Poached Cherries

If you are overrun with cherries, poach them! They are a nice light dessert to quench that sweet tooth. Or serve them over some dairy-free ice cream or grain-free cake. And if you enjoy cherries, invest in a pitter. It will be one of the few gadgets that get some use, unlike the others in the graveyard of never-used kitchen tools.

• Hands-On Time: 10 minutes

• Cook Time: 15 minutes

Serves 4


2 cups water

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

Zest and juice from 1 medium orange

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 pound sweet cherries, pitted

1 cinnamon stick

1 Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot®. Press the Manual or Pressure Cook button and adjust time to 5 minutes. When timer beeps, let pressure release naturally for 15 minutes. Quick-release any remaining pressure until float valve drops and then unlock lid. Discard cinnamon stick.

2 Transfer cherries to an airtight container and refrigerate until ready to eat, warm or cold.