Cherry Mash Chocolates are Perfect for Valentine’s Day or Christmas
Have you ever had anything like these Old Fashioned Cherry Mash Chocolates? If you know a cherry lover or are one yourself, these are a must-make. Absolutely Delicious! And if you are a fan of old-fashioned candies, don’t miss my Mom’s Best Peanut Brittle Recipe! You will LOVE it!
My mom’s favorite candy bar when I was growing up was a Big Cherry or a Cherry Mash. When she was a kid, they were called Cherry-O-Lets. She loves them, but they aren’t something you can commonly find anymore.
Because I know she loves them, I started developing this recipe over Christmastime to surprise her with it for her birthday. I perfected it a couple of weeks ago when I made candies for Valentine’s Day. Today is her birthday. Since she lives across the country and I can’t take some to her, the next best thing I can do is post this recipe in her honor today. Now she can make them whenever she wants. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!
Candy for various Holidays
- Peanut Butter Balls with Coconut and Rice Krispies
- Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Eggs
- Chocolate Dipped Coconut Cream Easter Eggs
- Candy Bar Peanut Butter Fudge
- Easy Chocolate Cream Cheese Truffles
- Golden Oreo Peanut Butter Truffles
I have a sister that lives about 20 minutes away from us. They came over to have dinner with us a couple of days after I had made these. I gave her one, and she oohed and awwwed and raved over them. I sent her home with a bag full. A couple of days later when she came over again and said, “Do you have any more of those cherry things?” They’re good. They’re really good!
The crushed peanuts in the chocolate are the perfect complement to the sweet cherry buttercream center. You will love the pairing of two such contrasting textures. These chocolates are definitely a candy I will make over and over.
As far as making homemade candies goes, the best part is these are quite simple. Making them in a mini muffin tin with the little liners couldn’t be easier or more efficient. No dipping. It’s great!
How to make old fashioned cherry mash chocolates
- First, line the mini muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- Then, line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Set aside.
- Next, in a small bowl, combine softened butter and powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat until it starts to stick together. It will be clumpy.
- Add patted-dried, chopped maraschino cherries. Mix well.
- Using a tablespoon-size cookie scoop or small spoon, scoop cherry mixture onto lined cookie sheet an inch apart. Place in freezer for at least one hour.
- Next, while cherry drops are freezing, follow the instructions on the package to melt Almond Bark in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, add crushed peanuts and peanut butter. Mix well.
- Then, drop a small amount of the Almond Bark mixture into the bottom of each liner, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner (see photo below).
- Take cherry drops out of the freezer and break each one in half. (You only want the cherry centers to be about 1/2 Tbsp). Form the halved drops into a circular disk and place one on top of each Almond Bark mixture already in the pan (see photo below).
- Afterward, top each cherry drop with a spoonful of the Almond Bark mixture (see photo below).
- Allow to cool completely and set up before eating.
- Can be stored at room temperature for up to 10 days.
The Best Tip for Making Old Fashioned Cherry Mash Chocolates
- With a paper towel, pat the maraschino cherries as dry as possible.
CHEF’S TOOLS:
More Old-Fashioned Recipes
- 6 squares of Chocolate Almond Bark
- ½ heaping cup crushed cocktail peanuts
- 2 Tbsp peanut butter
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1¾ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup finely chopped maraschino cherries, patted as dry as possible with a paper towel
- 2-3 tsp of maraschino cherry juice, only if absolutely needed
- 24 mini muffin paper liners
- First, line the mini muffin pan with paper liners. Set aside.
- Then, line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Set aside.
- Next, in a small bowl, combine softened butter and powdered sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat until it starts to stick together. It will be clumpy.
- Add patted-dried, chopped maraschino cherries. Mix well. IF the mixture is still clumpy after adding the chopped cherries, add a half tsp of maraschino cherry juice and mix again. If needed, add another half teaspoon and so on. You do not want this to be the consistency of frosting. You want to keep it as thick as possible.
- Using a tablespoon-size cookie scoop or small spoon, scoop cherry mixture onto lined cookie sheet an inch apart. Place in freezer for at least one hour.
- Next, while cherry drops are freezing, follow the instructions on the package to melt Almond Bark in a microwave-safe bowl. Once melted, add crushed peanuts and peanut butter. Mix well.
- Then, drop a small amount of the Almond Bark mixture into the bottom of each liner, just enough to cover the bottom of the liner.
- Take cherry drops out of the freezer and break each one in half. (You only want the cherry centers to be about ½ Tbsp). Form the halved drops into a circular disk and place one on top of each Almond Bark mixture already in the pan.
- Afterward, top each cherry drop with a spoonful of the Almond Bark mixture.
- Allow to cool completely and set up before eating.
