If you’re one for smoky and sweet heat (we sure are), you’re going to love this cherry chipotle BBQ sauce. The chipotle peppers layer in that deep earthy smoked heat, and the rich sweetness of the cherries and molasses go toe-to-toe with the spice. It’s bold and oh so good.
🌶️ Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Dark sweet cherry and molasses with smoky chipotle underneath, pulled back into line by cider vinegar and a spoonful of mustard |
| Primary heat source | Three chipotle peppers in adobo, plus a tablespoon of the adobo sauce itself |
| Heat level | Medium. Chipotle runs 2,500 to 8,000 SHU and there is a great deal of sweetness pushing back against it |
| Texture | However you want it. The last step is a blender, so smooth or chunky is your call |
| Best uses | A glaze for ribs, a dipper for fried food, or on a burger |
| Customization ideas | Fewer chipotles and more cherries for milder, or cayenne if you want heat without more smoke |
Flavor notes
Add up the sweet side of this and it is startling. Two cups of cherries, half a cup of dark brown sugar, a quarter cup of molasses and half a cup of orange juice, all in one pot. What holds it up is a quarter cup of cider vinegar and a tablespoon of mustard. That is not much acid against that much sugar, which is exactly why neither is optional. Leave the vinegar out and this stops being a barbecue sauce and starts being a compote.
The half hour of simmering happens uncovered, and that matters more than it sounds. Nothing is being cooked at that point that was not already edible; the pot is just losing water. That is what takes a loose, soupy mix and turns it into something that will actually cling to a rib.
Then it goes in the blender, which is where you decide what this is. Stop early and you have a chunky, rustic sauce with pieces of cherry and onion in it. Run it until it is glossy and it comes out like something off a shelf. Same pot, two different sauces, and the recipe leaves the call to you.
Adaptation ideas
If three chipotles sound too spicy, lower the amount of chipotles used, though you’ll lose some smokiness along with the heat. See the note in the recipe. Or, if you want it spicier, add some cayenne pepper rather than more chipotle. That’s easier than balancing against too much smoky flavor.
- Follow the recipe note for a sweeter sauce: Two chipotles instead of three, and 2½ cups of cherries instead of 2. That shifts the balance without leaving you short of fruit.
- Frozen cherries are fine: They give up a little more liquid, so expect the simmer to run a few minutes longer to get to the same thickness.
- Add a splash of bourbon: A couple of tablespoons in with the other ingredients. It suits the molasses and the smoke.
- Thin it into a mop: A little more orange juice or vinegar after blending, and you have something to brush on through a long cook rather than a thick finishing glaze.
- Go hotter with a different pepper: Our cherry habanero BBQ sauce is the same fruit with a much bigger pepper behind it.
Serving ideas
Try it as a glaze for BBQ ribs, or simply make it as a dipping sauce for that summer BBQ party. It’s a delicious side sauce for fried foods. We love it, too, lathered on a juicy burger.
- On ribs, late: Sugar this heavy will catch over direct heat, so brush it on for the last stretch of the cook rather than the start.
- With pulled pork or chicken: Stirred through, where the vinegar cuts the fat.
- As a dip for fried things: Wings, onion rings, halloumi fries. The sweetness works where a plain hot sauce would not.
- On a burger: Instead of ketchup, with sharp cheddar and red onion.
- Over roast vegetables: Squash, sweet potato, carrots — anything already a bit sweet takes the smoke well.
Storage notes
Cool it fully, then keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge. Two weeks is comfortable. The vinegar and the sugar are both doing preservative work here, which is why it holds longer than most homemade sauces.
It is a fridge sauce, though, not a shelf-stable one. There is no processing step in this recipe, so a jar of it does not belong in a cupboard however sterile the jar looked going in.
It freezes well and it is worth doing, because the recipe makes more than one dinner. Freeze it in small amounts — an ice cube tray is the old trick — so you can pull out a couple of spoonfuls for a burger without thawing the lot. It may look separated after thawing; a stir or a quick blitz brings it back.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Cherry Habanero BBQ Sauce: Habs are a big step up in heat.
- Ancho Coffee Rub: A tasty mild, earthy dry rub for steaks.
- Homemade Hoisin Sauce: Popular with duck, but it’s also a sneaky-good BBQ sauce.
50 quick, bold sauces and salsas: classic salsas and fun twists, BBQ sauces with a kick, and dippers with bang. Simple to make, big on flavor.
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Cherry Chipotle BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 chipotle peppers plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
- 2 cups cherries pitted and diced
- 1 medium yellow onion chopped
- 4 garlic cloves chopped
- 1 can tomato sauce 15 ounce can
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup molasses
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon mustard
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- in a sauce pot over medium heat, melt the butter and then sauté the onions until translucent.
- Add in the remaining ingredients, stir to combine, then bring the mix to a boil.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to low, then simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Remove from the heat and pour into a blender or food processor, then blend to your desired consistency.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.
Loved the bbq sauce
Using it on wings