The arrival of summer means an abundance of seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables are available to use in recipes. Cherries are one of my favorite fruits in pies, muffins,and fruit salads, but they must be pitted first. I prefer to use a cherry pitter to get the job done. But what can you do if you don’t have a cherry pitter?
I love my OXO cherry pitter that I’ve had for years. This isn’t a sponsored post but if you eat cherries very often, it works like a charm making it worth the $15 if you have room in your gadget drawer. If not this is my go-to method for pitting cherries.
Using a knife to pit the cherries can mangle and bruise the fruit, and the paperclip method can be fussy. Overall, pitting cherries can be a hassle, but it doesn’t have to be. This simple kitchen hack is an easy way to pit cherries while keeping them whole and looking great, and it doesn’t stain your hands or your kitchen with cherry juice.
What will you do with all your freshly pitted cherries? One of my favorite summer cherry recipes is cherry hand pies. They’re actually fantastic at every holiday get-together as well. Their bright red filling makes them perfect for Christmas brunch or dinner, or even the 4th of July.
Of course, you can also snack on pitted cherries, but if you want to try something fancy, I recommend giving cheryy clafouti a try. It’s an old, classic French dish that is beautiful when made with bright, red herries.
Why do I need to pit cherries before using them?
It’s necessary to remove the hard, inedible pit of the cherry before using them in a recipe. Cherry pits are hard enough to break a tooth and pose a choking hazard. Adults may be capable of eating around a cherry pit and spitting it out, but children are not as careful, so it’s a good idea to pit them before serving.
Overall, cherry pits are unsuitable for eating and must be removed before enjoying fresh cherries or using them in a recipe.
Why You’ll Love This Kitchen Hack for Pitting Cherries
- Easy and mess-free: This hack is straightforward and doesn’t make a big mess like using a knife or paperclip.
- No special equipment: All you need for this hack is a glass bottle with a narrow opening (a wine or sparkling water bottle would be great) and a chopstick.
- Safe for little hands: No sharp equipment means that if you have kids in the kitchen with you, they can help pit the cherries.
What You’ll Need
- A sturdy glass bottle, such as a wine bottle or sparkling water bottle
- Chopstick
How To Pit Cherries without a Cherry Pitter
Step 1: Wash and stem the cherries.
Wash the cherries in a colander. Then, remove the stems from each cherry by gently pulling them out.
Step 2: Pit the cherries.
Place one cherry on the top of an empty wine bottle, with the stem side facing up. Push the narrow end of the chopstick into the cherry. The pit will fall into the bottle, leaving you with a perfect pitted cherry. Repeat with all cherries– in no time at all, you’re ready for cherry pie.
Pro Tip
- If you don’t have a chopstick or are struggling to pit the cherries, you can also use a metal straw for this kitchen hack.
- If the cherries are not overly ripe, you may have to use a little more elbow grease to get the pit dislodged. Try to buy cherries that are soft. The stems will pull out easily when the cherry is ripe.
Other Ways to Pit Cherries
No bottle around? Here are a few other ways you can try to pit your cherries:
- Use a small paring knife to split the cherry in half, cutting along the edge of the pit. If you need to chop, mash, or cook your cherries, this method will work fine, but will take a bit longer.
- Use the flat side of a chef’s knife blade to crush the cherry, similar to how you would crush a clove of garlic. This will smush the cherry, so it’s fine if you don’t need it intact.
Can I freeze cherries with the pits still inside?
It is not recommended to freeze cherries with pits still inside. Pits can affect the texture and flavor of the cherries during freezing and thawing. Once thawed, you’ll have to pit them anyway, so it’s best to pit the cherries before freezing them for the best result.
Cherry Pitting FAQs
Can you pit cherries with a straw?
You can use this same hack with a metal straw instead of a chopstick. Depending on the size of the straw, you may lose a bit of the cherry flesh along with the pit.
What can I do with cherry pits?
Unfortunately, cherry pits don’t have any culinary uses. They can be poisonous to consume in large quantities, and they don’t have any flavor at all. You can throw them away, or they can also be composted. If you’re trying to exercise your green thumb, you can try planting a pit or two and growing a little plant.
Recipe once you have Pitted Cherries
Cherry Pie with Crumb Topping
Cherry Hand Pies
Black Forest Pie
Cherry Coffee Cake
Cherry Streusel Bars
Cherry Cheesecake Muffins
Clafoutis
Kitchen Hack 12 (How to Pit a Cherry Without a Cherry Pitter)
Equipment
- Bottle
- Chopstick
Instructions
- Wash the cherries in a colander. Then, remove the stems from each cherry by gently pulling them out.
- Place one cherry on the top of the bottle with the stem side facing up. Push the narrow end of the chopstick into the cherry. The pit will fall into the bottle, leaving you with a perfect pitted cherry.
- Repeat with all cherries.
Barbara’s Tips + Notes
- You can use a metal straw if you don’t have chopstick.
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