- Can be stored at room temperature for up to 10 days.
For the Cherry Lovers!
Are mini muffin paper liners the same as cupcake liners?
Hi Helen, Yes they are just like muffin liners but for mini muffin pans.
Calls for Peanut butter when you read the directions it’s not telling you anything about peanut butter ???? So do you use it or not
Hi Trish, Step 6 in the directions tells you when to add the peanut butter. Hope that helps.
They are just like cupcake liners only smaller, to fit in a mini muffin/cupcake pan
Try adding vanilla to the cherry fondant.
I have been searching for a sugar free cherry mash recipe because I have had a love affair w cherry mash for years. They are sooo good but bad for you! I really think I can convert yours. Can you tell me if I could sub bakers chocolate for the almond bark?
Kelly, I have made this recipe with the regular ingredients. THE BEST RECIPE! I am now about to try them using sugar free chocolate chips. I have tried Lily’s chocolate chips but I just tried the Kroger brand of SF Chocolate Chips and I think they taste better than Lily’s. I don’t know why the SF wouldn’t work. I don’t know if I want to take a chance on using artificial sweetener powdered sugar, yet. Maybe I’ll make a small batch in case it isn’t delicious as the regular filling. I’m not totally sold on some of these “replacements”, like powdered sugar and Lakanto Maple Syrup. Argh.
You can purchase cherry mash candy online from the Chase Candy Company in Saint Joseph, MO at cherrymash.com. My husband is from Saint Joseph. We order and have it sent to our home in Virginia.
Thank you for letting me know, it would be fun to send my mom some for Mother’s Day this year.
I have been making these for years. It started out as a ball and dipping them, then went to making them in a pan in layers and cutting them. But this sounds perfect. I make these every Christmas. Will try these this Christmas. And you can send these in the mail to your mom. I send them to Colorado and Seattle every year. I know you can still buy them, but these are MUCH better.
Thanks Susan!
I am from St. St. JOSEPH Missouri. Cherry Mash is an iconic piece of history and future in St. Joe. It is a smaller plant and once you get hired one never leaves until retirement. We now live in Mississippi (4 yrs). Family and friends send me the packages of bite size. Love them
That is so fun! I didn’t know that they were made in Missouri! Thank you for the bit of history!
I still live in St Joseph, MO. Fun fact- Cherry Mash was “invented” by my grandfathers uncle. HOWEVER, he did this while on company time and with company products. Therefore, he did not reap any of the benefits from this recipe. I’ve traveled the world, and the only place to get them is here!
Wow! That is crazy Rebecca! How cool that your related to the inventor! I’m going to have to take my mom to St Joseph MO sometime, she would love to see where they are made. Do you know if they do tours at the company?
I just went to Hobby Lobby today and found them selling individual Cherry Mash bars for about $1.30 each. I went there a couple of months ago and they were selling them at that time also. It was in the candy section near the cashier.
Awesome! Good to know! I’m going to tell my mom, she LOVES Cherry Mash Bars
Just saw this recipe for cherry mashes and read and read your comment. I’m originally from Missouri also and love cherry mashes. So I know how your husband feels. Thank you for your comment and how to get them. My home town was about an hour from St. Joe.
Why not make 1/2 T “blobs” instead of 1 T? You are breaking them in half, so it seems like extra work.
I would love to try these in honor of my mom. Cherry Mash was her favorite candy too and every time I see one I think of her! And she is from St. Joe, Missouri.
Love this!!!
Hobby Lobby has a limited amount each month or at least mine does. I lived 30 miles from St Joe so I am a lover of Cherry Mash also have ordered. Certainly will make this recipe! Big thanks
I am OBSESSED with Big Cherry and drive way out of my way to get some from a market in my town. 100% going to make these and eat way too many.
I am struggling with the peanut butter aspect…peanut butter and cherry don’t sound like a match to me! But I am going to try these because I love cherry anything!
Trust me! It is soooooo good! 🙂
Can’t wait to make these but I was wondering do you have to add the nuts or peanut butter. My husband loves cherry candy but he doesn’t like peanuts or peanut butter. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Hi, Phoebe. You can leave the peanuts and peanut butter out, and the candies will still turn out good.
These sound so delicious! Thanks for posting the recipe. I have a question….I have never worked with chocolate almond bark, so how much chocolate do you think 6 squares would equal? I did a google search and several different brands and different sized packages came up, but several of them made 6 squares look like a very small amount of chocolate. Sorry if I made this confusing.
Hi Andrea, I think I know what your asking. With the brand I use, Six squares is 12 ounces.
Hi, what kind of butter salted or unsalted? Thank you!
I used salted
Cherry Bings are made in Sioux City IA and are available online at Palmer Candy Company. this recipe sounds good tho and I think I’ll try it! Thanks!
