Xanthan Gum Free Spiced Mulled Cherries
Warm, jewel-toned, and deeply aromatic, these spiced mulled cherries are the kind of thing that makes your whole kitchen smell like a holiday market. Pomegranate juice and honey form a rich, glossy base, while Ceylon cinnamon, fresh ginger, turmeric, and a strip of orange zest layer in warmth and complexity that feels genuinely special. The beauty here is that the sauce thickens naturally as it simmers and cools — no gums, starches, or additives needed to get that luscious, spoon-coating consistency. A splash of apple cider vinegar at the end keeps everything bright and balanced so the sweetness never tips into cloying. Many store-bought fruit compotes and pie fillings sneak in thickeners that can be hard to track down on labels, so making your own from scratch puts you fully in control. Spoon these over yogurt, oatmeal, vanilla ice cream, or a simple cake, and they work just as beautifully served warm straight from the pan as they do chilled from a jar in the fridge.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 lb frozen or fresh sweet cherries, pitted
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 2 tbsp honey
- 1 ceylon cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 strip orange zest (about 3 inches), pith removed
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- 1
Combine the pomegranate juice, honey, Ceylon cinnamon stick, grated ginger, turmeric, apple cider vinegar, orange zest strip, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey dissolves, about 1 minute.
- 2
Add the cherries and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the cherries are tender and the liquid has reduced by about half and coats the back of a spoon, 15 to 18 minutes.
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