June 22, 2025

Things Are a Mess. Preserve Those Cherries Anyway.

You'll thank me in a couple of months

The world is on fire once again, but let’s assume we’ll still be drinking Manhattans in the late summer and fall. With sour cherry season back in full swing for the next couple of weeks, it’s time to make your boozy preserved cherries! 

I’ve written about how to so many times that a friend recently suggested I try to market my own recipes. Nah. That takes the fun out of it. Because it is fun to make them. Unless you’re planning to sip cherry-garnished cocktails nonstop (I wouldn’t blame you), these will easily last you through most of fall and winter. Bonus: they’re also fantastic with ice cream. In fact, these can go a year or more if you’re the sort to ration them out. I always save a few to carry me over while the new batches come into their own in the jar. 

As promised (and thank you so much for your birthday wishes!), below are the basic instructions and a few variations to play with. I always make at least four different flavor combos. I find that the brandy ones are the most versatile, the rum vanilla is best on ice cream and also Daiquiris (not the traditional garnish, but seriously, this is no time for such austerity), bourbon rhubarb is ideal in a light Manhattan variation or Old Fashioned, rye amaro is optimal for Black Manhattans or those with darker, more bitter flavors. Shochu amaretto is fabulous in sours and tropical cocktails or simply added to a drop of whiskey on the rocks as a digestif.

First, sterilize those jars! 

Store the cherries in a clean, tight-sealing jar. If you’re reusing one, make sure it’s been fully cleaned and there are no lingering food odors that would affect the flavor (you don’t want cherries with garlic breath!). You can store the cherries in a standard canning jar—1.5 to 2 cups/240 to 400g—or divide them up into smaller jars, which are best for gifting or keeping behind an active bar. 

Sterilize the jars, seals, and lids before use by boiling them in water for at least 10 minutes (the Bain Marie method), and filling them immediately (or keep them in the hot water till using), handling with tongs until the jars are cooled. Filled and sealed jars can be kept unrefrigerated as long as the seal is intact, but refrigerate them once opened. 

To pit or not to pit? 

Some swear the cherries taste better if the pits are left inside. Most people prefer to remove the pits with a pitting tool (this one is the best $15 you’ll ever spend and it works for olives too), which only takes about 10 to 15 minutes.

Earlier today, since I was making three rounds of cherries in one afternoon—in the coolth of air conditioning during the start of a heatwave—to stay in the rhythm of pitting, cooking, and mixing, I listened to “Dots and Loops” by Stereolab. I can’t recommend it enough for this activity, but if it’s not your thing, add your own ambient accompaniment, catch up on a podcast, whatever soothes your fancy. 

The fruit of a pitted cherry sometimes isn’t as aesthetically pleasing as whole ones, but the reward is eating them in a carefree manner, and they can also be used in both sweet and savory dishes (such as pork chops or duck with cherry sauce). 

Basic prep

Each recipe will have the same base prep instructions: 

• ¾  cup (150 g) granulated or pure cane sugar

• ¾  cup (about 180 ml) water

• 1 pint container of sour cherries, (about 300-350 g) 

• Note: you can use other cherries, but then use less sugar as they will have more fruit sugars

• Sterilize the jar(s) per above instructions and leave in hot water till use. 

• Rinse and de-stem the cherries. Pit them if desired. 

• Heat the sugar and water in a small saucepan over low heat until the sugar dissolves and will coat the back of a spoon. In a larger saucepan, add as much syrup as needed to sweeten the cherries according to the below recipes, stir to coat, simmer for about 30 seconds (don’t burn the cherries!) and immediately turn off the heat. 

• Add the booze. Stir to coat the cherries. 

• Allow to cool. 

• Add to the jar, seal, and label. 

• Boozy cherries can be stored for months—up to a year and change—in the fridge or unopened in a cool, dry space as they are now well preserved! The longer they are stored before first use, the better they taste. The cherries can be used the next day, theoretically, but are best kept at least a few weeks in the jar. 

  

Get creative

Here are some recipe ideas, each using the basic prep as a template. Note: Some juice might be left over after the cherries are added to the jar. The residual boozy cherry juice can be used for cocktails or highballs and stored in the fridge for weeks. Any leftover syrup can be used for other cocktails or to sweeten tea, just store in the fridge for up to 10 days. 

Basic Boozy Cherries

Use any spirit here such as whiskey, brandy (including pisco), rum, vodka, even gin or tequila

• About 1 lb (350 g) cherries, rinsed, de-stemmed, and possibly pitted

• ½ cup (118 ml) syrup

• ¾ cup (180 ml) spirit of choice

Prepare according to the basic recipe above.

Rum Vanilla Cherries

• Prepare basic recipe using rum of choice (or mix different ones, even a spiced one). 

• Once added to the jar, add a bar spoon of good vanilla extract or one whole vanilla bean, split 

Amanda’s Classic Rye and Amaro 

This has been my go-to for years and a version appears in my book New York Cocktails. 

• To the basic recipe use ½ cup (120 ml) rye whiskey (don’t use one that’s too oak-forward)

• ¼ cup (about 60 ml) amaro—don’t use one that’s on the super bitter side. I like Zucca Rabarbaro, Ramazzotti, or Nonino for this purpose

Multi-Brandy Cherries

Use a blend of different styles of grape brandy here—cognac, American brandy, pisco, Spanish brandy, etc., ¾ cup (180 ml) total. 

Shochu/Soju Amaretto Cherries 

Japanese shochu or Korean soju styles made from rice or sweet potato are best here. It sounds weird, but the Amaretto compliments the aromatics of the spirit and the tartness of the fruit so beautifully. They’re a fabulous garnish for shaken sour cocktails, especially with some of their juice floated over the top. 

• Use ½ cup (120 ml) shochu or soju of choice

• ¼ cup (about 60 ml) amaretto liqueur 

  

Bourbon Rhubarb (or other liqueur) Cherries

I happen to have some Giffard Rhubarb liqueur and discovered that it’s fabulous in preserved cherries with a bourbon base! 

• Use ½ cup bourbon of choice (but one that’s not too oaky) 

• ¼ cup (about 60 ml) liqueur of choice, such as chocolate or other fruit. Apricot would be fabulous! Creme de menthe, not so much. 

Cheers! ~Amanda