This Cherry Bounce Recipe is a sweet, flavored homemade liqueur made by soaking pitted cherries with sugar and whiskey for at least three months. This process creates a flavorful cherry-infused cordial that can be enjoyed over ice or used in cocktails! For another homemade cocktail, check out my Apple Pie Moonshine, too! Cheers!
What Is Cherry Bounce?
Cherry bounce is a cherry liqueur made by infusing cherries with sugar and a spirit like a whiskey, bourbon, rum, brandy, or sometimes vodka. In this recipe, I used whiskey. It needs the time to steep to give it that true cherry flavor. It is considered a favorite of George Washington and popular in colonial times. Hey, if the cherry bounce has that amount of staying power, it must be good, right?!? And, with just three ingredients and some patience, you can have it at your fingertips, or should I say lips?
Cherry Bounce Ingredients & Smart Substitutions
Cherries: Sweet, tart, or even sour cherries work in this cherry bounce recipe. But, depending on the type of cherries used, you may need to adjust the amount of sugar added. If using frozen cherries, ensure they are fully thawed before using.
Sugar: Granulated sugar serves a few purposes in cherry bounce. It adds sweetness, brings out more flavor from the cherries, and acts as a preservative.
Whiskey: The spirit I chose to use is a good quality whiskey that I like to drink on its own. Other popular choices for cherry bounce are brandy, bourbon, rum, or vodka.
How To Use Cherry Bounce
Cherry Bounce can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Here are some of my favorite ways to use the liqueur:
- Sipped neat (as-is) in your favorite glass (a tasty nightcap)
- On the rocks (poured over ice)
- In cocktails like a Cherry Old-Fashioned or Cherry Manhattan
- Mix with soda water sparkling water, tonic, lemon-lime soda, or any beverage that needs a cherry twist
- Drizzled over desserts like ice cream, cheesecake, or chocolate cake
Don’t forget about the cherries themselves. They can be enjoyed as they are for an adult treat, used as a garnish for cocktails, or spooned over ice cream for a boozy dessert!
How To Store Cherry Bounce
Once the cherry bounce is mixed and stored in a jar with a secure lid, keep it in a cool, dark place for at least three months. Give a shake now and then, too. This gives it time for the flavors to develop. It also makes it a smoother drink, mellowing out the harsher taste of the alcohol. After it has been opened, you can continue to store it at room temperature as long as the cherries are still submerged in the alcohol.
Cherry Bounce Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (308 g) sweet or tart cherries, pitted
- ⅔ cup (133 g) granulated sugar
- 2-3 cups good quality whiskey
Instructions
- In a quart jar, combine pitted cherries and granulated sugar. Top with whiskey, leaving about 1 inch of headspace. Cover the jar tightly with a lid and shake well.
- Place the jar in a cool, dark place for a minimum of 3 months, allowing it to mature for up to 1 year. Shake the jar occasionally during this period to help dissolve the sugar and enhance flavor development.
- To serve, strain cherries out. Then, pour over ice or in your favorite cocktail.
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Could you use everclear? I have some that I have nothing else to do with it.
Why have the cherries color bleached out?it looks and smells amazing but the cherries lack color.
Hi Roberta! Some fading can happen as the cherries infuse and release their color and flavor into the alcohol. However, I’m curious what type of cherries you used and whether they were fresh, frozen, or commercially preserved. Some varieties naturally have much lighter flesh, and processed cherries can behave differently. If you let me know what you used (even the brand, if you still have it), I may be able to give you a better answer!
Where do you get pitted fresh cherries?
Hi Charlotte! You don’t need to purchase cherries that are already pitted. 😊 You can use fresh sweet or tart cherries and remove the pits yourself with a cherry pitter. Frozen cherries can also be used; just thaw them completely before making the recipe.
I was given a bag of dried sweet cherry bits recently. Would they work to make Cherry Bounce? I’ve been trying to find a recipe for months to use these cherry bits.
Hi Sherri! I love that you’re looking for a way to use them! I haven’t tested Cherry Bounce with dried cherry bits, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting them for the fresh or frozen cherries in this recipe. Dried cherries have much less moisture and would absorb the whiskey differently, so the amounts and final result would likely need some adjusting. For this recipe, I’d stick with fresh or fully thawed frozen cherries. I hope you find the perfect use for those cherry bits!
Can I make thiss with other fruits?
yes
Though not ideal I am trying a batch with canned pitted tart cherries – in my area of the south finding any tart cherries is nearly impossible. I grew up in Michigan and my dad used to make it every year, but I have to ask a question because I came remember. I know the infused liquid is the goal; what happens to the cherries – do you include them in the servings, do you filter them out? I just can’t remember what he did.
Hi! What a wonderful memory of your dad making this every year. ❤️ Once the Cherry Bounce has finished infusing, I strain the liquid and discard the cherries before transferring the bounce to bottles. However, you certainly don’t have to throw them away! The cherries will have absorbed quite a bit of alcohol, so you can save them and serve a cherry with a small pour of the bounce, use them as a cocktail garnish, or even spoon them over ice cream. Just keep in mind…they’ll be quite boozy! 😊 And not as pretty.
Canned tart cherries can work in a pinch. I would just make sure they’re packed in water or juice rather than pie filling/syrup, and drain them very well before using.