Last Updated on June 28, 2021 by laurenpacek
Table of contents
- What are Luxardo cherries?
- What makes Luxardo cherries so special?
- What is Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur?
- What kind of cherries should you use?
- What should you do with these Luxardo cherries?
- Can you preserve these cherries?
- What should you make with leftover Luxardo liqueur?
- Looking for other delicious additions to your home bar?
- Where did this recipe come from?
- What equipment will you need to make these cherries?
- Pin this recipe for later!
Homemade Luxardo Cherries (aka Maraschino Cherries) can really elevate a cocktail. They add that special *something*.
What are Luxardo cherries?
They are the OG fancy cocktail garnish cherries.
I bet you have had Luxardo cherries if you've ever ordered a cocktail and it had a really delicious cherry in it as garnish. Either that or maybe it was a brandied cherry. Both are quite good.
What makes Luxardo cherries so special?
I think many of us tend to think about the neon pink/red Maraschino cherries that you buy in the grocery store. These cherries are nothing like those.
So what makes them so different? First of all, they're delicious.
To achieve such a high level of deliciousness, Luxardo cocktail cherries take a bit of a warm bath in, and get their distinctive and delicious flavor from, Luxardo Maraschino liqueur. Plus some sugar and spices, of course.
What is Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur?
According to an article on Epicurious, Luxardo was once a distillery in present-day Croatia (at the time, the area was an Italian province). The company became famous for its cherry liqueur, called Maraschino, made from marasca cherries.
They distilled the liqueur from ripe marasca cherries (a kind of sour cherry), their crushed pits, branches and leaves, honey, and various other secret ingredients.
In the early 1900s, the distillery started selling selling cherries that were candied in a syrup of marasca cherry juice and sugar. And thus, the OG Luxardo cherry was born.
Following World War II, one of the Luxardo family members fled to the Veneto region of Italy, taking with him a marasca cherry tree sapling and the recipe for Luxardo liqueur. Ever since that time, Luxardo liqueurs and cherries have been made in that region of Italy!
While it does have a cherry flavor, you'll also notice floral, piney, and nutty flavors, too. It's really interesting! The pits of the marasca cherries are responsible for the nutty flavors you'll notice.
What kind of cherries should you use?
I used regular old dark red sweet cherries that you'll find at just about any grocery store. You can use sour cherries if you want, too! It's really just a matter of personal preference. Several readers have commented that they've used sour cherries, with good results. You do you.
If you want to use frozen cherries, please bear in mind that several readers have reported that while the flavor of these cherries will be the same as if you used fresh fruit, the texture will likely suffer. Folks have reported that using frozen cherries often results in mushy Luxardo cherries.
What should you do with these Luxardo cherries?
Personally, I'd recommend plopping them into a strong cocktail. As a bourbon lover, I happen to think that they are particularly good in an Old Fashioned.
If you are looking for a non-boozy drink, you can totally plunk these guys into a Shirley Temple. However, because these maraschino cherries are made with a liqueur, I probably wouldn't recommend serving this to your kids.
Don't tell anyone, but I may also be known for eating them out of the jar. ¯_(ツ)_/¯
Can you preserve these cherries?
I haven't done it personally, but several readers report that these cherries can be canned! Make a bunch, can 'em, and enjoy homemade Luxardo cherries for a long time to come.
What should you make with leftover Luxardo liqueur?
Worry no longer! If you have leftovers, please consider making my Cheerwine Sangria. You will not regret it.
Or... And just hear me out here... Just make more Luxardo Cherries! They're delicious and great for gift giving. And like I said above, you can can them for later!
Looking for other delicious additions to your home bar?
- You can't go wrong with this easy and delicious Homemade Sour Mix!
- Rosemary Infused Vodka is herbaceous and easy to make.
- Summertime is right around the corner, making Basil Infused Vodka a must-make.
Where did this recipe come from?
This recipe was adapted a bit from the one found at Love & Victory.
