Homemade Bourbon Soaked Cocktail Cherries

74 thoughts on “Homemade Bourbon Soaked Cocktail Cherries”

1. 
   Thank you! I can’t seem to find these in most stores in Santa Varbara, so decided to make my own.
   Your site gave me more info than any other. 💃

   1. This is so awesome to hear – I’m glad I could help!

      1. The recipe says this is three pints but in the instructions it says to use half pints. What is the yield? 3 pints or 3 half pints? Thank you!

         1. Hi Shelly! The total yield is 3 pints worth, but I recommend dividing the cherries among half pints (so about 6 half pints). Sorry for the confusion!

            1. No worries! Thanks so much!!

            2. 
               Great hard to find recipe. I used cherry juice instead of water because that is what my original recipe called for not water. Can’t wait until these are finished although I hope to give as Christmas gifts

2. How long are the unopened cans good for? Thanks in advance!

   1. If properly processed in a water bath, I’d say unopened, sealed jars will keep in a cool, dark place for 1 to 2 years. After that, the quality of the fruit will degrade. I’ve personally never had them last that long without getting eaten!

      1. 
         I made these last year, I have 3 coworkers very eager for cherry season this year 😄
         Awesome recipe! Thank you!

3. Just made a batch up. Anxious for 2 weeks to pass by. Recipe seems easy and straight forward. I did have some simple syrup left over though. Hope I added enough.

   1. Thanks Lori! As long as you could cover your cherries to the proper headspace, you’ll be just fine!

      1. Thanks for the recipe. I can’t wait to try them. In the early 1960’s, my father made this in gallon jugs using hard candy for the sweet.

4. What’s the temperature of a hot water bath?? Thanks

   1. Hi Poc! If you aren’t familiar with hot water bath processing for shelf stable canning, I recommend reviewing this resource for instructions: https://foodinjars.com/blog/new-to-canning-start-here-boiling-water-bath-canning/

      1. I made these cherries and I’ve been canning for many many years. Never with alcohol. After the water bath I let them sit off the burner for 10 minutes and when I took the jars out of the water the juice still seeped out a little. The jars did seal even after juice seeping out. Hopefully they will be ok. Should I have left them sit in the water longer?

         1. Hi Maria! That can happen sometimes. Did you leave the jars undisturbed for 24 hours, and they sealed properly despite the seepage? If so, you should be fine. If you have any concerns on any of the jars, I suggest storing them in the fridge.

      2. What is the best most scrumptious brand of bourbon and of the orange liqueur to use for this recipe?

         1. I always use Cointreau as my orange liquor of choice. As for bourbon, I recommend something mid-range – There is too much go on for a really great craft bourbon to shine, but using something that goes well in a casual cocktail – Bulliet, Buffalo Trace, Maker’s Mark, etc. – are all solid go to’s!

         2. This was sooooo good. My only change was cut back on sugar to 1 cup. I found it to be a little too sweet and I also used frozen pitted cherries and they were delicious Thank you for the recipe.

5. They sound delicious. One question, what do you mean by venting jars for 10 minutes?

   1. Hi Alice! Venting just means leaving the jars in the water bath, rather than taking them out right away. Turn off the heat, move the pot off the burner, and let the jars just sit for 10 minutes once you’ve finished processing them.

6. Can you substitute frozen cherries for this recipe?

   1. I don’t know if I would trust frozen cherries in this recipe. While they work great in jam, I’d worry they would get too mushy and wouldn’t hold their shape appropriately.

   2. I have used frozen Cherries from BJ’s and they came out great!

7. I made these cherries and they are so delicious!! I am lucky to have a cottage in Traverse City, Michigan, the cherry capital. My daughter and I picked cherries from a tree down the street and I made them that night. Your recipe is perfect. Thank you for sharing it.
   Lori

   1. I’m so jealous! That sounds amazing. I’m glad you loved the recipe! <3

8. Do you have to do the water bath process?

   1. The waterbath process seals the jars, helps kill bacteria that may have accidentally made it into your jars, and allows them to be shelf stable until opened (at least 1 year). You can skip the waterbath, but you’ll need to store all of your jars in the fridge and should use them relatively soon (I always water bath, so I’m unsure the exact life). Good luck!

