Cherry Simple Syrup

Fresh Cherry Simple Syrup is full of that summertime flavor! Sweet and tart, this perfect syrup can be mixed into cocktails and mocktails or drizzled over desserts and pancakes.

About this Cherry Simple Syrup recipe

Whenever I first see cherries in the store each summer, a bag is coming home with me. So juicy and succulent. One thing is for sure, I will probably make cherry bounce. And there will be cherry cobbler.

And cherry cocktails — which are going to call for making cherry syrup. Simple syrups make sweetening and flavoring drinks easy, and you can also drizzle them over breakfast foods or desserts. (Hello, homemade ice cream!)

This cherry syrup is made with real fruit, which is important to me — I hate anything artificially cherry-flavored because it reminds me of cough syrup. No, thank you! Fresh cherries all the way. This cherry syrup doesn’t have a fake or medicinal taste, so this recipe fits the bill completely, and you’re going to want to use it all summer long.

For simple syrups, you typically need as much sugar as you do water, and many people boil them together with fruit, but this recipe is a little different. Instead, you’ll boil water and cherries together to draw out a reduced cherry juice, then strain out the solids and stir in the sugar to make a balanced syrup that’s perfect for drinks like cherry limeade.

Ingredients

Simple syrup is a liquid sweetener made by combining sugar and water, and it’s easy to infuse other flavors with fruits, spices and herbs. So, while you only need three ingredients to make cherry syrup, you can mix things up with great results — check out the section below called Variations & Substitutions. Here’s where to start:

1. cherries: Fresh cherries will work best in this syrup, but you can also use frozen ones. Any kind of sweet and sour cherries will work — Bing cherries and Rainier cherries are both popular ones.
2. sugar: Most simple syrups are made with granulated white sugar, but other types of sugar can be used, including honey and brown sugar.
3. water: Filtered water or distilled water will give you the best, purest-tasting results, and it will help your syrup last a little longer, but tap water will work.

Best cherries

Cherries are versatile. You can use fresh or frozen, sweet or sour cherries — Bing, Rainier, Montmorency and Lambert cherries are all great options.

If you’ve got some cherries that will need to be tossed soon (aka they’re slightly bruised), simple syrup is a great way to eke out the last of their flavor!

Fresh cherries are sooo juicy with a ton of tart, sweet flavor. Cherry season takes place between May and August in parts of the United States, so if you can find fresh cherries from a local grower, please do — I’ll be so jealous!

Variations & substitutions

Sugar substitutions: Granulated sugar and cane sugar are what I usually use to make simple syrups. However, feel free to use brown sugar, agave nectar ^*, maple syrup or honey instead. Since the cherry juices are so dark, they won’t affect the color of this syrup. Or substitute your favorite sugar substitute, such as stevia or coconut sugar, to make a sugar-free syrup.

Flavor variations: Shake things up by incorporating other herbs, spices and fruits to make your syrup pack a punch.

• Cherry Thyme Syrup: Add thyme sprigs to the syrup while it cools to infuse thyme flavor (see this mint syrup recipe for details).
• Almond Cherry Syrup: Stir in a little almond extract at the end to for a classic flavor combo.
• Spiced Cherry Syrup: This one is great for the holidays. Add some whole cinnamon sticks, cloves and ginger to the cherry-water mixture while it cooks to infuse spiced flavor.
• Mixed Berry Syrup: Use a mixture of berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries, in addition to the cherries.
• Cherry Lime Syrup: Stir in 2 tablespoons lime juice to add some tart lime flavor à la cherry limeade. (Or lemon juice for cherry lemonade flavor!)

How to make Cherry Syrup

Though you can buy cherry simple syrup, this is an easy recipe that is also inexpensive to make. It tastes so much better with fresh fruit! In my opinion, it is just not worth buying.

1. First, wash and dry the cherries, then pit them. You can use a straw if you don’t have a cherry pitter ^*.
2. In a medium saucepan, bring water and fruit to a boil. Lower the heat and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat.
3. Use a fine mesh sieve ^* to remove the solids and strain the hot liquid into a bowl or jar.
4. While still warm, stir in sugar until dissolved. Let cool to room temperature.
5. Store in a food-safe, airtight container, such as a mason jar, for up to two weeks.

favorite syrup storage

16-ounce mason jars

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swing top glass bottles

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syrup dispenser bottles

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Uses for Cherry Simple Syrup

Cherry syrup has so many uses! Of course, cocktails are a must. Add the flavor of sweet cherries to your favorite drink recipes — the deep crimson color can’t be beat and the flavor is exquisite. (And don’t forget some homemade cocktail cherries for a garnish!)

You can also drizzle it over breakfast foods or desserts. Bakers can even use it to moisten cherry cake before decorating or mix it into frosting. See how versatile it is?! Here are a few more ideas:

• Desserts: Pour it over ice cream or other desserts, like cherry clafoutis or a cherry danish with puff pastry.
• Breakfast treats: Enjoy it at breakfast, drizzled over pancakes, waffles or French toast. Drizzle it over overnight oats or yogurt.
• Non-alcoholic drinks: Stir it into lemonade and iced tea for an afternoon pick-me-up. Add club soda to the syrup to make a cherry Italian soda. Use it instead of grenadine in Shirley Temples. It would also be so good added to limeade to make a delicious cherry limeade.
• Cocktails: Use it in a classic old-fashioned cocktail for more cherry flavor. Muddle it with mint in a berry mojito. Use it to make a champagne cocktail or mix up a cherry bourbon sour with your favorite whiskey. A ginger cherry smash with ginger liqueur would be lovely too.

FAQ

More simple syrup recipes

• Prickly Pear Syrup
• Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
• Caramel Simple Syrup
• Raspberry Syrup
• Blueberry Syrup