This Bourbon Cherry Cocktail is made with easy homemade cherry syrup that gives it the best sweet cherry flavor! Bourbon and cherries are such a delicious combination, and this cocktail is really easy to make. It's great for any party or get-together, and you can make it in a pitcher as well.
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Why You'll Love This Cherry Cocktail
Delicious flavor combination - Bourbon and cherries go together really well, and this is such a delicious cocktail for late summer as a transition into fall. While I like making this drink in the summer, the syrup can be made with frozen cherries, so you can make this drink all through fall and winter! It would be delicious for Thanksgiving or any fall party.
Easy and simple - While this drink calls for homemade syrup, it's still really easy to make! You can store the syrup for up to 2 weeks, so you can easily make it ahead of time! The actual cocktail has just 4 ingredients, and it comes together in less than 5 minutes!
Ingredients
- Bourbon - The cocktail calls for Bourbon whiskey, but regular whiskey will work as well if you can't find Bourbon. My go-to brand is Maker's Mark Bourbon.
- Cherry syrup - If you have 30 minutes and some fresh cherries, I highly recommend making your own Cherry Simple Syrup! It will yield the best flavor. Alternatively, you can use store-bought syrup.
- Lemon juice - Use freshly squeezed lemon juice whenever possible for the best flavor.
- Bitters - I like using cherry bitters in this cocktail to really enhance the cherry flavor, but orange bitters work as well. You can get creative and use other flavors like ginger, fig, or various herbs like sage, thyme, or mint! You can also skip the bitters altogether if you don't have any; the cherry syrup will be enough.
Variations and Substitutions
- Store-bought syrup - I always look for small local brands with syrup made with cane sugar and no artificial colors or ingredients. My favorite is Prosyro syrup made in Montreal. Monin and Torani are popular ones that are available at most places.
- More cherry flavor - Make cherry-infused bourbon by adding some pitted cherries to your bourbon, making sure they're submerged, and let that sit for a few days before making your cocktail. You can also muddle two pitted cherries in your shaker or add ½-1 oz pure cherry juice.
- Sparkling water - The cocktail is also delicious topped up with sparkling water, club soda, or a cherry soda (I like sugar-free ones).
- Pitcher version - You can easily make this drink in a pitcher by just stirring everything together really well. The recipe card has the exact measurements for a 10-serving pitcher. You can also multiply the recipe by however many servings you need!
- Mocktail version - Bourbon is a difficult liquor to mimic with anything non-alcoholic unless you use a zero-proof spirit that is made to have the same flavor. Otherwise, you can also mix the cherry syrup and lemon juice with ginger beer or some sparkling water for a refreshing soda served over ice!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Homemade syrup: If you want to make your own syrup, I highly recommend doing this the day before to save time.
I have a separate post for Cherry Simple Syrup with extra tips and detailed instructions. The syrup lasts for 2 weeks in the fridge, so it's perfect prepped ahead!
- When you're ready to make your cocktail, fill a short glass with ice and set it aside.
- Add bourbon, cherry simple syrup, lemon juice, and cherry or orange bitters to a cocktail shaker.
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- Add a handful of ice to the shaker.
- Shake vigorously for about 10 seconds, until very cool to the touch.
- Strain the cocktail into your prepared glass over ice.
- Garnish with fresh cherries, a lemon slice, and fresh mint if you have it, and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks!
- Cocktail shaker - If you don't have a cocktail shaker, you can use a mason jar! Use the flat lid tor a small strainer to strain your cocktail.
Make-Ahead Options
Homemade syrup - I highly recommend making the cherry syrup ahead of time if you're making your own. It lasts in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, and it can be frozen as well.
Lemon juice - If you're making more than one or two servings, I also recommend juicing your lemons the day before. They don't last nearly as long as the syrup, but they can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge for a day or two. I like using an electric juicer for this, and it speeds up the process so much!
FAQs
You don't need to use top-shelf bourbon for this cocktail; any mid-range price bourbon is great. I like Maker's Mark bourbon here or anything similar.
No, maraschino cherries have a very different flavor from fresh cherries. If that's more your vibe, definitely go for it, but I highly recommend giving fresh cherry flavor a try!
You can add some 100% cherry juice or some cherry bitters. Bitters surprisingly add a lot of flavor but won't make the cocktail any sweeter.
Other Bourbon Cocktails
If you like this cocktail and want to try other ones that feature bourbon, check out the three below! You can also check out all my Cocktails to see the latest ones!
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Have you tried this Cherry Bourbon Cocktail? Please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
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Print📖 Recipe
Bourbon Cherry Cocktail
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Bourbon Cherry Cocktail is made with easy homemade cherry syrup that gives it the best sweet cherry flavor! It's great for any party or get-together, and you can make it in a pitcher as well.
Ingredients
- 2 cups ice cubes (approx., I don’t measure this)
- 2 oz bourbon whiskey
- 1 oz cherry simple syrup
- ½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 dashes cherry bitters (or orange bitters)
- Garnish: fresh cherries, lemon slice, fresh mint
Instructions
- Fill a short glass with ice and set aside.
- Add bourbon, cherry simple syrup, lemon juice, and cherry or orange bitters to a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds until very cool to the touch.
- Strain the cocktail into your prepared glass over ice and garnish with fresh cherries, a lemon slice, and fresh mint. Enjoy!
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Veronika Sykorova says
You'll love this cocktail for summer and fall! It's made with homemade fresh cherry syrup and it's so refreshing!