9. Hi, Kristen. I love this recipe. Thank you. I followed your link to the well-written canning tutorial, and I have a question. The article suggests adding some white vinegar to the water bath. (1) How much vinegar?, and (2) wouldn’t the vinegar affect the taste of the cherries (or whatever we are canning)? Thanks! David

   1. Hi David!

      I actually never add vinegar to my water bath. I think I might have years ago, but personally didn’t see much of a difference. Some canners swear by it, but its not required for safe canning. If you do choose to add some, maybe just a splash? For a more technical answer, I’d recommend reaching out to the author of the article I linked. In terms of flavor, by the time you put the jars into the water bath, they should already have their lids screwed on tight – none of the water/vinegar from the waterbath should ever end up inside your preserve.

   2. 
      I always add vinegar because I have very hard well water. The vinegar keeps the jars from being covered with white powdery scale. It doesn’t affect the taste at all.

      1. Thanks for the tip about the vinegar and the hard water. I’ve never heard of that and will definitely be try it. I’m so excited for cherry season! This sounds like a wonderful recipe!!

10. Hi Kristen- can I leave the pits in?

    1. Hi Judi –

       From a food safety stand point, leaving the pits in shouldn’t impact the process. In terms of flavor and quality, I can’t say. I’ve made jarred cherries that have included the pits before (different recipe), and honestly didn’t find it worth my effort. I highly recommend pitting the cherries if you want the best quality product for your time and money!

       1. Hi Kristen, Love this Recipe! This is the second year we’ll be using it. Wondering if the amount of sugar is a canning safety issue? We don’t like things overly sweet, thinking about having it. What do you think?

          1. ***halfing, not having – I’d like to try half the amount of sugar 😉

11. 
    This recipe is AMAZING!! We had a mass amount of cherries this year!! I’ve already canned 14 pints!! Cheers to many Manhattans this Fall!!

    1. I am so jealous – that sounds awesome! I’m so glad you liked the recipe and it will go to such a worthy cause.

12. 
    This was delicious! We went cherry picking a couple of weeks ago and found this recipe during our search for creative ways to use them. We followed your recipe instructions and waited for 2 weeks to cure. We had them in a cherry cocktail tonight. SO GOOD. Thank you for sharing!

    1. Thank you so much Katherine!

13. Is it possible to pit the cherries and leave the stem intact.

    1. Hi Rick! I’ve personally never tried it – I wouldn’t be surprised if there is some trick to making that happen, but i bet it would rather intricate to accomplish.

       1. It worked! The pitter removed the pit and left the stem. I clipped off the end of the stem so it wouldn’t contaminate the syrup ….maybe!
          So they look fabulous in the jar!
          Thanks for the recipe! Party on…..😀

          1. That’s awesome! Pretty garnishes are the best. 🙂

14. I saw that thyme Paris well with cherries and of course noticed the website name… Have you tried adding a touch of thyme to this recipe as I am tempted and would be curious beforehand.

    1. Hi Todd! I haven’t tried thyme in this recipe – I like to keep the cherries relatively neutral since I use them in all kinds of drinks. Add an herb and it becomes less versatile.

       That being said, I have made cherry jam with thyme and its lovely.

15. Me and a friend made your cherry recipe last year and are already plotting for at least doubling the quantity this year. Delicious!

    The only detail was that the all the ingredients in the liquid I did them per batch rather than per jar which seem to simplify from my perspective the assembly. Also used vanilla rather than vanilla bean.

16. Hi Kristen, I’m going to try your recipe. Is the lemon juice just for flavor or is it for safely Canning? I was also wondering if I can just use bourbon?
    Thank you

    1. Hi Kris! The lemon juice adds acidity, and is essential to safety. I wouldn’t skip it.

17. 
    I loved this recipe and it’s simplicity of ingredients! I’ve used other recipes in the past that have a spice sachet. Love the idea of just vanilla bean and Cointreau. I substituted cherry juice (no sugar added) for the water. I’ve done this with other recipes. Love the extra cherry deliciousness.

    1. That sounds amazing!

18. Other than the fact you have to be aware, do you have to pit the cherries? Can you just leave them whole?

    1. Hi Jim – From a safety standpoint leaving the pits in the cherries shouldn’t make a difference. That being said, I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t speak to the quality of the final product.

