DIY Cocktail Cherries
In this case, homemade is just fine.
by Erin Henderson
Maybe I'm getting cheap in my old age, but I just can't bring myself to spend $25 on a 400-gram jar of cocktail cherries.
I'm delighted so many things in the cocktail world are getting more accessible by the day, and that everyday folk are happily upping their home bar game from the standard rye and ginger to a drink that is a bit more considered, but jumpin' Jehoshaphat, things have jumped the shark.
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I nearly had to take to my fainting couch when I was perusing a cocktail store and saw a jaunty porcelain bottle coquettishly waving its double-digit price tag at me.
Sorry, Roxanne, you'll have to shine your red light on another patsy.
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The good news is making your own cocktail cherries only takes minutes (and a few days of wait time) and the recipe is super flexible to any tastes. You can use fresh, frozen, jarred or canned cherries, and flavour the syrup with whatever spices appeal to you.
I also really like giving the jarred cherries as hostess gifts and for the holidays.
DIY Cocktail Cherries
Use this recipe as a guide, not a god. The important thing is to make sure your cherries are submerged in enough sugar syrup, so they don't rot. There's no need to go through the process of jarring, unless you really want to and you're making a lot. I only make an 8oz Mason jar at a time, and they last for months in my fridge (but as always, use your common sense – if it smells funky or develops a mold, pitch it and make a fresh batch.)
If this is new territory for you, start here and then play around. You can swap out the bourbon for rum, brandy, or even port, and you can play around with the spices: bay leaf, fennel, coriander and black or pink peppercorn add a touch of savoury, or use cloves, star anise or cardamom. It's really up to you and your imagination. Which, conveniently, gets better as the cocktail hour wains on.
Makes: 8oz
Bartender level: Easy
Ingredients:
- 1 cup plain white granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 small cinnamon stick
- 2 all spice berries
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup bourbon (I also really like dark rum)
- ¼ cup Maraschino liqueur
- 1 cup jarred sour cherries (but you can use whatever cherries you prefer)
How to Make It:
- Combine the sugar, water, cinnamon, all spice, and salt in a saucepan and warm over medium-low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the syrup is clear.
- Off the heat, add in the bourbon, Maraschino liqueur and the cherries. Stir to combine and allow to cool.
- Remove the spices and pour the cherries into a sterilized jar, topping with any remaining syrup to submerge all the fruit.
- Close tightly and store in the fridge until needed. These will last indefinitely, but, as always use your best judgment.
