Cherry Chip Frosting Recipe (Classic, Chocolate & Sugar-Free)

This cherry chip frosting is a fluffy maraschino cherry buttercream with exact amounts in cups and grams. Below you’ll find the classic version, a chocolate cherry frosting for a cherry chip cake with chocolate frosting, a cherry cream cheese frosting, and a sugar-free cherry chip frosting made with powdered erythritol or allulose. Jump to: classic recipe · chocolate version · why the swaps work · troubleshooting · storage.

At a glance: makes about 4 cups (enough for a two-layer 8-inch cake or 24 cupcakes) · prep 15 minutes · no cooking · naturally gluten-free when your extracts and chocolate chips are labeled gluten-free.

Cherry Chip Frosting Recipe (Classic Buttercream)

Ingredients

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened to 65–68°F (18–20°C)
• 4 cups (480 g) powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup (85 g) maraschino cherries, stemmed, finely chopped and patted very dry
• 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) maraschino cherry juice from the jar
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp (1 ml) almond extract (optional, gives the classic “cherry chip” bakery flavor)
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 1/3 cup (60 g) mini chocolate chips (optional)
• 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) heavy cream or milk, only if needed

Method

1. Dry the cherries. Chop them into pieces about the size of a lentil, spread on paper towels and press dry. Wet cherries are the main cause of pink streaks and runny frosting.
2. Beat the butter on medium speed for 3 minutes until pale and creamy.
3. Add the powdered sugar 1 cup (120 g) at a time on low speed, scraping the bowl after each addition.
4. Flavor and color. Add the salt, vanilla, almond extract and 2 tbsp cherry juice. Beat on medium-high for 2–3 minutes until fluffy. Add the third tablespoon of juice for a deeper pink, or cream if the frosting is too stiff to spread.
5. Fold in the cherries (and mini chips) by hand with a spatula. Beating them in with the mixer breaks them up and tints the whole batch.
6. Use right away, or chill for 15 minutes if the kitchen is warm and the frosting looks soft.

For piping, leave the chopped cherries out of the piping bag (they clog the tip) and scatter them on top instead; a large open star tip (1M) works well with the plain pink base.

Video: a cherry buttercream tutorial showing the creaming and consistency steps.

Cherry Chip Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Cherry and chocolate is the most popular pairing for a cherry chip cake. Make the classic recipe with these changes: use 3 1/2 cups (420 g) powdered sugar plus 2/3 cup (55 g) unsweetened cocoa powder sifted together, 3–4 tbsp (45–60 ml) cherry juice or cream, and keep the chopped cherries and mini chips. The cocoa absorbs liquid, so add the last tablespoon only if needed. For a plain chocolate frosting on a cherry chip cake, use our chocolate buttercream frosting recipe and decorate with whole stemmed cherries.

Cherry Cream Cheese Frosting

For a tangier, less sweet frosting: beat 8 oz (226 g) cold full-fat block cream cheese with 1/2 cup (113 g) softened butter until smooth, then add 3 cups (360 g) sifted powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tbsp (15 ml) cherry juice. Fold in 1/3 cup (55 g) well-dried chopped maraschino cherries. Keep it refrigerated. More tips are in our cream cheese icing recipe. If you prefer a marshmallow-like topping, a 7 minute frosting with chopped cherries folded in also works.

Sugar-Free Cherry Chip Frosting (Low-Sugar Option)

Maraschino cherries and their juice are candied in sugar syrup, so a sugar-free version swaps them for freeze-dried cherries, which give color and real cherry flavor without syrup.

• 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 1/2 cups (300 g) powdered erythritol blend (monk fruit or stevia blend) or 2 1/2 cups (300 g) powdered allulose
• 1/2 cup (12 g) freeze-dried cherries (unsweetened), half ground to a powder, half crushed into small bits
• 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) almond extract
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) heavy cream
• 1/3 cup (60 g) sugar-free mini chocolate chips (optional)
• 1–2 drops natural red coloring (optional, for a brighter pink)

Beat the butter for 3 minutes, add the powdered sweetener in three additions, then the salt, extracts, cherry powder and 2 tbsp cream. Beat 2 minutes, adjust with cream, and fold in the crushed cherry bits and chips. If your sweetener is granulated, blend it to a fine powder first — see how in our homemade icing sugar guide, which includes a sugar-free powdered sweetener method.