       According to the National Center for Home Food Preservation (NCHFP), you should prick the fruit on each sire with a sterile needle if leaving the pits in to avoid bursting during the canning process, so I would try this if I didn’t want to pit the cherries.

       That being said, I find the little bit of work on the front end to pit the cherries to be more than worth it. The gourmet cherries on the market are always pitted and stemless, and I find the cherries soak up more delicious flavors when dropped in a cocktail this way. Just my two cents!

19. These sound and look amazing! Do you think it would work to leave the stems on?

    1. Ugh I’m sorry— I just saw the previous comment asking about pits. I was just thinking the Stamms might look nice as a garnish.

20. *stems

21. Do these end up with a nice thick, dark syrup like Luxardo cherries? They look amazing, and I think we all agree, it’s nice to avoid spending $18 for one small jar of cherries.

    Thanks!

    1. None of my jars have gotten quite that dark and syrupy – I wouldn’t be surprised if some kind of thickener is used, or if they just can just let things cook down a lot longer and higher than I can at home! That beings said, the syrup is still beautiful and makes a delicious addition to cocktails – I’d say its more the consistency of a good grenadine.

22. This sounds delicious and I CANNOT wait to try it! It’s a great gift idea!

    My question: Is there a big taste difference between using the actual vanilla bean vs using vanilla extract? I went to 2 stores this past weekend looking for vanilla beans for a different recipe and couldn’t find any. But I almost always have vanilla extract on hand.

    1. In this recipe, I wouldn’t worry about it too much. I use a splash of vanilla extract when I don’t have a good bean on hand. I feel like it dilutes the vanilla taste a bit, but not enough to stress about it!

       I hope you enjoy your cherries!

23. Thanks for the recipe. I hate the cost of nice cocktail cherries. Although I did not can the cherries, I chose to go straight into the fridge, I followed the recipe using a 10oz bag of frozen organic black cherries and Jameson. The cherries only filled one jar which will only last me about a month. Gary Regan, in the Joy of Mixology, said frozen cherries are perfect for homemade cocktail cherries.

24. Hi There,
    My Question is “Does the canning process cook off the alcohol?” I don’t really drink but I like the bourbon flavor.

    1. It definitely does not. These are very boozy.

    2. It’s a myth that alcohol ‘cooks off’. As one who has cooked for a man who could have no alcohol in his diet due to medical issues, I did a LOT of research. These definitely are still boozy, hence the name.
       Beware, though, if you always thought recipes were alcohol free due to cooking in any way.

25. Hi- what about a version without sugar/simple syrup? Has anybody tried that? I’m thinking of just using booze and lemon juice, but am a beginning canner and don’t know what the sugar might contribute.
    Thank you for this great recipe and discussion!

26. I’m confused about the half pint versus the pint. If I make 3 pint sized jars, do I double the amount of liquor in each jar? Or is the liquor the same per jar, regardless of the size?
    Also, can I divide the vanilla bean into 3 pieces and add a piece to each jar? Or do I throw out the vanilla bean? (They’re expensive!)
    Thanks!

    1. Hi Marilyn –

       The recipe makes 3 pints worth of cherries and syrup – the amount of booze in each jar might need to be increased if you use pints instead of half pints, the important part is to make sure you leave the half-inch headspace before water bath processing – no more, no less.

27. I wish I would have seen this yesterday! I pitted cherries yesterday, made some jams and desserts, and froze a bunch!

    Based on some of the other responses, I am going to go ahead and try a small batch with the frozen!

    Wish me luck

    1. Welp, I feel prey to the half pint vs pint debacle and used pints instead of half pints to process. I’m not worried about the size difference as much as I didn’t double the alcohol. Will this effect the safety of the jars?

28. Hi Kristen,I’m excited to try this recipe! I found local Michigan frozen cherries but they are “Tart” – not sweet. Have you ever made it with Tart? I typically like less sweet cherries.

    1. I was wondering the same thing

29. I ordered the cherry pitter and it worked like a dream. The splash guard meant very little mess! The cherries turned out great. Very pleased!

30. These turned out so great! I only made three jars in my original batch. Made three more jars and today was 12. Everyone wants them!
    The only thing I couldn’t figure out was the lemon juice. It’s in the ingredients list but not the recipe. Seems to be fine without the lemon juice.

31. Could I subsitute coconut sugar for the granulated sugar in the Bourbon cherry recipe?

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