Just like classic tiramisu, this dessert has the same soft, chilled layers of ladyfingers and whipped mascarpone. But instead of espresso, we're soaking everything in homemade cherry juice, and instead of a cocoa dusting, we're finishing it with a glossy cooked cherry sauce. So good.
Cherries have been everywhere at the farmers market the past few weeks, and I've been buying way more than any one household actually needs. Once I had a second bowl of them sitting on the counter with nowhere left to go, tiramisu felt like the obvious answer. It's one of those desserts I make constantly in summer, but I wanted a version that used all those cherries for more than just a garnish.
So I took some time with this one. The original coffee version is hard to top, but swapping in a homemade cherry juice for dipping the ladyfingers gives you that same soaked, tender texture, just fruitier and a little brighter. I also cook down a second batch of cherries into a thick, glossy sauce that goes between the layers and over the top, so you get cherry flavor built into every part of the dessert, not just the soak.
Of course, I couldn't resist adding fresh cherries and dark chocolate shavings on top before serving. It makes the whole thing look finished, and it gives you something fresh and slightly crisp against all those soft layers underneath.
Layer everything together, let it chill until fully set, and you'll have a dessert that feels like a lighter, fruitier cousin of the tiramisu you already love. It's a little classic, a little summery, and perfect for these last warm weekends before fall shows up.
What Is Cherry Tiramisu?
Cherry tiramisu takes the classic Italian layered dessert and swaps the espresso for fresh cherries. Instead of dipping ladyfingers in coffee, you dip them in a homemade cherry juice, then layer them with a whipped mascarpone filling and a cooked cherry sauce. It still has that same soft, chilled, layered texture as traditional tiramisu, just with a fruity, spring-forward flavor instead of a coffee one.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Fresh cherries: Used to make the homemade cherry juice for dipping the ladyfingers. Fresh gives the cleanest flavor here, and you'll press the pulp through a sieve, so texture doesn't matter as much as flavor.
- Frozen cherries: Used for the cooked cherry sauce. Since the sauce gets blended smooth anyway, frozen cherries work just as well as fresh and are easier to find year-round.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens both the cherry juice and the cherry sauce. I haven't tested this with other sugars.
- Fresh lemon juice: Brightens the cherry juice and keeps it from tasting flat. Bottled lemon juice works if that's what you have.
- Cornstarch: Thickens the cherry sauce into something glossy and spreadable instead of runny. Make sure it's fully whisked into cold water before adding it, or it'll clump.
- Mascarpone cheese: Use room-temperature mascarpone so it beats smooth without lumps. Cream cheese isn't a good substitute here - it has a tangier flavor and a denser texture.
- Heavy whipping cream: Keep it cold right up until you whip it. Cold cream whips to stiffer peaks, which keeps the mascarpone filling light instead of runny.
- Powdered sugar: Sweetens the filling without adding graininess the way granulated sugar would.
- Vanilla extract: Rounds out both the mascarpone filling and the cherry juice.
- Ladyfinger cookies: The classic base for tiramisu. Look for the dry, crisp Italian-style ladyfingers (savoiardi), not the soft sponge kind, since they need to hold their shape after a quick dip.
- Dark chocolate shavings: For garnish. Semisweet or bittersweet chocolate both work if that's what's in your pantry.
Tips for the Best Cherry Tiramisu
- Dip the ladyfingers quickly. A second or two per side is enough to absorb the cherry flavor. Any longer and they turn too soft to hold their layer once the tiramisu is sliced.
- Let both the cherry juice and cherry sauce cool completely before assembling. Warm layers will melt the mascarpone filling and make the whole thing slide instead of set.
- Don't overmix the mascarpone filling. Fold the whipped cream in gently, in a few additions, just until the streaks disappear. Overmixing is the most common reason the filling turns runny instead of holding its shape.
- Press firmly when straining the cherry juice. Getting as much liquid out of the cooked cherries as possible gives you a more flavorful dip for the ladyfingers.
- Give it the full chill time. Six hours is the minimum, but overnight makes a real difference - the layers set fully and the slices come out clean instead of collapsing.
