One Last Sweet Gift from Your Cherry Vanilla Extract
One of our favorite parts of making homemade extracts is discovering that the ingredients still have one more delicious story to tell.
After months of infusing cherries and vanilla together, don't toss them! Instead, transform them into a naturally beautiful cherry vanilla sugar. As the cherries blend with the sugar, they create a soft blush-pink color speckled with tiny vanilla seeds—a finishing sugar that's just as pretty as it is delicious.
It's the perfect way to celebrate every last bit of flavor your extract created.
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar (organic is our favorite, but any granulated sugar works beautifully)
- 1 ounce used vanilla beans from your finished Cherry Vanilla Extract or Cherry Liqueur
- Reserved cherries from your finished infusion, thoroughly dried (see drying tips below)
Drying the Cherries
For the best texture and longest shelf life, the cherries should be completely dry before blending.
After removing them from your finished extract, pat them dry and allow them to air dry until they are no longer tacky. If they still contain moisture, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet in a 150°F oven until fully dried. Let them cool completely before using.
Why this matters: Any remaining moisture can cause the sugar to clump.
If your sugar clumps, don't worry—that simply means there was a little moisture left in the cherries. Just return it to the food processor and pulse it a few times until it becomes light, fluffy, and easy to sprinkle again.
What Vanilla Beans Should I Use?
This recipe is designed to use the same vanilla beans from your finished Cherry Vanilla Extract or Cherry Liqueur, giving them one last delicious purpose. After months of infusing, they still have plenty of flavor and aroma left to create this beautiful cherry vanilla sugar.
You'll Also Need
- Food processor or high-powered blender
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Airtight glass container or decorative jars for gifting
Instructions
1. Prepare the Vanilla
Allow the used vanilla beans to rest on a baking sheet for a day or so, giving any remaining alcohol time to evaporate.
If the beans haven't already been opened, split them lengthwise with a sharp knife. Scrape out the vanilla seeds and reserve both the seeds and the pods. Roughly chop the pods into smaller pieces.
2. Blend
Add the sugar, dried cherries, vanilla seeds, and chopped vanilla pods to the bowl of a food processor.
Process until everything is well incorporated. The sugar will transform into a beautiful blush-pink color with tiny flecks of vanilla throughout.
3. Strain
Finish by pouring the cherry vanilla sugar through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any remaining larger pieces of cherry or vanilla, creating a beautifully fine, blush-pink sugar perfect for baking, gifting, or sweetening your favorite treats.
4. Store
Transfer the finished cherry vanilla sugar to an airtight glass container or divide it among smaller jars for gifting.
If you'd like, tuck one or two pieces of the leftover vanilla pod into each jar. They'll continue to perfume the sugar over time.
Stored in a cool, dry place in a properly sealed container, your Cherry Vanilla Sugar will stay fragrant for years.
Beautiful Ways to Use Cherry Vanilla Sugar
This naturally pink sugar is as beautiful as it is delicious. Sprinkle it over:
- Sugar cookies before baking
- Shortbread
- Scones
- Muffins
- Cinnamon toast
- Buttered croissants
- Fresh berries
- Vanilla ice cream
- Cheesecake
- French toast
- Pancakes and waffles
- Oatmeal
- Yogurt parfaits
- Whipped cream
- The rim of a cocktail or mocktail glass
- Fresh lemonade
- Hot chocolate
Its beautiful blush-pink color also makes it perfect for:
- Valentine's Day treats
- Mother's Day brunch
- Bridal and baby showers
- Afternoon tea parties
- Holiday cookie exchanges
- Homemade gifts tucked into pretty little jars
No food coloring—just real cherries, real vanilla, and a little patience.
VanillaPura Tip
One of our favorite things about this recipe is that nothing goes to waste. After months of patiently infusing cherries and vanilla, the ingredients still have one final gift to give—a naturally blush-pink, wonderfully fragrant sugar that's as beautiful on the shelf as it is delicious in the kitchen.
Every jar tells the story of your homemade extract from beginning to end, proving that sometimes the sweetest chapter comes after the extract is finished.
Keep Making Life a Little Sweeter.
