bottom pie crust. Chopped rhubarb makes a nice, slightly tart addition, as well.

Make Ahead: The suggested Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust needs to be made and chilled at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours in advance of baking. It can be wrapped tightly and frozen for 3 months.

Storage Notes: Leftover pie can be lightly covered and refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Nutrition per serving (1 slice), based on 6 and using Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust | Calories: 630; Total Fat: 30 g; Saturated Fat: 18 g; Cholesterol: 83 mg; Sodium: 235 mg; Carbohydrates: 85 g; Dietary Fiber: 3 g; Sugar: 39 g; Protein: 7 g

— From “The Pie and Pastry Bible” (Scribner, 1998), with adaptations by its author, Rose Levy Beranbaum

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Flaky Cream Cheese Pie Crust

1½ sticks (170 grams/6 ounces) cold unsalted butter

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons pastry flour (285 grams); may substitute 1½ cups bleached all-purpose flour (188 grams) plus ¾ cup (100 grams) cake flour

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder, preferably Rumford or other non-sodium-based brand

4½ ounces (128 grams) cold cream cheese, cut into 3 to 4 pieces

3 tablespoons cold heavy cream

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Cut the butter into ¾-inch cubes, transfer to a small bowl and freeze for at least 30 minutes or until solid. In a large bowl or 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder until combined, and freeze for at least 30 minutes.

To the bowl of a food processor, add the flour mixture and pulse for a few seconds to mix well. Add the cream cheese and process for about 20 seconds; the mixture should resemble a coarse meal. Add the frozen butter cubes and pulse until the butter pieces are no larger than a pea. Add the heavy cream and vinegar and pulse until the dough is in pea-size pieces. Divide the dough in half and transfer to 2 separate 1-gallon resealable plastic food storage bags. (If desired, spray the inside of each bag with nonstick cooking spray to keep the dough from sticking.)

Working with one bag at a time and leaving it unsealed, knead the mixture through the bag by pressing with the heel of your hand to help the dough come together. Remove the dough from the bag and knead it lightly just until it is slightly stretchy when pulled. Flatten the dough into a disk, return to the resealable plastic bag (see Storage Note), squeeze all of the air out, seal and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes and up to overnight.

When ready to make a pie, remove one dough disk from the refrigerator and let sit for up to 10 minutes, if necessary, to become pliable enough for rolling.

Place the dough disk between two large pieces of parchment paper and roll it out to a 12-inch wide and ⅛-inch thick circle, rotating the dough a quarter-turn regularly to ensure even thickness of the pie crust. Work quickly so the dough remains smooth and cool. (If you do not have parchment paper, lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with flour.)

Carefully drape the dough over the rolling pin and then unroll it over a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the border just short of the edge of the plate. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours.

Repeat with remaining dough, if needed.

Active time: 15 minutes; Total time: 1 hour, 45 minutes

8-10 servings; makes enough for a 9-inch, 2-crust pie

Make ahead: The dough needs to be made and chilled at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours in advance of baking.

Storage note: The prepared dough can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 3 months.

Nutrition per single crust | Calories: 1,230; Total Fat: 97 g; Saturated Fat: 59 g; Cholesterol: 270 mg; Sodium: 580 mg; Carbohydrates: 79 g; Dietary Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 2 g; Protein: 18 g

— From cookbook author and baking instructor Rose Levy Beranbaum

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Cherry Gazpacho

1½ pounds sweet cherries, pitted, divided

2 mini cucumbers, peeled and cut into large chunks, divided

1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into large chunks, divided

1 garlic clove

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

¼ cup water

3 tablespoons sherry vinegar, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon fine salt, plus more to taste

8 ice cubes*

Mint leaves, thinly sliced, for garnish

Reserve a handful of the cherries, half of the cucumber chunks and half of the bell pepper chunks for the topping. Slice them as thinly as possible, keeping them in separate piles.

In a blender, combine the remaining cherries, cucumbers, bell pepper, garlic, olive oil, water, vinegar, salt and ice and puree until smooth. Taste, and season with more salt and/or vinegar as needed.

Divide the soup among four serving bowls. Top with mint leaves and the reserved cherries, cucumbers and bell pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and serve cold.

Total time: 30 minutes

Serves 4 (makes 4 cups)

Make ahead: The cherries can be pitted and refrigerated for up to 3 days before making the soup.

Substitutions: You can use frozen cherries instead of fresh. For sherry vinegar, you can substitute red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar. For mint, try basil or Thai basil.

*Notes: The most time-consuming part is pitting the fruit, but if you’re not worried about temporarily staining your hands (wear an apron!), the easiest way is to just squeeze each cherry with your fingers and manually remove the pit. (If you have a cherry pitter you like, use it.) When cherries aren’t in season — or any time you want this to go even more quickly — use frozen ones and skip the ice.

If using frozen cherries, it’s best to defrost them first. If you don’t, you might need to add extra water to get the blender blades moving, and it will initially have the thick consistency of a smoothie. To correct that, after blending either briefly microwave the gazpacho on HIGH in 30-second increments, or let it sit at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. You probably will not need ice if using frozen cherries.

