Sour Cherry Vodka Liqueur Recipes

HOMEMADE CHERRY LIQUEUR | GUIGNOLET

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, heat the cherries, wine, and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
• Bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Immediately reduce the heat and let it simmer languidly for 5 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and let cool.
• Stir the kirsch into the cherries and wine. Transfer the boozy liquid to a container with a tight-fitting lid, cover, and set aside at room temperature or in the fridge for 2 days.
• Pour the liqueur, including the cherries, into sterilized bottles or jars with screw-top lids. Either stop the bottles with new corks or screw the lids onto the jars. Refrigerate the cherry liqueur until you consume it, preferably that same week.
• Strain the cherry liqueur just before serving. Reserve the boozy cherries left behind to spoon over ice cream, layer with cake and whipped cream, plop atop rice pudding, or, well, we could go on, but you get the idea. Sip the chilled liqueur as-is or turn it into a spritzer* (see What You Need To Know below) and savor.

WISNIAK (POLISH CHERRY CORDIAL LIQUEUR) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Place cherries in a 1-quart (1-liter) jar. Pour sugar over cherries (do not stir or shake).
• Slowly pour the spirits or vodka over the cherries until the jar is full (leave a slight gap at the top). Make sure cherries are covered but do not stir or shake.
• Tightly close the jar and place in a pantry or closet for three months at room temperature.
• After three months, strain the ​nalewka and rebottle. It may be drunk immediately or aged further.
• Serve and enjoy.

CHERRY VODKA

Steps:

• Pit and halve the cherries. As in all vodka recipes, it is important that the flesh of the fruit be somehow exposed.
• Fill a jar with the cherries, but do not pack it. Pour the vodka on top and seal tightly. Leave in a dark place, preferably for at least 2 weeks-or up to 6 months. At the end of that time, open the jar and strain. If you have a very fine-mesh strainer, that will do. If not, use an ordinary strainer lined with a cheesecloth or even a coffee filter. Set the strainer over a large bowl, ideally one from which you'll be able to easily pour afterward. Pour the vodka mixture through the strainer and allow the fruit to sit, seeping liquid, for a good hour or so, stirring a bit and pressing if need be to make the liquid go through.
• Now taste the vodka. Add sugar if you want an after-dinner liqueur, or leave it out if you want something sharper. Pour (or ladle) into a decorative bottle.

CHERRY VODKA SOUR

Steps:

• Stir together vodka, sweet and sour mix, and grenadine in an 8 ounce glass. Fill with ice.

CHERRY LIQUEUR

Steps:

• Mix vodka, brandy and sugar in a large glass measure or medium mixing bowl; stir well to dissolve.
• Cut each washed cherry slightly to open, leave in pits.
• Place cherries in two sterile, quart wide mouth jars or one larger aging container.
• Pour liquid mixture over cherries; stir and cap with tight lids.
• For the first two weeks, shake jars several times.
• Let age in a cool, dark place for at least 3 months for best flavor.
• Strain off liqueur through a wire mesh strainer and discard cherries.
• Rebottle as desired.
• Liqueur is ready in 3 months.
• VARIATIONS:Almond-Cherry Liqueur: For a more prominent"almond" flavor, pit all or part of the cherries.
• Place cherry pits in a clean cloth and hit with a hammer to break them up slightly.
• Put broken pits and pitted cherries in jars or large container and continue as directed.
• Sugarless Cherry Liqueur: Substitute 1 cup apple juice concentrate, undiluted, for the sugar in the Cherry Liqueur recipe.
• Proceed as directed.
• The"sugars" present will be natural fruit sugars rather than the granulated processed sugars.
• Taste is excellent; aging is the same.

SOUR CHERRY VODKA

Steps:

• Put the cherries into a 1-quart Mason jar, and cover with the sugar.
• Seal the jar and shake it several times, until the cherries are well coated with sugar.
• Add the vodka, reseal, and shake the jar a few more times to mix.
• Set aside in a cool, dark place for 4 weeks.
• Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a 4-cup glass measuring cup.
• If desired, transfer the liqueur to a decanter.
• The Sour Cherry Vodka should be ready to drink immediately and has a shelf life of 2 to 3 months.