Cherries Jubilee is a simple but sophisticated dessert that is a spectacle to behold when it’s made! Liqueur-soaked cherries are flambeed with brandy, making a sweet boozy sauce to top ice cream. The big secret? It’s really easy to make!
Cherries Jubilee is a classic dessert served at elegant restaurants and often prepared table side. But did you know this popular restaurant dessert is really easy to make at home? It’s a perfect dessert for a dinner party or a delicious dessert the next time you want something with a wow factor.
Flames leaping from a skillet (when happening on purpose) is always an attention-getter that makes a dinner a special event.
Serve it over vanilla ice cream or angel food cake slices (and anything that sounds good to you). Perfect when bing cherries are in season!
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Cherries Jubilee is a bit of a flashback dessert. It keeps good company with recipes like Grasshopper Pie, The Zombie cocktail and Devils on Horseback appetizer. All are tried and true recipes from a different era that have made the cut of time. And for GOOD reason!
Where was Cherries Jubliee invented?
This original recipe was created by famous French chef Auguste Escoffier for Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee (the 60th anniversary of her becoming queen) in 1897. She loved cherries so to celebrate her reign in the late 1800’s he came up with this dessert which became a classic. The original dish featured cherries poached in simple syrup with warm brandy poured over.
This dessert has stood the test of time and have been slightly modified along the way! Now this celebratory dish is made by combining cherries and liqueur then flambéing them while cooking in a sweet syrup. Typically, it’s served over vanilla ice cream as shown here. However it may be used on other things such as cakes or crepes too.
This dessert falls into a family of flambéed desserts (‘flamed’) that make for great presentation and are actually very easy to make.
Two other desserts of this delicious type include Classic Bananas Foster (bananas in a buttery sugar sauce with rum) and Mangoes Diablo (mangoes flambéed with tequila). It even has its own day: September 24th is National Cherries Jubilee day.
Recipe Ingredients Notes
Sweet Cherries. We recommend fresh cherries (pitted) for this recipe. However if they aren’t available it can be made with frozen cherries that have been thawed. Thaw cherries in a strainer over a bowl. Reserve any juices from the bowl and add to the skillet with the Kirsch-soaked cherries.
Kirshwasser (cherry liqueur). The cherries are soaked in this liqueur for 1 hour before cooking the cherries jubilee recipe.
Granulated Sugar. The sugar sweetens the cherries and helps make the sweet sauce.
Lemon Juice. Just a few tablespoons is added to punch up the flavor of the thin syrup. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Brandy. This adds flavor and will be lit to create the blue flame.
Vanilla or Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. For serving over. You can serve on other things instead too.
How to Make It
STEP 1. Soak cherries
Combine the pitted dark sweet cherries and Kirsh in sealed container. Allow to sit for 1 hour, turning periodically.
STEP 2. Cook
Add the cherries and liqueur to a heavy large skillet. Sprinkle with the sugar and lemon juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves (aproximately 5 minutes).
STEP 3. Flambé
Remove the pan from the heat if cooking with gas. Pour the brandy into the skillet. Light the liquid on the side of the skillet with a long fireplace match (or similar long match) or a utility lighter.
NOTE: the liquid will flambé but the flames may be invisible or difficult to see (see photo above). Allow the flames to die out on their own; about 2-3 minutes.
STEP 4. Serve
When the flames subside, remove from heat. Scoop vanilla ice cream into 4 bowls, top with the warm cherries and serve immediately. Garnish with orange zest or orange peel if desired!
How to Flambé Safely
- The key when flambeeing (pronounced flam-bay-ing) is to have an uncluttered space around the stove burner.
- Cook this recipe in a shallow pan with low sides. Do not use a sauce pan or Dutch oven.
- Take the pan off the heat before flambeeing.
- Use a long utensil to light the liquid; like a utility lighter or a fireplace match.
- Light the liquid on the side of the skillet. The flames will quickly naturally travel over the entire skillet and burn out on their own in 2-3 minutes (you don’t need to light it in more than one place). Light it and stand back.
- The flames can reach fairly high! Stay away from the open flame.
- There can be invisible flames or a blue flame making it difficult to see. It’s very important to stay out of the way of the skillet until the flame dies down.
- Flambéeing a recipe does remove some of the alcohol but not all of it so this is a dessert for adults!
How to Store leftovers
The cooked cherries can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
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Recipe
Cherries Jubilee Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh Sweet Cherries rinsed, destemmed and pitted (frozen, thawed sweet cherries may be substituted)
- ¼ cup Kirshwasser (cherry liqueur)
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 tablespoons Lemon Juice
- ½ cup Brandy
- 1 pint Vanilla Ice Cream or other dessert to serve on
Instructions
- Combine the pitted cherries and Kirsch in a sealed container and allow to sit for an hour, turning the container periodically to douse the cherries.
- Add the contents to a large, heavy shallow skillet. Sprinkle on the sugar and lemon juice and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Remove the skillet from the heat. Carefully pour the brandy into the skillet and light the liquid toward the outside of the pan (by an edge) with a long match or utility lighter. It will spread across the pan on its own.NOTE: The skillet will flambé however the fire may be almost invisible. Allow the fire to burn out by itself; 2-3 minutes.
- Scoop ice vanilla ice cream into 4 bowls and top with the warm cherry mixture. Serve immediately.
Notes
- The key when flambeeing (pronounced flam-bay-ing) is to have an uncluttered space around the stove burner.
- Cook this recipe in a shallow pan with low sides. Do not use a sauce pan or Dutch oven.
- Take the pan off the heat before flambeeing.
- Use a long utensil to light the liquid; like a utility lighter or a fireplace match.
- Light the liquid on the side of the skillet. The flames will quickly naturally travel over the entire skillet and burn out on their own in 2-3 minutes (you don’t need to light it in more than one place). Light it and stand back.
- The flames can reach fairly high! Stay away from the open flame.
- There can be invisible flames or a blue flame making it difficult to see. It’s very important to stay out of the way of the skillet until the flame dies down.
- Flambéeing a recipe does remove some of the alcohol but not all of it so this is a dessert for adults!
Nutrition
Published originally in February 2017; updated July 2018
Sara says
Not only was this delicious, but it was so fun to make! I’ll be making again for sure!
Kate says
Wow, I would be impressed to get this in a restaurant but it is SO easy to make at home, can’t believe it!
Jacqueline says
I’ve only had this at a restaurant! It’s so easy to make at home (thanks to your details and photos). We had it on crepes, delicious.
Chef Mireille says
I’ve always been afraid of flambe but your step by step instructions and tips made it so easy. Now I can make my own Cherries Jubilee whenever i want to.
Carrie Robinson says
Such a classic dessert recipe! And I just love how easy this is to make. 🙂
Cathy says
I definitely need this in my life!!
Sara Welch says
This definitely made my plain ice cream glamorous! So delicious and easier than I thought!