Nutritional facts per serving (1 cup, plus toppings) | Calories: 357; Fat: 27 g; Saturated Fat: 4 g; Carbohydrates: 30 g; Sodium: 293 mg; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Protein: 2 g; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 23 g

— Joe Yonan, The Washington Post, 2024

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Cherry Clafoutis

Unsalted butter, at room temperature, for greasing

3 cups (465 grams) stemmed and pitted sweet cherries

3 large eggs

1¼ cups (300 milliliters) whole milk

½ cup (100 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar, divided

½ cup (65 grams) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

½ teaspoon almond extract

¼ teaspoon fine sea salt

Confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F. Grease a 10-inch cast-iron skillet (or other similarly sized baking dish) liberally with butter. Lay the cherries in a single layer in the skillet.

In a blender, combine the eggs, milk, ½ cup (100 grams) of sugar, the flour, vanilla and almond extracts and salt and blend on high speed until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour the batter over the cherries and sprinkle the top with the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.

Bake the clafoutis for about 45 minutes, until the custard is just set and a knife or cake tester inserted in the center comes out relatively clean. Let cool for at least 5 minutes (the clafoutis will deflate as it cools), sprinkle with the confectioners’ sugar, divide into 6 to 8 even slices and serve warm.

Active time: 15 minutes | Total time: 1 hour

6 to 8 servings

Note: The most time-consuming part is pitting the cherries if using fresh, but frozen fruit that has been thawed and drained works well, too.

Storage: Once cooled, leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Nutrition per serving, based on 8 | Calories: 179; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 74 mg; Sodium: 117 mg; Carbohydrates: 33 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 25 g; Protein: 5 g

— Adapted from David Lebovitz's blog, davidlebovitz.com, The Washington Post, 2021

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Black Bean Salad With Cherries

Two (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup (about 5⅓ ounces) sweet cherries, stemmed, pitted and quartered

1 cup (4 ounces) diced jicama (¼-inch dice)

1 large scallion, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

¾ teaspoon finely grated lime zest

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 1 juicy lime)

¾ teaspoon chili powder

½ teaspoon fine salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a large bowl toss together the beans, cherries, jicama and scallion. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime zest and juice, chili powder, salt and pepper until combined. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss to combine.

If serving right away, add the cilantro and toss to combine. Otherwise, cover and refrigerate until needed. Before serving, let the salad come to room temperature, then add the cilantro and toss to combine.

Time: 20 minutes

6 servings, makes 5 cups

Make Ahead: The salad can be assembled, dressed and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Before serving, bring to room temperature, add cilantro and toss to combine.

Storage: Refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Nutrition information per serving (heaping 3/4 cups) | Calories: 178; Total Fat: 5 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 406 mg; Carbohydrates: 27 g; Dietary Fiber: 10 g; Sugar: 4 g; Protein: 8 g

— Ellie Krieger, The Washington Post, 2022

•••

Cherry Phyllo Turnovers

2 cups (300 grams) pitted sweet cherries, halved, fresh or frozen, thawed

3 tablespoons honey

1½ teaspoons fresh lemon juice

⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom or cinnamon

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon cold water

8 (13-by-18-inch) sheets phyllo dough, thawed if frozen

⅓ cup (80 milliliters) olive oil

3 tablespoons demerara sugar or raw coarse sugar

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the cherries, honey, lemon juice and cardamom, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until the cherries release their juices and come to a simmer. Remove the lid, stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook, stirring, until the juices thicken, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat, transfer to a lidded container and refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour.

When ready to bake, position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F.

Place the stack of phyllo on a clean surface and keep it covered with a clean, damp kitchen towel or paper towels so it doesn't dry out. Lay one sheet of phyllo on a large cutting board, wider side facing you, and use a pastry brush to dab/gently brush it with the olive oil, then sprinkle with about 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Top with a second sheet of phyllo, brushing it with oil and sprinkling with sugar, then repeat this process with 2 more sheets of phyllo, so you wind up with a stack of 4 layers. (Don't worry if the phyllo sheets don't line up perfectly; just try to get them close enough. If the sheets tear slightly, that's OK, just proceed.)

Working from top to bottom, cut the layered phyllo into 4 strips. Put a small mound (about 2 heaping tablespoons) of the cherry mixture about 1 inch from the bottom of one strip and fold the phyllo over the mixture into a triangle-shaped pocket. Continue to fold the strip up to maintain the triangle shape, much as you would fold a flag, forming a triangular turnover. Repeat with the other three strips.

Repeat the process again with the remaining four sheets of phyllo, oil, sugar and filling so that you wind up with 8 turnovers. Place the turnovers on a large, rimmed baking sheet and brush the top of each with the oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until nicely browned and crisp. Let cool slightly, about 20 minutes, then serve warm.

Active time: 35 minutes; Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes, plus 1 hour cooling time

8 servings; makes 8 turnovers

Storage: The turnovers can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, then reheated in a 300°F oven for about 15 minutes, or until warm and re-crisped.

Nutrition per serving (1 turnover) | Calories: 209; Total Fat: 10 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 93 mg; Carbohydrates: 29 g; Dietary Fiber: 1 g; Sugar: 16 g; Protein: 2 g

— Ellie Krieger, The Washington Post, 2021

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