Homemade Luxardo Cherries
These Homemade Luxardo Cherries are the perfect addition to your home bar ands to a cocktail. They are particularly good in an Old Fashioned!
Ingredients
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
- 1 lb cherries, pitted and stemmed
Instructions
- Combine water, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a saucepan, and bring it to a simmer. Stir occasionally as the sugar dissolves.
- Add the Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur and cherries. Stir to coat all of the cherries in the syrup. Cook for 5 minutes to soften the cherries slightly.
- Turn off the heat and allow the cherries to cool. Once cooled, store in the fridge in a tightly sealed jar.
Notes
- Readers have let me know that they've used frozen organic cherries in this recipe (instead of fresh) and that it has turned out well! So when cherries aren't in season, or maybe don't look so great, you can still make this recipe and enjoy!
- Readers have also noted that you can make this with sweet or sour cherries, depending on your preferences.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 80 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 13Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 3gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 0g
This is based on the estimate that 1 lb of cherries contains approximately 80 cherries.
What equipment will you need to make these cherries?
Not much that's out of the ordinary, but...
- I've found this cherry pitter to be invaluable when making these cherries
- You can store them in Mason jars pretty easily
- Sometimes it's hard to find cinnamon sticks in the regular grocery store (or they're expensive)
Pin this recipe for later!
Old photos from the original blog post are below. Look at your own risk 😉
I just bought a whole bunch of cherries on sale ($1.99 per pound - what a deal, right?!!) so this recipe would be a perfect way to use some of them up! Bet these would be lovely in a cocktail 🙂
I've done the research and can tell you that they are very lovely in a cocktail 😉
I basically used your recipe to make bourbon soaked cherries and they taste amazing. I just replaced the luxardo with bourbon. However, after a few days in the syrup I noticed that the cherries have taken on a strange, washed out color. They still taste good but don’t look so pretty. Has this been your experience? Maybe I need to reduce the syrup more or use a sweeter cherry?
You know, I have noticed that they do fade a *little* in color. What kind of cherries did you use?
80 proof alcohol or above will always “ ghost “ colored fruits ... over time . The flavor is not really lost but the color of the fruit will whiten over time . A good example would be 30 day strawberry tequila. A pound of. strawberries and a 750ml bottle of white tequila. Soaked for 30 days produces an amazing infusion and the strawberries are stark white ! And the strawberries are yummy !
Is it a 1lb measure of cherries before or after removing pits and stems?
Excellent question. 1 lb of cherries *before* removing pits and stems.
I am loving the look of these! And they have seriously got me wanting to whip up a batch of cocktails!!
Thank you, Kelly! Imho, a batch of cocktails is never a bad thing.
Ooh, I have never heard of luxardo cherries, but I am loving the sound of these in cocktails. What an elegant but not too complicated way to doll up a drink for entertaining!
This is very interesting and quite similar to something we have in our country called: "Kompot" but without the alcohol though.
Willing to try this recipe as it looks quite thirst-quenching!
Until reading your comment, I had never heard of Kompot! It does sound similar.
However, I wouldn't recommend drinking the liquid from these cherries. The idea is that the liquid flavors them so that you can use the cherries are garnishes in cocktails.
Can you can these in a water bath or put in jars while very hot to seal so they can be stored for a long time
To be honest, I don't have experience with canning foods. BUT, with that said, I can't imagine that you couldn't can these for longer term storage. I'm unable to speak to the potential shelf-life, though.
Thank you I’m going to try so excited to make these just would love to give as gifts to all my Manhattan buddies
Oh! I made a batch for a friend who really likes Old Fashioneds, and she loved them. I really hope that your friends love them, too!
I made a similar homemade luxardo cherry recipe and I canned them for longer shelf life. They are just as good if not better for a longer soak in the syrup. I wasn't going to be going through a pound of cherries in a few months and didn't want to commit to gifting them until I perfected my technique so I canned them. Family who did receive them loved them and are anxious for this year's batch. I am going to follow this recipe this year.
