Homemade Cherry Brandy Recipe - Larder Love (2024)

Author: Karon Grieve

Recipe

While it may be considered somewhat retro Cherry Brandy is still a really popular drink. How to make cherry brandy? Read on my friends and I’ll show you exactly how it’s done and it’s so easy too.

Homemade Cherry Brandy Recipe - Larder Love (1)

Cherry Brandy is such an old fashioned drink. In fact it used to be known as Cherry Bounce.

Cherry brandy takes me right back to when I was a child and those fancy liqueur chocolates would come out at Christmas, there was always the cherry brandy ones that made you feel all grown up and decadent. Ah those were the days…..

The cherries are really cheap just now and the supermarkets have huge displays of glistening rich red goodness all waiting to be tasted.

We’ve been eating so many lately that i thought it was time I actually made something with them and stopped just stuffing them into my mouth.

Homemade Cherry Brandy Recipe - Larder Love (2)

How to stone cherries

Now I am being cautious here and I have stoned my cherries. I’ve used my old cherry stoner here but you can also use a co*ke cottle and straw to stone cherries.

Simply place the cherry in opening of empty bittle and hold in place while you gently pres cown in centre of the cherry with a drinking straw. The stone will pop out into the bottle!

Save the cherry stones

Save those stones, don’t throw them away. You can make Homemade Kirsch with the cherry stones. How’s that for not wasting a thing. Cherry brandy and homemade kirsch from the same batch of cherries!

Of course, you can wait till you fish them out of the brandy at a later date, but by then you may well have sampled said brandy and forget to stone the damn things at all. Then all hell will break loose when you chomp into one of those babies and lose a gnasher! Your dentist will of course be thrilled as they tot up yet another luxury item to their ever-growing wardrobe.

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Equipment needed;

I used a 1 kilo kilner jar to make my cherry brandy. But any large jar with a good tight-fitting lid will do nicely.

Ingredients for homemade cherry brandy

  • I used just a half bottle of brandy
  • 2 punnets of cherries (about 600g)
  • 2 tbsp of caster sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick.

Notes

You can also use frozen cherries to make cherry brandy. Just defrost them first.

Homemade Cherry Brandy Recipe - Larder Love (4)

How to make cherry brandy

  • Stone your cherries and pack them into the jar.
  • Add the sugar and stir well and pop in the cinnamon stick.
  • Pour in the brandy and seal the jar.
  • Shake well and put away in a cool dark cupboard for about 2 weeks.
  • Shake the jar occasionally.
  • Pour through a sieve lined with 2 layers of cheesecloth/muslin or paper towels to remove the cherries

How to serve cherry brandy

You can have this as a shot either chilled or at room temperature. As I’ve shown here with ice and some soda water. Or add your favourite mixer.

Cherry brandy is also good as part of a co*cktail and you can pour a dash of it over ice-cream or add to baking and desserts too.

How long will this last?

Your cherry brandy should keep for at least a year stored in a cool dark place.

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What to do with the cherries?

Don’t waste this fabulous brandy-soaked fruit. Serve those cherries with ice-cream. Bake them in a pie. Or pop them in the freezer till inspiration strikes.

It’s when you are serving the brandy-soaked cherries that you will thank me for reminding you to remove the stones back at the beginning of this saga!

So that’s how to make cherry brandy in your own kitchen, now I just have to clean up the sticky mess I’ve made…….

Cheers!

Homemade Cherry Brandy Recipe - Larder Love (7)

Looking for more ways to use those gorgeous summer cherries? Then check out these fun and easy cherry recipes;

Pickled cherries

Homemade Kirsch

Cherry Curd

Cherry Conserve

Spiced cherry gin liqueur

Spiced Cherry Cheese

Looking for more homemade liqueurs to try? Then check out my section.

Finally, if you do try this recipe don’t forget to leave a comment/star rating below as I just love to hear from readers. Want more Larder Love? Then follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter and sign up for my newsletter too of course.

Photos And Tips AboveMost of my recipes have step by step photos and useful tips plus videos too, see above.

Homemade Cherry Brandy Recipe - Larder Love (8)

Cherry Brandy

Karon Grieve

A super easy recipe for how to make cherry brandy, a retro favourite from the co*cktail cabinate

3.91 from 21 votes

Print Recipe Comment Bookmark Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course liqueurs

Cuisine French

Servings 12 servings

Calories 136 kcal

Ingredients

  • 500 ml brandy
  • 600 g fresh cherries
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

  • Stone the cherries (remove the pits) and pop them into a large clean jar

  • add the brandy, sugar and cinnamon stick

  • seal the jar and shake well, put away in a dark cupboard for 2 weeks shaking regularly

  • strain through either 2 layers of muslin/cheese cloth or kitchen roll

  • decant into a sterilised bottle

Notes

This homemade cherry brandy is ready to drink once you have let it mature for the 2 weeks and then strained it into sterilised bottles.

Use on its own or as part of a co*cktail.

This will make approximately 500ml of cherry brandy and I have taken the calories from 1 shot.

You can use frozen cherries, just defrost them first.

Nutrition

Calories: 136kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1mgPotassium: 111mgFiber: 1gSugar: 8gVitamin A: 32IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

My Top Tips*Always read the full recipe first. *Assemble all your ingredients and everything you need before you start. *For baking check the size of tins I’m using as this makes a big difference to your cakes. * I use medium sized eggs unless otherwise stated. * I use extra virgin olive oil unless otherwise stated. * I use unsalted butter unless otherwise stated. * Check out My Preserving Kit!

