If you’ve spent any time watching Magnolia Table, you know Joanna Gaines has a thing for nostalgia. She doesn't just cook; she resurrects these weird, wonderful family heirlooms that taste like a 1950s church potluck in the best possible way. One recipe that recently sent everyone into a tailspin is her Aunt Mary's Cherry Mashers.
Honestly, the first time I heard the name, I thought it was a kitchen tool. It's not. It’s a candy. Specifically, it’s a lumpy, chocolate-covered, peanut-studded bite of cherry heaven that feels like something your grandma would hide in a tin on top of the fridge.
What Are Joanna Gaines Cherry Mashers, Anyway?
Basically, these are a homemade riff on the classic "Cherry Mash" candy bar, which has been around since roughly 1918. While the original commercial version is a Midwestern staple made by Chase Candy Company, Joanna’s version—passed down from her Aunt Mary—is a bit more "homemade-rustic."
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The core of the thing is a bright pink, fluffy cherry fondant center. You’ve got maraschino cherries mixed with sugar and, interestingly, a box of frosting mix. Yes, really. It’s then dunked in a mixture of chocolate and chopped peanuts.
The result? It’s aggressive. It’s very sweet. It’s pink. And for some reason, people cannot stop eating them.
The Ingredients You Actually Need
Don't expect a health food list here. This is pure, unadulterated holiday sugar.
- Betty Crocker Fluffy White Frosting Mix: This is the "secret" ingredient that gives it that specific texture. If you can't find the 7.2-ounce box, people usually substitute it with more powdered sugar and condensed milk, but the fluffiness suffers.
- Maraschino Cherries: One 10-ounce jar, drained and chopped into tiny bits.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Just a splash (about 1/4 cup) to bind it all together.
- Margarine or Butter: Joanna’s official recipe calls for 6 tablespoons of margarine, though she’s been known to use softened butter on the show.
- Chocolate Almond Bark & Milk Chocolate Chips: This creates a coating that actually snaps when you bite it.
- Dry-Roasted Salted Peanuts: You need these finely chopped. They provide the saltiness that keeps your teeth from aching too much.
Why This Specific Recipe Works
You've probably seen a dozen "chocolate cherry" recipes, but the Joanna Gaines cherry mashers are different because of the "mash" factor. Most cherry cordials have a liquid center that spills out. These are solid. They’re "mashy."
The texture is almost like a thick, cherry-flavored marshmallow fluff that has been frozen into a ball. When you dip that frozen ball into hot chocolate and peanuts, the shell hardens almost instantly. It creates this contrast between the cold, creamy center and the crunchy, salty exterior.
The "Frosting Mix" Controversy
I’ve seen some people online get a little snobby about using a boxed frosting mix. "Why not make a real fondant?" they ask. Well, because Aunt Mary didn't, and neither does Jo. The frosting mix has stabilizers and dried egg whites that give the center a specific "lift" you just don't get with plain powdered sugar. It makes the candy feel light instead of like a lead weight in your stomach.
How to Actually Make Them (Without the Mess)
I'll be real with you: making these can be a total disaster if you aren't careful. The cherry mixture is sticky. Like, "glue your fingers together" sticky.
- The Chill is Critical: You cannot skip the freezing step. After you mix the pink goo, you use a small cookie scoop to drop balls onto parchment paper. They need to sit in the freezer for at least 2 hours. If they aren't rock hard, they will melt into the chocolate and you'll end up with a brown, lumpy soup.
- The Chop: Do not leave the cherries in big chunks. They need to be minced. If the chunks are too big, the balls won't hold their shape and they'll look more like "Cherry Blobs" than "Cherry Mashers."
- The Dipping Tool: Use a fork. Drop the frozen ball into the chocolate, roll it, and lift it out with the tines of the fork. Tap it on the side of the bowl to let the excess drip off.
The Nostalgia Factor
Why does this recipe resonate so much? It’s probably because it represents a type of "utility cooking" that we've moved away from. In the mid-20th century, using things like frosting mix or condensed milk was a sign of a "modern" kitchen. Today, it feels vintage.
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Joanna often talks about how her dad loved these candies because his sister made them every year. It’s that connection to family that makes the Joanna Gaines cherry mashers more than just a sugar bomb. They’re a tradition.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Wet Cherries: If you don't pat those maraschino cherries dry with a paper towel after chopping, the extra juice will make the fondant runny. It won't set, no matter how long you freeze it.
- Cheap Chocolate: Use a decent almond bark or melting wafer. If you use just straight chocolate chips, the coating might stay soft at room temperature and get messy.
- Skipping the Peanuts: The peanuts are the only thing providing balance. Without the salt, it’s just a ball of sugar. Use salted peanuts, not unsalted.
Actionable Tips for Your First Batch
If you're ready to tackle these, start by sourcing that Betty Crocker Fluffy White Frosting Mix early. It tends to disappear from shelves during the holidays. If you absolutely can't find it, you can swap it for an extra 1.5 cups of powdered sugar and an extra tablespoon of condensed milk, though the texture will be denser.
Get your parchment paper ready and clear out a flat spot in your freezer before you start mixing. Once that "mash" is ready, you have to move fast before it warms up and becomes a sticky mess. Store the finished candies in an airtight container in the fridge—they’ll stay fresh for about three days, though they rarely last that long.
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Make a double batch of the chocolate-peanut coating. It’s better to have too much than to run out when you still have five pink balls sitting on the tray. Plus, any leftover chocolate can be dropped onto wax paper to make simple peanut clusters.
Final thought: serve these cold. There’s something about the way the cherry flavor pops when it’s chilled that makes the whole experience significantly better.