Roasted cherries make for an unexpected and elevated garnish for the classic piña colada or old-fashioned. If your cocktail preferences skew a bit more retro, try putting up a batch of your own real-deal maraschino cherries by steeping the season’s bounty in a bath of fragrant liqueur. Jars of boozy preserves are thoughtful handmade gifts—if you’re willing to part with them—and the contents will only improve as you dole them out through a winter’s worth of happy hours. 

Sour cherries in particular pair beautifully with rich meats in the form of glossy sauces and relishes, while sweeter varieties shine in salads. For many uses, frozen cherries are a reliable substitute for fresh, but nothing beats just-picked, tree-ripe fruit. As cherry season is woefully short, peaking in early to mid summer, you’ll want to stock up on the little gems when they’re available and plan to process them into jams, sauces, and preserves to last through the colder months. The creative uses for this summer favorite are boundless; here are some of our favorites.

The fruit in this Armenian-style muraba, or preserve, is gently boiled and cooled several times to concentrate its flavor and produce a translucent ruby-red syrup. Stir the finished cherries into tea, use them to top ice cream, or serve them on their own. Get the recipe >

Amped up with lemon and vanilla, cherries take center stage in this freeform pastry with a buttery, flaky crust. Get the recipe >

Sour cherries grow abundantly in Hungary and are a staple in the country’s markets in summer. This cake is typically served with coffee for breakfast but would be equally welcome for dessert. Get the recipe >

In this beloved Hungarian dish that’s more a dessert than a soup, jarred sour cherries are enriched with sour cream and brightened with cinnamon and lemon. Get the recipe > 

You only need six ingredients to whip up this peak-summer dessert: sour cherries, sugar, flour, baking powder, butter, and an egg. Get the recipe >

Serve this summer fruit crisp with a cup of coffee for breakfast or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. Get the recipe >

Vanilla, lemon zest, and cinnamon add oomph to the filling of this rustic lattice-top pie. Get the recipe >

This bright, chile-laced sauce from British Indian chef Romy Gill offers a welcome balance to many of the heavier dishes in Kashmiri cuisine. Get the recipe >

A cherry pitter is key to making quick work of the fruit for this booze-soaked recipe. Get the recipe >

Cherries are muddled, then shaken with rum, lemon juice, orgeat, and mole bitters and topped with champagne in this smoky summer cocktail. Get the recipe >

These hand pies are an easy and portable way to showcase seasonal sour cherries. Rye flour lends a nutty complexity to the tender butter pie crust while cherry cocktail bitters, balsamic vinegar, and vanilla bean provide additional layers of fragrance and depth. Get the recipe >

Cherries and cherry tomatoes bake down together into a savory-sweet layer under a sweet biscuit topping in this recipe from chef Amanda Cohen. Get the recipe >

The sweetness of cherries balances the saltiness of halloumi in this simple summer salad, perfect for a lunch main or dinner side dish. Get the recipe >

Serve this citrusy cherry sauce paired with sweet, creamy ricotta as an appetizer, as part of a cheese course, or for dessert alongside shortbread cookies. Get the recipe >

Cherries are just one of the fruits you can use for this German method of preservation. Use the rum-soaked cherries to top cakes or ice cream, with or without the liquor. Get the recipe >

The classic combination of pork and fruit gets the ultimate summer treatment in this dish. Pork belly is braised until tender, then quickly charred on a hot grill and served with buttery sweet corn and a relish of sweet and sour cherries tossed with jalapeños and a honey-lime vinaigrette. Get the recipe >

Roasted cherries add a beguiling smoky twist to this classic tiki cocktail. Get the recipe >

Not only wonderful to sip, this “cocktail” is also delicious poured over vanilla ice cream or pound cake. Get the recipe >

Roasted cherries appear in three ways in this spin on an old-fashioned: in cherry-infused vodka, muddled at the bottom, and thrown on top as a garnish. Get the recipe >

An eggy, crêpe-like batter is dotted with sweet cherries and baked in this easy French dessert that reads fancy and takes only minutes to whip together. Get the recipe >

This sweet-tart cherry, cilantro, and walnut salad is delicious on its own or as a relish for grilled meats or fish. Get the recipe >

Savory-sweet ketchup is a great way to use soft, less-than-perfect cherries. It stands in beautifully for barbecue sauce in just about any application. Get the recipe >