Cherry Tiramisu
Equipment
- medium saucepan
- Fine mesh sieve
- Immersion blender
- Potato masher
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- 9-inch oval baking dish
- Rubber spatula
- Plastic wrap
Ingredients
Cherry Juice
- 3 cups fresh cherries pitted
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Cherry Sauce
- 3 cups frozen cherries pitted
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons cold water
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Mascarpone Filling
- 16 ounces mascarpone cheese room temperature
- 1 ½ cups heavy whipping cream cold
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons cooled homemade cherry juice
To Assemble
- 1 package 7 ounces ladyfinger cookies
- Fresh cherries to garnish
- Dark chocolate shavings to garnish
Instructions
Make the Cherry Juice
- Combine the fresh cherries, water, granulated sugar, and lemon juice in a medium saucepan.
- Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries are soft and have released their juices.
- Mash the cherries gently with the back of a spoon or a potato masher to extract as much juice as possible.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing firmly on the cherries to extract all the juice.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and let the cherry juice cool completely.
- Reserve 3 tablespoons of the cherry juice for the mascarpone filling; the remaining juice is for dipping the ladyfingers.
Make the Cherry Sauce
- Combine the frozen cherries, water, salt, and sugar in the same saucepan.
- Bring to a simmer and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cherries soften.
- Blend the cherry mixture until smooth using an immersion blender.
- Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl until smooth.
- Slowly stir the slurry into the blended cherries and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until the sauce becomes thick and glossy.
- Remove from the heat and let the cherry sauce cool completely before assembling the tiramisu.
Make the Mascarpone Filling
- Whip the cold heavy cream in a large mixing bowl until medium-stiff peaks form.
- Beat the mascarpone cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and 3 tablespoons of the cooled cherry juice in another bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Fold the whipped cream into the mascarpone mixture gently, in three additions, until no streaks remain, being careful not to overmix.
Assemble the Cherry Tiramisu
- Dip each ladyfinger quickly into the cooled cherry juice for 1-2 seconds per side; do not soak them, or they will become too soft.
- Arrange a single layer of the dipped ladyfingers in the bottom of a 9-inch oval baking dish.
- Spread one-third of the cooled cherry sauce evenly over the ladyfingers.
- Spoon half of the mascarpone filling over the cherry sauce and gently spread it into an even layer.
- Dip the remaining ladyfingers in the cherry juice and arrange them in a second layer.
- Spread another one-third of the cherry sauce evenly over the ladyfingers, then top with the remaining mascarpone filling, smoothing it into an even layer.
- Spoon the remaining cherry sauce over the mascarpone filling, spreading it all the way to the edges to create a smooth, glossy finish.
- Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to meld and the layers to fully set.
- Arrange fresh cherries and a generous amount of dark chocolate shavings on top just before serving, then slice and serve chilled
Notes
FAQs
Can I make Cherry Tiramisu ahead of time?
Yes, and it's actually better made ahead. Refrigerate it for at least 6 hours, but overnight is ideal, since that extra time lets the flavors meld and the layers fully set before slicing.
Can I use frozen cherries instead of fresh?
Frozen cherries work well in the cooked sauce, where they get blended anyway. Fresh cherries make the best homemade juice for dipping, but if fresh cherries aren't in season, frozen will work for both components.
Can I use canned cherry pie filling instead of making the sauce?
I wouldn't recommend it. Homemade cherry sauce has a fresher flavor and isn't overly sweet, and it gives you more control over the consistency and how much fruit ends up in each layer.
Why did my mascarpone filling turn runny?
This usually happens from overmixing, or from adding more cherry juice than the recipe calls for. Room-temperature mascarpone, cold heavy cream, and sticking to the measured amount of cherry juice keep the filling light and stable.
How to Store Cherry Tiramisu
Refrigerator: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. It's best enjoyed within the first 48 hours, while the layers are still light and the ladyfingers haven't fully softened.
Freezer: I don't recommend freezing this one. The mascarpone filling tends to separate once thawed, which changes the texture of the whole dessert.
More Tiramisu You'll Love
- Balsamic-Strawberry Tiramisu - No Bake Version
- Biscoff Tiramisu - No Eggs, Stiff Mascarpone Cream
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