Old fashioned Cherry Bounce is a sweet, homemade, cherry-infused liqueur that dates back to colonial times. It's perfect for sipping, making into cocktails, and gifting!
Full disclosure: This recipe takes time. You need to get started on it two to six months before you plan on drinking and/or gifting it. I know, I know. Please trust me when I tell you that it is worth. it. AND after getting everything together in a mason jar, it's entirely hands-off.
Looking for more infused alcohol recipes? My Sous Vide Limoncello is a crowd pleaser and Rosemary Infused Vodka is an unexpectedly delicious, herbaceous option!
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It only requires three ingredients. That's it! It doesn't get much easier than that.
- You can customize it based on your tastes. Change up the alcohol, type of cherries, and amount of sugar.
- It makes a big batch, perfect for gift-giving. Make some for yourself and share with friends!
Cherry Bounce History
The history of cherry bounce dates back to the 1700s. We'll get into the ingredients more in a minute, but it's usually made with brandy, pitted cherries, and sugar. This colonial era cordial was a favorite of George Washington (rumor has it he even packed a canteen of the stuff when on an excursion in the Allegheny Mountains).
But what's with the name? Southern Living tells me that the "bounce" part of the name probably originates from an olde (see what I did there?) term meaning strike, blow, or rebound. Basically, it's an olde timey term for the jolt you'd get from a "shot" of this liqueur.
What is Brandy?
Brandy (a shortened version of the olde English word "brandewine" or "brandywine") is a liquor that's made by distilling wine, which I thought was interesting. It's usually served neat, at room temperature, and as an after dinner digestif.
Brandy is commonly used in cocktails like a Sidecar, Brandy Sour, or Brandy Alexander. It would also be a delicious addition to some homemade Sous Vide Eggnog! Or any eggnog that you prefer.
Prior to making this recipe, I don't think that I had ever tried brandy. I'm glad that I took the opportunity to, because it's delicious. To me, it tastes like Christmas. See the above link to eggnog 😉
Ingredients
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
- Cherries: Washed, dried, and pitted. You can use fresh or frozen cherries, and can use your favorite variety of cherry, too. See the substitutions/variations section below for more info.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar
- Brandy: It doesn't have to be terribly expensive, but I like to use a brandy that I wouldn't mind drinking on its own. See the section below for alternatives.
Substitutions or variations
- Use different varieties of cherries: I have tested this recipe with fresh sweet cherries, frozen sweet cherries, and frozen tart cherries. If you go with frozen cherries, just make sure that they're full thawed out before you add them to this recipe.
- Use a different kind of alcohol: You can change things up by using a different kind of alcohol, too. I tested this recipe with brandy and bourbon, but you could also make it with rum or vodka, if you prefer either of those.
- More or less sugar: You can tweak this recipe to suit your tastes (within limits). If you like a really sweet liqueur (or if you used tart cherries and want to offset some of the tartness), add some more sugar! When it comes to making it less sweet, I wouldn't reduce the amount of sugar too much, as it acts like a preservative, allowing this cherry bounce to not require refrigeration. Maybe go with a tart or sour cherry if you want a less sweet bounce.
- Spice it up: If you're so inclined, you can add spices to the cherry bounce to give it even more flavor as it infuses. Try cinnamon sticks, a vanilla bean pod, or any warming spice that tickles your fancy.
The picture below was taken right after combining everything in the jars. You can definitely see the color differences between some of them, depending on the liquor and/or kind of cherries that you decide to use. Also, the frozen cherries tend to sink (look at the jars on either end), while the fresh cherries float.
Equipment
- Cherry pitter - A cherry pitter will make your job so much easier
- Measuring cups - Grab yourself a set of wet measuring cups and dry measuring cups
- Mason jar - I like a wide-mouth quart jar
How to make Cherry Bounce
The Results
The picture below was taken after straining the cherries out of the bounce following two months of infusion.
I tasted all four options, and here are my observations:
- I don't notice really any difference between fresh and frozen cherries. The flavor is the same. Great news for those of us who don't have access to a bunch of fresh cherries.
- The tart cherries definitely resulted in a less sweet bounce. Shocking, right?
- Brandy vs. bourbon is really a matter of personal preference. I found that I prefer the brandy versions.
What is Cherry Bounce used for?
You can use cherry bounce in a number of different ways:
- Serve it as an aperitif (before a meal to stimulate the palate) or as a digestif (after a meal)
- Sip it over ice (on the rocks)
- Sip it neat (no ice)
- Use it in place of the bourbon/rye/other whiskey in an Old Fashioned or Manhattan
- Gift it! This liqueur is perfect for gifting. And since we're aiming to have our batches of cherry bounce ready in time for the winter holidays... might as well share the wealth with family and friends, right? All you need is a cute bottle and label and you're good to go.
What to do with the cherries after making cherry bounce
- Leave them in the bounce - As you can see in some of the pictures, I opted to strain the cherries out of my cherry bounce. But you don't have to! As long as the cherries remain totally submerged in the liquid, they can hang out in the bounce (and be stored at room temperature) pretty much indefinitely.
- Use them as a garnish for cocktails - This recipe is a bit of a two-fer. You get delicious cherry bounce and a tasty garnish.
- Bake with them - I haven't tried this personally, but I've read that you can bake with these cherries... basically in any recipe that calls for cherries. YMMV.
- Snack on 'em - Pop a couple in your mouth when you're feeling like a boozy snack!
More infused alcohol recipes
Did you love this recipe, but are looking for more recipes for delicious infused alcohols? I have more!
Cherry Bounce Recipe
✨ Recipe
Cherry Bounce
Ingredients
- 12 ounces cherries fresh or frozen, pitted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups brandy can also use whiskey, bourbon, rum
Instructions
- Put the pitted cherries in a mason jar (or other airtight vessel).
- Add sugar to the mason jar.
- Add brandy to the mason jar.
- Seal the jar and shake the heck out of it until the sugar dissolves into the brandy (see recipe notes).
- Keep the jar at room temperature in a dry place out of the sun and allow the flavors to infuse for at least two months and up to six months.
- After two to six months, strain out the cherries (optional; see recipe notes) and store the cherry bounce in an airtight container.
Notes
- If using frozen cherries, allow them to thaw completely before making the recipe.
- It can be difficult to incorporate the sugar into the brandy (especially if you're using frozen cherries). I had to shake for a bit, set it down, and come back after a few minutes to shake some more, until it was fully incorporated.
- You don't have to strain out the cherries. You can leave them in the bounce, if you prefer. As long as the cherries are fully submerged in the liquid, you can store the bounce at room temperature for basically forever.
- After the bounce has finished infusing with the cherries and sugar, you can still eat the cherries! They're great for cocktail garnishes, over ice cream, or as a boozy little treat.
- Nutritional information is based on an assumed 1.5 ounce serving size
- Depending on your schedule/preferences, you can let this bounce infuse for at least two, but up to six months.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
Susan
Great article! I recently made two versions. One with Wild Turkey 101 and Backberry brandy and the other with Wild Turkey 101 and Captain Morgan rum.
while both turned out excellent, my husband and I both prefer the Capt Morgan version better. As it turns out, the Capt Morgan version had a smooth chocolaty finish. How it got there I don't don't know. The brandy version was brighter and not as complex. I'm guessing Capt Morgan ingredients gave it an unexpected depth.
Lauren Pacek
Oo I never thought about making it with blackberry brandy!! And I absolutely need to give spiced rum a try, too. That sounds great. Thanks so much for sharing the tweaks that you made! Cheers!