Pair the sugar-free frosting with a cake from our sugar-free yellow cake mix guide: fold 1/3 cup (8 g) crushed freeze-dried cherries into the batter for a sugar-free cherry chip cake. Freeze-dried fruit still contains its natural fruit sugar (a small amount per serving). This is general information, not medical or dietary advice.

Why the Sugar-Free Swaps Work

• Powdered, not granulated. Buttercream has almost no water to dissolve sugar, so any sweetener must be powdered fine or it stays sandy. That is why we use less sweetener by weight (300 g vs 480 g): powdered erythritol blends and allulose are packed more densely and the blends are sweetened with monk fruit or stevia.
• Erythritol vs allulose. Erythritol gives a firmer frosting that pipes well but can recrystallize in the fridge and has a mild cooling aftertaste. Allulose behaves more like sugar (smooth, no cooling) but is softer, so the frosting needs a short chill.
• Freeze-dried cherries instead of maraschinos. They add concentrated flavor and natural pink color with almost no moisture, so the frosting stays stiff without extra powdered sweetener.
• Almond extract. Boxed cherry chip cakes taste of “cherry” largely because of almond-type flavoring; a small amount makes the sugar-free version taste familiar.

Gluten-Free Cherry Chip Cake to Go With It

The frosting itself is gluten-free. For a gluten-free cherry chip cake, make our vanilla gluten-free cake with 1/2 tsp almond extract added to the batter and 1/2 cup (85 g) well-dried chopped maraschino cherries tossed in 1 tbsp of the flour blend, folded in last so they don’t sink. An almond flour cake is also a natural match for cherry frosting. More ideas are in our gluten-free dessert recipes.

How Much Frosting You Need

Troubleshooting

• Pink streaks or bleeding: the cherries were wet or beaten in by machine. Pat them dry and fold in by hand.
• Runny frosting: too much cherry juice or butter too warm. Chill 15–20 minutes and re-beat, or add 1/4 cup (30 g) powdered sugar.
• Grainy (classic): powdered sugar not sifted. Grainy (sugar-free): the sweetener was not fine enough — blend it for 60 seconds and sift.
• Curdled or split: butter too cold. Warm the outside of the bowl briefly with a warm towel and beat again.
• Too sweet: add a pinch more salt, or switch to the cream cheese or low-sugar version.
• Sugar-free frosting hardened in the fridge: normal with erythritol. Let it stand 30 minutes at room temperature and re-whip.

Storage

Buttercream versions keep 1 day covered at cool room temperature, up to 5 days in an airtight container in the fridge, or 2 months frozen. Bring to room temperature for 30–60 minutes and re-whip before using. The cream cheese and low-sugar versions must be refrigerated (up to 4 days); a cake frosted with them should also be kept in the fridge and served within 3 days.

Decorating Ideas

Crumb-coat the cake with a thin layer, chill 20 minutes, then apply the final coat with an offset spatula. Finish with whole stemmed maraschino cherries (or fresh cherries for the sugar-free version), a ring of mini chocolate chips around the base, or a spatula swoop pattern on top.

Cherry Chip Frosting FAQ

What frosting goes on a cherry chip cake?

The classic choice is a pink maraschino cherry buttercream like the one above. Chocolate frosting and cream cheese frosting are the two most popular alternatives.

Can I make cherry chip frosting without maraschino cherries?

Yes. Use 1/2 cup (12 g) freeze-dried cherries, half ground and half crushed, plus 2 tbsp cream instead of the cherry juice. This is also the way to make it sugar-free.

Is cherry chip frosting gluten-free?

Butter, powdered sugar and cherries contain no gluten. Check that your extracts, chocolate chips and powdered sweetener are labeled gluten-free if you bake for someone with celiac disease.

Which sugar substitute is best for sugar-free cherry frosting?

Powdered allulose gives the smoothest, most sugar-like frosting; a powdered erythritol blend pipes firmer but may have a cooling aftertaste. Avoid granulated sweeteners unless you blend them to a powder first.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze up to 2 months, then soften and re-whip. Fold the chopped cherries in on the day you frost so they don’t tint the frosting unevenly.