The summery flavor of fresh cherries is transformed into a delightfully intoxicating beverage in this simple recipe for cherry-infused vodka.
This intensely flavorful infusion is superb, whether you sip it straight, mix it into a cocktail or lighten it with a splash of sparkling water. You’ll find many recipes for cherry infused spirits that are additionally flavored with spices or citrus, but we opted for a simpler, straightforward preparation that yields an exceptionally clean, bright cherry flavor and brilliant, ruby-red color.
This recipe uses sweet cherries and vodka; nothing else. You could use tart cherries for a tangier flavor (additional sugar optional), or brandy instead of vodka, but you’ll enjoy the results with any of these variations.
Here’s an important tip: Use whole, unpitted cherries if possible. The pits will add a faint, but appealing hint of bitterness and a delicate almond flavor. Of course, if you prefer, you can remove the pits from some or all of the cherries.
We like to serve cherry-infused vodka straight up in a small cordial glass, with one of the whole infused cherries. Sip it gradually, savoring each drop, then eat the potent vodka-soaked cherry last of all.
Fresh Cherry-Infused Vodka
Ingredients:
- 1 lb fresh unpitted sweet cherries (tart cherries will work too)
- 1 750 ml bottle vodka or brandy
Directions:
Rinse the cherries well and remove the stems. Place them into a large glass jar or non-reactive container (approximately 1/2 gallon).
Pour in the the vodka or brandy, making sure all of the cherries are completely covered by the liquid. Seal the container tightly and place in a cool, dark place for at least 1 month.
When it’s ready to drink, pour off the bright red, cherry-infused spirits into a clean bottle, but be sure to reserve the vodka-soaked cherries for cooking or eating later (you’ll find that they’re amazingly firm, with a decidedly boozey kick).
If you’re able, make enough to put some aside to enjoy later. In a few months, when winter has come and it’s cold and dreary outside, dust off the bottle and treat yourself to a drop or two of pure, liquid summer.
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How do you get and infused cherry with the stem on as shown in your picture?
That’s a fresh cherry, used as a garnish.
Can you soak them overnight?
The cherries need to remain soaking in the vodka for at least 2 weeks. A month is better.
i was pitting cherries for a pie by pushing the pit out with a straw into a bottle. Because there were a lot of cherry pieces in the bottle, I thought I could pour vodka into the bottle to make cherry vodka. But I just found out that cherry pits are toxic. Will this vodka be dangerous to drink?
Julia, it’s true that cherry pits can be toxic, especially if the pit is cracked open and the kernel is eaten. Cherry pits (and other stone fruits) contain naturally occurring cyanide compounds which are harmless when only the fruit is eaten. While the vodka would probably be safe to drink, I haven’t been able to find any reliable information online. My advice would be to play it safe and avoid using a large concentration of pits when infusing vodka.
The recipe says to drain the alcohol –why cant we leave the cherries in the bottle and just get out a shot and one cherry at a time?
Yes, you can leave the alcohol on the cherries as long as you like. One shot/one cherry is the way we do it at home. 🙂
Is there a expiration date or because of the vodka it can keep indefinitely?
Yes, the cherries will keep pretty much indefinitely if kept immersed in the vodka. We’ve kept them for up to six months with no noticeable loss of quality. Once the vodka has been strained off, we recommend keeping any unused cherries in the refrigerator.
Can you use cheap vodka for this??
You certainly don’t have to use the most expensive vodka to get a nice result. We use a middle of the road vodka, something not too cheap, similar to a bar “well” vodka, the kind used in mixed drinks.
I don’t think you need to use anything but a cheap vodka. The cherries will do all the work for you. Vodka has, virtually, no flavor anyway so it won’t matter
Will the recipe work with cherries that have been frozen? We had so many this year that we had to freeze them or lose them … Thanks.
We have not tried infusing alcohol using previously frozen cherries, but I see no reason why they wouldn’t work very well. Only one way to find out! Please let us know if you give it a try,
I used frozen cherries last year and it was delicious. I haven’t tried fresh so I can’t tell you what the difference is. Making more today:)
Happy to have found this post. We made cherry jam and had about two pints of cherry halves left over. I covered the with vodka and refrigerated two weeks ago. Cheers!
Cheers!
Will it be ok to take the pit out and have no pit while they are sitting in the vodka for the month!
Sure! It’s more work, but the result will be pretty much the same. You’ll probably have more juice leak into the vodka, but that’s not necessarily a BAD thing. 😉
Can you smash the cherries and have the juice from the cherries in there with the vodka as it ferments
We don’t advise smashing the cherries. Be patient and the juice will slowly infuse into the vodka over time. Also keep in mind that there is no fermentation taking place. The vodka is a distilled spirit and the high alcohol content will prevent any further fermentation.
Hello…I am infusing the cherries with Blue Ice vodka for over a month now…I did leave the pits in the cherries…Is it true the pits are toxic??? Will this be safe to drink???
The pits are only toxic if you eat them and if you eat a LOT of them. Don’t worry, your infused vodka will be both delicious and safe to consume.