Could you share what you did to alter this recipe or another one in order to make it can-able?
Hi Martha, could you share how you canned these? I have a wild cherry tree along our fence line with beautiful sweet dark cherries that I would like to can (i.e. extend the shelf life). I don't want to cook them as I'd like to give them away as gifts for friends to use in their cocktail drinks.
Any info would be helpful!
Thank you,
Diane
I purchased a jar of dark morello sour cherries in a watery syrup. Do you think I could use these in your recipe sans the sugar or taste as needed????
Hi Annette! This is a great question. Since I've never tried this myself, I can't guarantee that it will work out. However, in theory, it does seem like your plan would work. If you try it, please let me know how it works out!
Has any one ever canned these?
I haven't, but if you ever do, please let me know how it goes!
How long do you steam the cherries before hand?
You forgot to mention exactly what kind of cherries, are you talking just dark sweet cherries that you buy in the store. Thank you waiting for your answer
I used the dark sweet cherries that you can buy in the grocery store. If you happen to experiment with other varieties, I'd love to know how it turns out!
Thank you Lauren, I might even try this with some sour patch cherries from a tree that I had Frozen yes I will let you know how they turn out since the dark sweet cherries are out of season for us anyway
I made some homemade luxardos using Rainier cherries. They tasted good but presentation was unattractive. They lost the pretty two toned color and got sort of muddy yellow.
Man, that's a bummer! Glad they still tasted good, though.
Should the cherries weigh a pound before or after pitting? Silly question but I've never made this before.
Thank you!
Not a silly question at all! I weighed mine before pitting.
Can you use frozen cherries when cherries aren’t in season?
That's a great question. I can't officially say "yes", because I've never tried to make this recipe with frozen cherries. BUT, with that said, I'm thinking it might be alright? If you try this out, please let me know how it works out.
First, I must credit my nephew, Anthony for finding your recipe & sharing it with our family in his fabulous Manhattan cocktail. He used frozen cherries & it was absolutely delicious ! We loved them so much my husband & I made them for ourselves using organic frozen cherries. Used a pound of them, did not defrost. Excellent garnish for many cocktails. Thank you for posting this awesome recipe.
Oh I am so glad that you enjoyed them!! And thank you for letting me know that you used frozen cherries. I'll be sure to update the recipe to let others know that this is an option. Cheers! (and thank you to your nephew for sharing the recipe!)
Hey! Having made these with frozen cherries, I'd definitely recommend using fresh cherries. You don't get that nice crisp snap of the Luxardo cherry with the frozen style. The came out a little on the mushy side. Still delicious by any measure, but it's worth the extra time and effort to use those fresh cherries.
Hey, Calvin. Thanks for the feedback! Very very good to know!
This recipe is great! I nearly doubled the sugar in the recipe, using 1 1/2 cups (300g.) This, along with a longer cooking time resulted in a thicker syrup. I also added the peels of one lemon and one orange, ten black peppercorns and about ten cloves. Always use whole nutmeg that you grate fresh. The difference in flavor and aroma is astounding! I finished the recipe with and ounce of American brandy. These additions added an extra depth of flavor that I enjoy. I am a bartender and I am planning on using these in some Mezcal Last Word’s. I wouldn’t have known where to start without your guidance. Thanks!
Hey Justin! So glad you liked it! I love all of the modifications you've made to it, too. Cheers!!
Did you do the longer cooking time before you added the cherries? Our “syrup” wasn’t really syrup like the one in the jar and was wondering how we could change that. Also, did you cook it down before or after adding the alcohol?
I’m planning on using frozen cherries. To get that dense lime texture that Luxardo cherries have I’m planning on putting the cherries in the dehydrator after I drain the liquid off of them until they firm up a little.
Does anyone have an opinion about this?
