The pros: Trader Joe’s Pitted Amarena Cherries are new and perfect for the cherry lover in your life. This jar is a nice size. Would make for a good stocking stuffer.
The cons: This is a seasonal item and there is no telling if this will be back next year.
The verdict: It’s that time of year where there are more products that you know what to do with. I picked this item up and had no clue what to do with it. I had even read a few online conversation about these comparing them to the ones that Williams Sonoma sells called Luxardo Maraschino Cherries. Now, I haven’t tried those. Based on the nearly $20 per jar price tag, I don’t think I will be trying them any time soon to compare these to them. But I can compare them against something that more of us are more familiar with: maraschino cherries.
Maraschino cherries are the type of fruit where you question if they are fruit at all. They’re a strange yet kid friendly color. I’ve seen maraschino cherries sold in almost every color of the rainbow. However, they taste nothing like the variety that nature provides. These however, are what maraschino cherries should be like. Now, I’m not a big cherry fan, but these I really liked. Out of the jar, most of these had their stems. A few did not, but I’m not sure if me using a spoon to get a few out had anything to do with it. The syrup was so dark that I couldn’t pursue that answer any further. These cherries are dark in color.
Biting into them there still enough texture to let you know that this is real fruit. The cherries are almost as dark as the cherry cola that I made these with. The syrup is also a very deep purple-red color and intense in flavor. The taste is pure cherry that is both sweet, tart, and a touch sour. But somehow that makes for a really good combination. These aren’t exactly diet friendly, but they make for a great treat.
For $3.99 this jar has so many possibilities. Yes, you can eat these straight from the jar, use them to top a sundae, make a really cherry cola, make a nice cocktail, probably even bake a dessert with these. This is versatile and tasty. Best of all, the juice is worth saving and repurposing as well. A really good find. It’s priced right and would make for a nice stocking stuffer too.
Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:
The jar of Trader Joe’s Pitted Amarena Cherries:
The nutritional information:
The ingredients:
How Trader Joe’s describes this:
I used mine to make a home made cherry coke. But there were a number of these that were sampled too.
Would I buy this again? It’s going to take a while to use entire jar of Trader Joe’s Pitted Amarena Cherries. If it’s still around when this is done, I’m happy to pick up another one. These were tasty and delicious.
Want to see more items I’ve reviewed from Trader Joe’s? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
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I just bought a jar of these this morning. I am planning on adding them to plain yogurt with a little of the syrup too, to make a super-cherry yogurt for breakfast.
I mixed 5 or 6 cherries and some syrup into a cup of plain yogurt. Wow, it was crazy sweet and very cherry flavored. Probably too much so. Next time I will try 3 or 4, and less syrup. These are potent!
Yes they are. That syrup is super sweet, but I think in moderation it has so much potential on so many levels. I’m trying to figure out what else to do with it other than having a Manhattan. Actually, I was thinking chocolate covered cherries with these. What do you think?
These cherries are so sweet that I think covering them in chocolate might be overkill. I just finished my jar that I so carefully rationed, using them only to make amazingly cherry yogurt. I even saved and used the syrup for the same purpose. Now I am sad that I cannot get more.
Hopefully next year they will bring them back. My husband has been using the jar to make Manhattans. Sad thing it with the seasonal items, sometimes if you don’t stock up right away you might not ever see it again. Williams Sonoma does sell Luxardo cherries which I haven’t tried, but heard were excellent. But they are pricey.
I LOVE cherries! I should go find these!
I hope you can find them. A lot of the seasonal stuff seems to be gone 🙁
They are back! My Trader Joe’s in Tustin, CA just put these jars on their “What’s New” shelf!
I saw that and I totally picked up a few more jars. These are soo good. Thanks for letting me know!
I LOVE LOVE LOVE these cherries – I make a great Manhattan cocktail and these cherries and perfect finish! I ran out and TJs is out for the season. Fingers crossed that they get them in again!
Hey Margaret! I’ve been looking for them and was wondering. I love these cherries too. I bought a jar of the morello cherries. And yes, for a Manhattan (or any cocktail) they are pretty hard to beat. Thank you so much for letting me know about this update. I’m keeping my fingers crossed with you!