This is a quick and easy tutorial on how to make a homemadeCherry Juice Recipewith a steam juicer. We love this healthy cherry juice made from real cherries, and use it all winter long. It’s a great way to use up the excess harvest and keep your whole foods pantry stocked with no-sugar-added juice!

A jar of homemade juice with cherries on top sits on a round gray mat, showcasing a delightful cherry juice recipe. A small cluster of fresh cherries is scattered around the jar against a dark wooden background.

Whenever we have a bumper crop of cherries I dry some, make preserves and jelly with others, and usually still have gallons and gallons left. I’ve found that one of the easiest ways to use up the cherry harvest is to juice them!

There is very little work involved with steam juicing;you don’t even have to remove the pits! The juicer is totally worth the monetary investment of a steam juicer if you own a cherry tree or grape vines. We love making homemade cherry juice and homemade grape juice with out steam juicer each year.

I love cherries and they are great in a variety of dishes such as my crumbles, energy bites, and waffles. I even use this to makehomemade kombucha, and it’s such a great treat mixed in with some lemon-lime soda!

Why You’ll Love This Cherry Juice Recipe

Abundant Harvest:Making juice with a steam juicer is a very quick and easy way to use up any extra cherries.
Stock The Pantry:You’ll have more than enough cherry juice to last all winter long. Nothing tastes better than opening a bottle of summer in the cold of winter!
So Easy:Juicing in a steamer is seriously easy. Pitting the cherries is not required, and you can do a large batch at once.
Multiple Uses:Cherry juice, like other fruit juices, has so many uses, such as making syrups and jam, flavoring other foods like cakes and kombucha, and even drinking straight from the jar!

🫙 I highly encourage you totry your hand at canning— a well-stocked pantry with home-canned foods is such a treat!

Recipe Ingredients

Cherries —at least 1 gallon
Steam juicer

See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities

How to Make Cherry Juice With A Steam Juicer

Step 1:Wash and sort the cherries, removing any rotten ones and leaves. No need to pit or remove stems.

Step 2:Set up your steam juicer according to instructions and fill the hopper with cherries.

Step 3:Steam the cherries for about an hour, ensuring the steamer has enough water. Discard the steamed cherries and repeat with more cherries if needed.

Step 4:Process the juice in a hot water bath to seal.

Recipe FAQs

What is a Steam Juicer?

If you’ve never seen or used a steam juicer, then I’ll enlighten you. They are amazing things that are easy to use, clean, and a great way to use lots of fruit. I suggest getting a stainless steel steamer, as it will likely last a lot longer and there’s some interesting reading on how the use of aluminum in cooking might affect your health. That’s my two cents, but I have used both aluminum and stainless steel and they both work great.

How does a steam juicer work

Boiling water on the bottom comes up through a hole and then goes through lots of little holes in the basket the fruit sits in. The steam releases the juice that collects (where #3 is pointed) and it runs out a tube.

What kind of cherries work best?

Really any cherries will work! If you want a naturally sweet juice, then sweet cherries like Bing are best. For a tarter juice, use cherries that are less sweet. I think the best cherry juice is made by mixing different varieties so the sweet and tart balances out!

Expert Tips

Balanced Flavor:Mix different cherry varieties to achieve a morebalanced juice flavor. The sweeter cherries will balance out the super tart juice.
Water Level:Regularlycheck the steamer’s water leveltoprevent it from drying out. Add more water as needed.
Sweet If Needed:If you prefersweeter juice,add sugar to tasteafter steaming.
Multiple Uses:While you can drink cherry juice simply as juice, it can also be used in other recipes likejelly or syrupfor added versatility.

Some Of My Favorite Canning Recipes For A Stocked Pantry

Having home canned jars in my pantry makes me feel very accomplished and is such a great way to use up any abundance of fruits and vegetables.

Canning Basics:Once you knowthe basics of canningit will be a skill that you can use and teach to others for the rest of your life.
Pickling Peppers:This comprehensive guide will help you create delicious,shelf-stable pickled peppersperfect for enjoying throughout the year.
Home Canned Tomatoes:Ataste of summer all winter longby home canning tomatoes at the peak of their season!