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SunMay 26

National Cherry Dessert Day – May 26, 2024

A sweet tooth’s holiday is National Cherry Dessert Day, celebrated every year on May 26. Cherries seem to go perfectly well with almost anything. From cherry cobblers to cherry cheesecakes, the versatility of this simple fruit is endless. That trait, and of course its amazing taste, and health benefits are the things we celebrate on National Cherry Day. Cherries can be wild or tame, from bush or tree, and give us more vitamins and minerals than we can count. Today is specifically set aside every year to pay homage to cherry desserts, leaving us with insatiable cravings and inspiring ideas.

History of National Cherry Dessert Day

If you’ve made it this far, you are either a lover of cherry desserts, intrigued about the obscurity of this holiday, or just looking for interesting ways to celebrate the day. Whatever the case may be, you’ve come to the right place and we have all the answers you need below.

It’d be more accurate to talk about the origin of cherries when discussing National Cherry Dessert Day because cherry desserts would not be a thing without cherries. There are different types and even colors of cherries that have been identified throughout history. Some of them include true cherries, bird cherries or cherry laurels, and bush cherries, with the term ‘wild cherries’ referring to cherries growing outside cultivation.

The word cherry was coined from the Old Nothern French word ‘cherise,’ which was derived from the Latin word ‘cerasum’ to refer to the ancient Greek region of Kerasous, which is said to be the first place in Europe cherries were exported to. In the US, cherries arrived first in Brooklyn, New York. Colonists in Massachusetts planted the first sour cherry, which is still a people’s favorite.

Queen Elizabeth I is given credit for making the first cherry pie in the 1500s with the start of fruit pies and tarts. Since then, a variety of cherry-flavored desserts have made their way into the scene. Cherry can be used as a filling like in cherry pie and cobbler, as part of the flavoring like cherry cheesecake, or even as a topping like cherry tarts or biscuits.

The origins of National Cherry Dessert Day are still widely unknown, but that does not stop us from celebrating this sweet holiday! It is observed annually on May 26, after National Cherry Month, and before Cherry Day.

National Cherry Dessert Day timeline

372 B.C.
Cherry Trees

The first cherry trees are cultivated in Greece.

1500s
Cherry Pie

Queen Elizabeth I bakes the first cherry pie.

1639 A.D.
Cherries In America

Cherries first arrive in the U.S. on June 18 in Brooklyn, New York.

1800s
The First Cherry Cobbler

The first cherry cobbler is made in England.

National Cherry Dessert Day FAQs

When is National Cherry Month?

National Cherry Month is celebrated annually in February. The entire month is dedicated to the delicious cherries that we cannot seem to get enough of. It is celebrated the month before National Cherry Dessert Day.

Is there a holiday for cherry pie?

Yes, there is a National Cherry Pie Day, and it is celebrated annually on February 20. This day is dedicated solely to the celebration of cherry pies as opposed to cherries or pies in general.

Is there a National Cherry Cobbler Day?

There seems to be a holiday for almost every cherry dessert, and cherry cobbler is no different. National Cherry Cobbler Day is celebrated annually on May 17.

National Cherry Dessert Day Activities

  1. Make a cherry dessert

    Thanks to the internet, we now have access to millions of recipes at our fingertips, and today the focus is on cherry desserts. Check out all the different types of desserts that consist of cherry, and see which fits your tastebuds the best. Try your luck at whipping it up, and invite friends over for a taste test.

  2. Have a cherry dessert

    Whether you’re making it yourself or taking the shorter way out by ordering out, the goal of today is to eat at least one cherry dessert. Don’t let National Cherry Day pass you by without celebrating justly. Eating out or staying in is up to you, but make sure you have cherry desserts on the menu.

  3. Plant a cherry tree

    Thinking of the best, most cost-effective way to have cherry desserts all year round? Well, we’ve got the perfect solution for you. Put your backyard to use by cultivating cherry trees. Ask a specialized gardener for tips, see what you can find online, and start working on that green thumb!

5 Interesting Facts About Cherries

  1. The varieties are endless

    There are over a thousand varieties of cherries.

  2. George Washington and cherries

    The old tale of George Washington cutting down a cherry tree was fake and was created by his first biographer, Mason Locke Weems.

  3. Its trees are very fruitful

    The average cherry tree produces approximately 7,000 cherries each harvest.

  4. Turkey takes the lead

    Turkey holds the record for the world’s leading cherry production, producing 535,000 tons annually.

  5. Since the Stone Age

    Archeologists have discovered cherry pits in Europe and Asia dating back to the Stone Age.

Why We Love National Cherry Dessert Day

  1. It’s a dessert holiday

    This day is not just any other kind of holiday, and it's also not just any kind of food holiday, it was made especially for desserts. So if you’re a lover of desserts just like we are, you should be a lover of National Charry Dessert Day too!

  2. It’s a cherry holiday

    Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, this holiday combines two of the tastiest things in existence — cherries and desserts. Talk about a cherry on top, that’s all you need to convince us of how wonderful this holiday is.

  3. An opportunity to try new recipes

    This holiday also allows us to try our hand at new, interesting recipes. Oftentimes we find ourselves hesitant to try out unfamiliar flavor palettes, specifically anything dessert-related, but National Cherry Dessert Day allows us to step out of our comfort zones and try something new.

National Cherry Dessert Day dates

YearDateDay
2024May 26Sunday
2025May 26Monday
2026May 26Tuesday
2027May 26Wednesday
2028May 26Friday

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