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    » Home » Recipes » Summer Fruit Recipes » Brandied Cherries

    Brandied Cherries

    Posted: Jul 11, 2014 · Updated: Oct 19, 2020 by Jenny McGruther · This site earns income from ads, affiliate links, and sponsorships.

    brandied cherries with text overlay that says = how to make brandied cherries

    Each summer, for a short window, orchards positively drip with ripe sweet cherries - blushing yellow Rainiers and Bings such a dark maroon they almost look black.  If you're blessed with an abundance, take the time to make homemade brandied cherries.

    These boozy, fragrant, vibrantly fruity cherries add flavor to homemade cocktails and drinks. And their flavor only improves with time, so make them this summer and tuck them into a cupboard until Christmas time arrives.

    Jump to Recipe | What are they? | Making Brandied Cherries | Storing | Serving Suggestions

    Brandied cherries in a glass jar with a split vanilla bean, ready for storage.

    What are brandied cherries?

    Brandied cherries are boozy, sweetened fruits that you make by soaking fresh cherries in a combination of rich syrup and brandy. They taste richly sweet, delightfully alcoholic, and, like homemade root beer, are a hallmark of authentic, early American cookery.

    At their simplest, Brandied Cherries need only a handful of ingredients: cherries, brandy, and sugar.   And most early American recipes call only for those simplest ingredients. You can also add spices if you like. Vanilla pairs particularly nicely with cherries.

    Soaking fruit in sweetened alcohol was a popular way of preserving cherries, peaches, and other stone fruit before refrigeration and water bath canning became widespread.

    Making Brandied Cherries

    To make brandied cherries, you'll begin first by trimming the stem of cherries or removing them completely. Next, prepare a rich syrup with sugar and water. Simmer the cherries in the syrup for a few minutes, and then transfer them to a jar. Whisk the syrup with brandy, and then pour it over the cherries and seal the jar.

    Before you make your first batch, there are a few helpful tips to keep in mind:

    • Select only the ripest, best fruit. Blemished fruit, over-ripe or under-ripe fruit make for poor preserves.
    • Trim the stem. Most early American recipes call for keeping the stem on the cherry and trimming it short.
    • Prick the cherries once with a toothpick. You'll simmer the cherries for a few minutes in a hot rich sugar syrup, and pricking them should prevent them from bursting.
    • Try substituting cherry juice for water. While not an authentic ingredient, it can amplify the flavor of your brandied cherries.
    • Keep the sugar content high. It's tempting to cut the sugar in the recipe (who needs more sugar, right?), but sugar acts as a preservative in this recipe - just like alcohol.

    How Should You Store the Cherries?

    Traditionally, cherries were preserved in brandy in the summer and stored at room temperature or in root cellars until winter. The high sugar content and the high alcohol content helped to preserve the foods and keep them safe.

    Early American cookbooks like  Miss Corson's Practical American Cookery (1886) and Aunt Babette's Cookbook (1889), recommend simply sealing the cherries in a jar and that's it.

    By contrast to traditionalists, modern preservers often use less sugar and recommend storing brandied cherries in the fridge or canning them in a water bath for about 10 minutes, increasing that time at higher elevations.

    Rate this Recipe
    5 from 1 vote
    32 servings (1 quart)

    Brandied Cherries Recipe

    Homemade brandied cherries, with their sweet and fruity booziness are fantastic in cocktails, or added to desserts. They're also easy to make, and a fantastic way to preserve the cherry harvest. Select ripe, unblemished fruit with the stem on for the best flavor.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Print Save RecipeSaved! Click to Remove Ads

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound sweet cherries
    • 1 vanilla bean split
    • 1 cup water
    • 2 cups unrefined cane sugar
    • 1 cup brandy

    Instructions

    • Trim the stems of the cherries to about ¼ inch, or remove them entirely. Then pierce each cherry once with a toothpick to prevent splitting.
    • Warm the water and sugar together in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar fully dissolves. Drop in the cherries and vanilla bean, and simmer them in the hot syrup about 2 minutes.
    • Strain the cherries, and reserve the syrup. Place the cherries and vanilla bean in a jar, and allow the syrup to cool to room temperature.
    • Whisk the room-temperature syrup with brandy, and pour it over the cherries. Seal the jar, and place it in a cool, dark cupboard or store it in the fridge. Allow the cherries to age at least six weeks before serving, and shake the jar periodically.

    Notes

    Substitutions: You can experiment with different caloric sweeteners like maple sugar, jaggery and coconut palm sugar if you like, but remember to keep the sugar content high for the best results. 
    Rate this recipe!If you loved this recipe, give it a rating. Let us know what works, what didn't and whether you made any adjustments that can help other cooks.

    Love brandied cherries? Try these cherry recipes next.

    • Red Fruit Salad
    • Cherry Sorbet
    • Cherry Shrub
    • Cherry Cordial

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Angela says

      August 03, 2020 at 1:15 pm

      5 stars
      Simple and great recipe! Any suggestions on what to do with the leftover 'juice'? It's too yummy to waste.

      Reply
    2. Jennifer says

      October 11, 2019 at 9:20 pm

      I made some brandied cherries and after about 3-4 weeks, they were quite bubbly, apparently fermenting. Are they safe to eat? I thought the alcohol and syrup would have preserved them, but not I'm not sure.

      Reply
    3. Paddy says

      September 03, 2018 at 11:57 am

      Thank you for the recipe, the addition of spices sounds wonderful. Have you ever tried adding cocoa nibs? Just curious. I was wondering if these coukd be done with honey rather than sugar. I appreciate your time, thanks again.

      Reply
      • Jenny says

        September 03, 2018 at 12:45 pm

        You could try and let us know how it goes.

    4. V Blackert says

      July 30, 2018 at 9:27 pm

      I would try this ( without the addition of canned cherry juice) but by warming the cognac aren't you boiling all the alcohol out of it?

      Reply
      • Carolina says

        June 25, 2019 at 9:06 pm

        That’s why you have to let the syrup(water, sugar and vanilla) cool to room temperature before adding the alcohol.

    5. Kristi says

      November 28, 2016 at 3:21 pm

      I was wondering how long they last once the seal is opened? I'm assuming the "up to one year" comment is for sealed jars? ThanKS,

      Reply
      • Jenny says

        November 29, 2016 at 10:49 am

        Hi Kristi,

        They don't really go bad - the alcohol acts like a great preservative.

    6. Kriszti says

      December 25, 2015 at 11:23 pm

      I'm excited to try this but wondering about leaving them on my window sill.
      I'm in Australia, window sill temps get up past 35 degree Celsius.
      Can I store them in a cooler dark place straight away?

      Reply
    7. Elizabeth says

      July 05, 2015 at 4:12 am

      My husband just pits the cherries, covers completely with brandy, and puts them in the back of the frig until the holidays. Delicious and not nearly as sweet.

      Reply
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