Meet The OG Maraschino Cherry

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When you think of maraschino cherries, you’re probably thinking of the bright red, squishy fruit you find on top of a sundae or added to a cocktail as a garnish. And sure, the FDA has designated these cherries that have been “dyed red, impregnated with sugar and flavored with oil of bitter almonds or a similar flavor” as maraschino cherries, but this wasn’t always the case. Originally, only Marasca cherries preserved in maraschino could be called maraschino cherries, and everything else was considered to be an imitation.

The Luxardo family, maker of the “original” Luxardo maraschino cherries, cultivates and grows a proprietary varietal of Marasca sour cherries. The family-owned company, now managed by the sixth generation, was founded in 1821 by Girolamo Luxardo. In the Veneto region of northeastern Italy, the Luxardo family tends to more than 30,000 Marasca cherry trees, which are also used to make Luxardo Maraschino (maraschino liqueur, made using an original family recipe dating back to 1821 and takes four years to produce), plus other fruit-based and herbal liqueurs and jams.

Luxardo maraschino cherries are all-natural, and do not contain any artificial colorings or flavors. They’re candied fresh and steeped in a syrup made of just cherry juice and sugar, resulting in a “dark and decadent” product that showcases “the rich flavor of a real sour Marasca cherry.”

The brand recently partnered with Zac Young, creator of Thanksgiving megadessert PieCaken and pastry director of Craveable Hospitality Group, to create a Luxardo old-fashioned cheesecake (available at PieCaken Bakeshop) plus three recipes incorporating Luxardo cherry products to make at home: stuffed red velvet cookies with cherry cream cheese filling, cherry cordials and a cherry baked Alaska.

“By partnering with a pastry chef as inventive as Zac Young, we hope to inspire new ways to use Luxardo maraschino cherries beyond a cocktail garnish,” Matteo Luxardo, export director and member of the sixth generation of the Luxardo family, said in a release. “We welcome you to take some of our family tradition home with these sweet recipes, which provide an elegant and Italian end to a holiday meal.”

See below for Zac Young’s recipe for stuffed red velvet cookies:

Luxardo Cherry Stuffed Red Velvet Cookies

Recipe by pastry chef Zac Young

For the cherry cream cheese filling

8 oz. cream cheese

1/3 c powdered sugar

1/3 c Luxardo maraschino cherries, halved

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until softened, then add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth.

Stir in the halved cherries with a spatula or spoon.

Place the mixture in the freezer while you make the cookie dough.

For the cookie dough

3 oz. butter

1/2 c sugar

1/4 c juice from Luxardo maraschino cherries

1 large egg

2 tsp red food coloring

1 1/4 c all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer or with hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the cherry juice, egg and food coloring, and mix until combined. The mixture might look “broken,” but it’s fine.

Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and kosher salt and mix until just combined but smooth.

Assembly

1/2 c powdered sugar (optional)

Preheat the oven to 340 degrees Fahrenheit.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Scoop the dough into generous 2 tablespoon-sized balls onto one of the sheets and press flat, making a 2 1/2-inch disk. If the dough is sticky, refrigerate or freeze until firm but pliable (about 10 minutes).

Once the dough is workable, spoon a generous tablespoon of cream cheese filling into the center of each disk. Fold the dough to wrap around and fully encase the filling, then roll into a smooth ball.

Place the balls onto lined baking sheets, spacing them at least 3 inches apart.

Gently press the balls to flatten slightly and generously cover the tops with powdered sugar (optional).

Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, until the top is nicely crackled but not browned. Serve warm or let cool.