Tried this recipe?Mention @LarderLove or tag #LarderLove

Homemade Cherry Brandy Recipe - Larder Love (2024)

FAQs

Homemade Cherry Brandy Recipe - Larder Love? ›

Be aware that "cherry brandy" refers to both true brandy distilled from cherries and (more commonly today) cherry liqueurs such as Cherry Heering. The latter is much sweeter because true cherry brandy is unsweetened, so adjustments to the drink's sweetener are necessary when substituting one for the other.

Is cherry brandy the same as cherry brandy liqueur? ›

Be aware that "cherry brandy" refers to both true brandy distilled from cherries and (more commonly today) cherry liqueurs such as Cherry Heering. The latter is much sweeter because true cherry brandy is unsweetened, so adjustments to the drink's sweetener are necessary when substituting one for the other.

What is the base spirit for most cherry brandy? ›

Cherry liqueur is sweetened and can be made with any type of spirit base. Brandy is the most common, so cherry liqueur is often called cherry brandy. Then there's kirsch or kirschwasser, which is an unsweetened eau de vie distilled from cherries. But sometimes kirsch is called cherry brandy.

How long does cherry brandy last? ›

Does Brandy Go Bad? Brandy, if unopened, does not go bad if kept away from heat and light. Once a bottle of brandy is opened, it's got about 1 to 2 years left before noticeable degradation in flavor and quality.

What is the alcohol content of cherry brandy? ›

Despite its 40 percent alcohol content it is quite mild, so that it is not only suitable as a cake ingredient, but also tastes good as a digestif after a rich meal. By the way, there are numerous other dessert and cake recipes with fine cherry brandy.

What is a good substitute for cherry brandy? ›

Chemistry wise, You could substitute any high proof basic alcohol. Whiskey, rum, cognac, gin, vodka. In some cases lower proof would also work. Wine, vermouth.

What alcohol is in cherry brandy? ›

Cherry 'brandy' is traditionally the largest category of cherry liqueurs. A confusing term as most of these liqueurs are actually made by macerating cherries in neutral spirit (vodka) rather than brandy. Some might also contain brandy, but in most markets this is not a legal requirement.

Is cherry brandy good for the heart? ›

Brandy Can Be Good for the Heart

When had in moderation, heart health can improve thanks to all of the antioxidants in brandy. The antioxidants can lower the levels of the accumulated bad cholesterol in the body and can balance out the overall cholesterol levels.

Can I use cherry brandy instead of kirsch? ›

Cherry brandy is usually made by macerating cherries in a neutral spirit and it may or may not have added sugar. Cherry brandy should be a good alternative to kirsch, particularly if you already have some.

What is polish for cherry brandy? ›

A holiday treat that is easy to make.

Can I drink 10 year old baileys? ›

If it has never been opened it is probably still safe to drink, if you can get it out of the bottle, but will be fairly unpleasant. Can you drink 10-year-old Baileys? If it looks okay and it tastes okay it should be safe to drink.

What to mix with cherry brandy? ›

With: Tequila, Cherry Heering cherry brandy, Aperol, lemon juice and mezcal. We say: A perfect aperitivo co*cktail. With: Light rum, cognac, dry gin, lime juice, sugar syrup and Cherry Heering cherry brandy. We say: A drizzle of cherry brandy finishes this tropical classic.

Is 20 year old brandy still good? ›

Base liquors like whiskey, vodka, rum, brandy, gin, and tequila usually don't have a high enough sugar content in them to kickstart oxidation. Their high-alcohol levels keep bacteria from growing in the unopened bottles. If stored in a cool and dark place, sealed base liquors will be good for years to come.

What is another name for cherry brandy? ›

Kirsch (or Kirschwasser) - Type of Brandy. Kirsch (or Kirschwasser) is a clear, colorless brandy traditionally produced by a double distillation of morello cherries.

Can you drink cherry brandy neat? ›

Cherry brandy is a delightful and versatile spirit that can be enjoyed in a variety of ways. Whether you're sipping it neat, mixing it into a co*cktail, or using it as a flavoring in your favorite recipes, there are plenty of ways to savor the sweet, fruity taste of cherry brandy.

What proof is cherry brandy? ›

80 Proof​. Lively, fruity flavors of sour cherry jam on raisin toast and cherry bonbon with a satiny, tangy, moderately sweet medium body and a sleek, complex, long finish with accents of honey cream, chestnut, and cherry cider. A tasty, mouthwatering cherry liqueur that is sure to please.

What is another name for cherry liqueur? ›

This traditional liqueur is made from the infusion of cherries and raspberries. Color Ruby-like red color.

What is cherry liqueur good for? ›

Use the liqueur to make simple syrups for cakes, or brush it directly on for tart cherry flavor. Use it in most any recipe that calls for kirshwasser. Mix it into co*cktails. Give it as a fine hostess gift.

Is blackberry brandy the same as liqueur? ›

While grapes are the most common, any fruit will do, and blackberry brandy is one of the most popular flavored brandies. In today's market, however, most blackberry brandy is sweetened, so it's very similar to blackberry liqueur, and the two can be used interchangeably in many drink recipes.

What is brandy cherry? ›

: a liqueur made from brandy flavored with cherries and sweetened with sugar. 2. : a brandy distilled from fermented cherry juice.

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