Maraschino cherries, peanut butter a sweet surprise Homemade Holidays
By: Eva Wasney Posted: 2:00 AM CST Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 Last Modified: 7:58 AM CST Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025 Updates

Though not an exact flavour match, these Chocolate Cherry Surprises may scratch an itch for those missing Cherry Blossoms — the iconic (and divisive) Hershey’s treat discontinued earlier this year.

“I make these every Christmas as part of my annual baking,” writes recipe submitter Donna Fontaine. “Prior to retiring, I could easily make 12 dozen of these and include them in the many plates of Christmas baking distributed to co-workers. Two years ago, my niece even requested that I make them for her bridal shower. They are always a hit!”

As with Cherry Blossoms, one element of these confections can be hard to find: stemmed maraschino cherries. Fontaine recommends visiting the Sobeys Cash and Carry (840 Dufferin Ave.) to secure this sometimes elusive ingredient.

Cherry Surprises

250 ml (1 cup) Rice Krispies cereal

250 ml (1 cup) peanut butter

250 ml (1 cup) icing sugar

30 ml (2 tbsp) butter, melted

1 (375-ml/12-oz) jar stemmed maraschino cherries, drained

5 (28-g/1-oz) squares semi-sweet chocolate

1 (2.5-cm/1-inch) square food-grade paraffin wax

Mix peanut butter, icing sugar and butter together in a large bowl. Add cereal and stir until coated. Place in the refrigerator and chill until firm.

Shape the chilled cereal mixture into a ball around each individual maraschino cherry, leaving the stem exposed. Return to the fridge until ready to use.

Using the microwave or a double boiler, melt the chocolate with the paraffin wax, stirring often, until smooth and uniform.

Dip cherries in chocolate mixture. Let harden and store in the fridge.

— Donna Fontaine

Homemade Holidays is an annual Free Press tradition featuring 12 festive desserts published over 12 days in December. Click here to find this year’s batch of reader-submitted recipes.

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Eva Wasney
Reporter

Eva Wasney has been a reporter with the Free Press Arts & Life department since 2019. Read more about Eva.

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