Hi there! I'm Chef Emily, and I'm thrilled you've come to me with your cherry question! As a pastry chef, I work with cherries all the time – both fresh and candied – so I'm happy to share my expertise.

You've asked: "How many fresh cherries are in a cup?" That's a great question, and it's a little trickier than it seems! Let's break it down:

* Cherry Variety: First off, cherry sizes vary. Some popular varieties like Bing cherries tend to be larger, while others like Rainier or Chelan cherries can be smaller. So the variety will definitely impact how many cherries fit in a cup.

* Cherry Size: Even within a specific variety, you'll have a range of sizes. Think about it – some cherries are plump and juicy, while others might be a tad smaller.

* Measurement Method: Are we talking about a loosely filled cup or a tightly packed cup? This makes a big difference! When I'm measuring cherries for a recipe, I always specify how I want them measured to ensure consistency.

So, there's no single magic number. However, I can give you a general range based on my experience:

* Loosely Filled Cup: You'll likely find about 12-16 large cherries or 20-25 smaller cherries in a loosely filled cup.

* Tightly Packed Cup: If you're carefully packing the cherries into the cup, you can fit more – maybe 16-20 large cherries or 25-30 smaller cherries.

Important Tip: Instead of focusing solely on the number of cherries, it's often more helpful to measure by weight in baking. A recipe might call for 1 cup of pitted cherries, which is roughly equivalent to 5 to 6 ounces. Using a kitchen scale ensures accuracy and consistent results in your baking!

Extra Cherry Tips:

* When selecting fresh cherries, look for plump, glossy cherries with vibrant color and fresh stems.
* Store unwashed cherries in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
* Before using, give your cherries a good rinse and remove the stems and pits. A cherry pitter is a handy tool for this!

I hope this helps! Happy baking!
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Typically a serving of fresh or frozen cherries is about one cup (21 cherries). For dried cherries a serving would be half a cup. A serving of strawberries is approximately one cup as well. This is about eight medium size berries.read more >>