I do not, unfortunately. But as you'll see, some readers have noted that frozen cherries sometimes work out okay, and other times not so okay.
I'd love to hear how things go with the dehydrator method, if you end up trying it!
I’m currently doing this now. I’ll let you know how the dehydration turns out. I’m doing 2 batches, one dehydrated and one not. With a few additions to the original recipe
We love the amarena cherries that are seasonal at Trader Joe’s and I have been looking for a recipe that came close to that perfect flavor. After several other failed attempts this recipe worked out perfect! I did add about twice the amount of sugar to get more of a syrup and it turned out great! Now I have to make another batch for my father. Thank you so much!
I'm so glad that you like them!! Next time I make them, I'll try adding double the sugar, too
For an interesting twist I eliminated the water, tripled the sugar, added orange peel and a full cup of bourbon, and did not boil. After 3 months the“hooch” now tastes like cherries and the cherries taste like Luxardo and bourbon! Both are outstanding!
I like what you've done there! I'll have to try it out this way, too.
Hi Ron,
You recipe looks like it’ll be really good. Did you cook them at all? Or did you just mix it all together and throw in the fridge for 3 months?
Thanks.
It's Bing cherry season, so i made a small batch just to try - very good! I will be using these cherries in some summertime cocktails, for sure. Next time, I'll make more liquid in proportion to the cherries so that they are covered by juice in the jar.
So glad that you enjoyed them!! Cheers!
Please advise how long after making the cherries and putting them in the refrigerator they become Luxardo ‘d?
They're Luxardo'd pretty much as soon as you're done cooking them! They'll just get better and better as they sit in the liquid in the fridge, though.
Thank you
Getting ready to make my second DOUBLE batch. I'm obsessed. I made the first batch with dark sweet frozen cherries. I had some syrup left over so I just stored it in a jar in the fridge. I note that I simmered the syrup until it had reduced almost half b/c I like a thicker syrup. Then I added the cherries; took it off the heat and let it cool before pouring into mason jars and storing in the fridge. Once the sweet cherries were getting low (I do love an Old Fashioned after work) I just reheated the leftover juice and threw in frozen sour cherries. Worked perfectly! My wife prefers the sweet ones, but I prefer the sour ones.
I'm so glad that you've been enjoying these!! I love to use them in an Old Fashioned, too 😉
What do you think about not pitting and stemming cherries? I'm trying to simplify the process, plus having stems on might be fun for the cocktail.
I haven't tried it this way, so take what I have to say with a grain of salt. My concern is that the flavor may not penetrate into the cherry as deeply since it doesn't have an opening into the fruit like it would if you pitted the cherries. But I agree that having the stems on the cherries would look very nice!
Thanks...that definitely makes sense.
Use a Straw to pit the cherries, so easy and the stems stay on! The pit is directly under the stem, go sideways
Good call! You can definitely use a straw (or chopstick, etc.) if you don't have a cherry pitter.
If I make these following your directions, how long will they store in the fridge in the tightly sealed container? A week? A month? Thanks in advance, can't wait to try!
Hi Rebecca,
I'd say a month, to be on the safe side. Though, to be honest, I've had some in the fridge for longer. But my official answer is "a month" =) Cheers!
Forgot to mention that I will be canning them afterwards.
OMG! Delicious. Made one batch with frozen organic sweet cherries (costco). Turned out so well I used the remaining sweet cherries mixed with frozen sour cherries for a second batch. Second batch tastes like cherry pie. Probably not Luxardo but soooooo good. Thanks for the recipe. Any idea how long they last? Thinking I might have to can the larger batch.
I'm so glad that you liked them!! To be honest, I'm not sure how long they last because they tend to go pretty fast in my house ;). Canning sounds like a good idea, though.
