Sour Cherry Soup Summer Cold (Printable Version)

Sweet-tart cold soup with cherries, spices, and sour cream for refreshing summer meals.

# Ingredient List:

→ Fruit & Main

01 - 18 ounces fresh sour cherries, pitted (or use frozen if fresh unavailable)
02 - 3.5 ounces granulated sugar

→ Liquids

03 - 4 1/4 cups water
04 - 1/2 cup dry white wine (optional)
05 - 3/4 cup sour cream

→ Flavorings

06 - 1 cinnamon stick
07 - 3 whole cloves
08 - 1 strip lemon zest (untreated)
09 - Pinch of salt

# Directions:

01 - In a large saucepan, place the sour cherries, granulated sugar, water, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, lemon zest, and a pinch of salt together.
02 - Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes until the cherries become soft.
03 - Remove saucepan from heat. Take out the cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon zest from the soup.
04 - If using, gently stir in the dry white wine and allow the soup to cool to room temperature.
05 - In a small mixing bowl, add sour cream. Gradually whisk in a few spoonfuls of the cooled soup until smooth, then carefully whisk the sour cream mixture back into the pot.
06 - Refrigerate the soup for at least 2 hours until thoroughly chilled before serving.
07 - Serve the soup cold, garnished with a dollop of additional sour cream if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like summer in a bowl and is the answer for hot afternoons when you crave something cool and refreshing.
  • There's a comforting surprise in how the sweet cherries and subtle spices turn a simple fruit into an elegant, crowd-pleasing treat.
02 -
  • I learned the hard way not to rush cooling—the sour cream can curdle if the soup is too hot.
  • Blending part of the soup gives a delightful texture, half-smooth and half-chunky, but don't over-blend unless silky is your goal.
03 -
  • Always temper your sour cream with cool soup to keep it smooth (lumpy soup is nobody’s favorite).
  • A little extra cinnamon or zest can rescue under-flavored supermarket cherries—don’t be afraid to improvise.
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