What is Almond Bark? I’d it another of your recipes? Is it Hershey’s almond bars? Thanks!
It is a dipping chocolate that you can find in the baking aisle! The brand will be dependent on the store you’re in. I’ve seen a lot of different types.
THERE WASN’T ANYTHING ABOUT CHERRY DROPS IN RECIPE .SO HOW MANY???
Depends on how big you make the cherry drops. You make them out of the butter and cherries and powdered sugar! 🙂
Hi Maria, my friend and I made these a few weeks ago and they were amazing. We ended up messing up the bark/it didn’t melt correctly. To fix the situation, we pressed these into a cake pan instead to make bars. My question: Do you think I could double the cherry filling part (since its the total best) since I am pressing into bars and not mini muffin tins? Thank you! Kelly
Yes, for sure! Glad you and your friend enjoyed them. Sorry, I have taken so long to respond. I have been very backed up on comments.
I too am from St Joseph and cherry mash is my favorite but you can’t get them in Florida. So I am trying to make these. My cherry blobs are the consistency of frosting. uh-oh. I think for sure I didn’t blot dry the cherries well enough. Not a cook, so for first time making anything I subconsciously mess it up and then know what not to do next time. Fingers crossed they might still be okay. Thanks so much for your recipe.
Put it in the fridge or freezer and then scoop them, sometimes the softened butter needs to harden a bit to make it easier to handle.
Instead of almond bark can you use Hershey’s special dark chocolate chips for dipping the candy in. I use this for dipping truffles in. I just want to make sure it won’t ruin this recipe. And if so would one 12 oz. package be enough.
Yes, but it will change the flavor some and possibly the texture.
Can you use Hershey’s special dark chocolate chips instead of almond bark for dipping the candy in. I use this a lot for dipping Truffles in works great.
Yes, you can use any type of chocolate you want, just be careful when melting it down. Sometimes chocolate chips will sieze if they get hot too fast.
Hi Maria, will give these a try. Could these be frozen? If so, for how long?
Assuming my Hubby and I don’t eat then all in one setting!!
Yes, definitely, They could be frozen in an airtight bag or container for at least 2 months if not longer.
Do you believe this could be made with white chocolate almond bark instead?
Yes, what chocolate almond bark will work just liked the chocolate almond bark it will just yield a different taste.
This was one of my mother’s favorite candies, next to Chocolate Covered Cherries that is. Smile. Anytime I eat chocolate I think of my mom. I am looking forward to making “Old Fashion Cherry Mash Chocolates”. Thank you for some sweet memories.
Me too! I actually developed this recipe for my mom. I love when food and fond memories are connected. We need to invent a word for it because it just doesn’t seem like there are any that do the emotion justice.
My son loves to make these! #febgiveaway
I’m Guessing “J” is the son you are talking about! I love that he is such a cook and a helper!
Made yhese and they are WONDERFUL!
Wondering if you have the nutritional breakdown of this recipe?
I am so glad you made them and loved them. Unfortunately I don’t have the nutritional breakdown. Sorry about that.
How long do you mix the powdered sugar and the butter? It’s not getting clumpy
Sorry for the late reply, Sometimes it doesn’t get clumpy depending on the softness of the butter and other environmental factors. Even if it doesn’t get clumpy, scoop it into small dollops and freeze. It will be much easier to work with once it is a little frozen.
Taste was unbelievable and addicting. Had trouble getting all the chocolates one size. Think I’ll freeze the filling in marble sized bites, fill candy mold with crunchy chocolate and press the nugget down into the chocolate then top it off and let it set up. I tried a batch with nestles bits and a batch with chocolate bark. Bark was easier to work with and tasted better.
So glad you liked them Lana. It is hard to get them the same size, and I totally agree that the bark is easier to work with.
Just to be sure…. The maraschino cherries are measured AFTER they are finely chopped? So get out cherries and chop until you reach 1/3 cup, correct?
Yes, that is correct, try to get them as dry as possible too.
I look forward to making these! So glad the recipe doesn’t call for marshmallows. A family friend can’t have gelatin. He will be able to try these! We no longer live in southwest Iowa where you can find Cherry Mash in the stores.
I am excited for you to try them too. It is definitely getting harder and harder to find a real cherry mash. These are a great substitute.
These are so good! I’ve had trouble with another cherry masher recipe in the past, so I’m glad I found your recipe. It’s much easier to follow. I’ll make them again! Thank you!
Thanks, Lindsey! So glad you found the recipe.
These are great! I also love them made with walnut pieces, cherries, and dark chocolate.
Thanks, Carol! Using walnuts, cherries, and dark chocolate sounds delicious.