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Bourbon-infused cherries are a classy way to take your cocktails up a notch. They look nice pierced on a toothpick, adding a splash of deep red to the top of your drink. And they add a nuanced, sweet and spicy touch to any whiskey-based cocktail. Whether you’re mixing up a Boulevardier Cocktail (Alton Brown’s favorite) or a New Orleans-inspired Sazerac, a bourbon-soaked cherry (or three!) is a delicious addition to your drink.
You can buy bourbon-soaked cherries online from brands like Jack Rudy Cocktail Co, and also at specialty grocery stores. Or you can make them yourself, controlling what kind of spices, brand of bourbon, and everything else that goes into your next favorite cocktail garnish. We had a few questions about how to make and use bourbon cherries in our cocktails, and so we turned to Deena Sayers, beverage director at The Stand, a restaurant and comedy club in New York. She explained her love for bourbon-soaked cherries in whiskey cocktails, pointing out that they’re a “natural and delicious addition” to the whole experience.
“They are the perfect match for Old Fashioned and a Manhattan, where their sweetness and subtle boozy depth enhance the whiskey’s inherent character without overpowering it,” Sayers tells Chowhound exclusively. “They also add a touch of richness and decadence to a Whiskey Sour as a garnish and a final flavorful bite.”
How to make your own bourbon-infused cherries at home
Bourbon cherries are just regular cherries, thrown in a jar with bourbon, simple vanilla extract, sugar, and spices. The concoction soaks for a few days, which is long enough for the flavors to infuse into the cherries. Then they’re ready to use straight away, or they store in the fridge for up to three months.
Use dark, sweet cherries for bourbon cherries instead of the zestier, more sour varieties. Fresh or frozen cherries will work, but make sure the pits are removed. Deena Sayers notes that you can speed up the process and soften the cherries a bit by simmering everything together on the stove. “When the mixture is then cooled, transfer it to a jar, and refrigerate to allow the cherries to soak up the Bourbon and syrup over time,” she explains exclusively to Chowhound.
The longer the cherries soak, the more infused with flavor they’ll become, so you might as well make a couple of jars and keep them on hand for cocktail hour. They even add a sweet, warm element to the cognac, champagne, lemon juice, and simple syrup in the classic French 75, the Ina Garten-approved cocktail that’s perfect for hosting lunch. They’re a winning touch for any casual evening cocktail and a great way to impress guests at your next dinner party.