Where the luxardo flavor is similar the mouth feel and thickness of the syrup wasn’t quite right. I reduced some cherry juice to make a really thick syrup and added that in and the cherry flavor was so much better. I’m still working on the cherry texture thought fresh worked better than frozen. Frozen became very mushy. I plan on trying to candy the cherries which I think will give what I’m looking for texture wise. It may cook all the alcohol out but as long as the flavor is goos I don’t mind!
Oh, good! Glad to hear that your tweaks worked out. If you do candy the cherries, let me know how it works out.
I was wondering if you can store them in a mason jar in the basement for a while to gather some flavor, or if they have to be in the fridge right away? Thanks!
If you aren't properly canning them, then I'd definitely recommend stashing them in the fridge. If you decide to can them, they can sit at room temperature.
Hi! Thank you for the recipe! I’ve been looking for a way to reverse engineer Luxardo Cherries. Your recipe was nearly spot on. The only addition I added was the citric acid (a half ounce or 1 oz of lemon). That addition nearly got it!
I'll have to try it with some lemon juice next time!
I have made this recipe twice now and have canned them both times. I canned using water bath method. I filled the jars with hot cherries and liquid and processed them for 15min. (Pint jars)! They make great gifts for your bourban drinking friends! I personally like that there is extra juice, I use the juice in my drink with a little orange rind and bitters!
This might be a dumb question but.... do you keep the cinnamon stick in the liquid in the jar or remove it before filling the jar? Also... can you substitute ground cinnamon if you don’t have the sticks? Thanks!
Not a dumb question at all! I remove the cinnamon stick before putting the liquid and cherries in a jar. And I don't see why you couldn't use ground cinnamon for the flavor, although maybe cinnamon would stick to the cherries? Your liquid would also likely be cloudy. If you do use ground cinnamon, I might recommend straining everything through some cheese cloth, to filter out as much of the ground cinnamon as possible.
Hey Lauren, Thanks for this recipe. Can you tell me, with one pound of cherries, what size jar did you use to store them?
Hey John. I believe that I used a quart jar.
I just tried this recipe with frozen sour cherries (replaced the nutmeg with some lemon zest) and it tastes wonderful! Can't wait to put it into my blackforest cake. Thank you 🙂
Hey there, so glad you liked them!! Putting these cherries into a black forest cake is a genius idea.
I made this recipe and because cherries weren’t in season, I used frozen black cherries. The flavor is exact but the cherries were mushy, not like the real Luxardo, which are more dense. I think I’ll wait for cherries to be in season and try again. I did canned them and they’ve held up beautifully.
Hi, Linda. Thank you for the update! I'm going to update the post to include what you shared with me. Bummer that the texture of the cherries didn't hold up. I promise that they're worth it when you make it with fresh cherries!
These are delicious! I made a batch with frozen sweet cherries I had leftover from a previous recipe. I decided I wanted a larger batch so I threw in some frozen sour cherries. I decided to mix it up by adding both the Luxardo Maraschino Orignale and the Luxardo Sangue Morlacco (since I had both on hand). To be honest, I preferred the sour cherries but both were amazing. Thanks for sharing.
I'm so glad that you enjoy them! I'll have to try to get my hands on some of the Sangue Morlacco and give that a try, too.
So excited to try these! I keep buying cherries and forgetting to eat them (since I can never finish the giant bags of cherries they sell in grocery stores) and this will be a perfect use for the remainder of a bag I bought recently! I don't have Luxardo Maraschino on hand, though, and I know they'll still be delicious if I use brandy or bourbon instead, but is there anything I could add to make them taste more similar to Luxardo if I don't have it on hand? I know nothing will make them taste exactly like the true Luxardo cherries without Luxardo (duh), but if I could at least get a little closer I'd like to if it's possible
Hi, Flo. I'm not sure that I can think of anything that you could sub for the Luxardo that would be close in flavor. However, like you said, brandied or bourbon cherries would be lovely!
Thank you. Easy and fun to make. I added vanilla. Off to make an old fashioned with my delicious cherries.
So glad you're enjoying them. Vanilla is a good addition. Cheers!