Homemade Cherry Syrup for Drinks

Homemade Cherry Syrup

Once I discovered how easy it is to make homemade flavored simple syrup for drinks, I haven’t turned back, and this Cherry Syrup is no exception.

My cherry simple syrup recipe is perfectly sweetened and full of real cherry flavor.

It’s delicious for mixing into all kinds of drinks, like this Iced Cherry Chai, especially when cherries are at peak flavor. There’s nothing like a refreshing glass of cherry lemonade or iced tea to beat the heat.

If you’ve got a bumper crop of in-season fresh cherries and are looking for ways to use them, this recipe is a must-try.

But it works perfectly well with frozen cherries, too. In fact, I actually prefer making it with frozen fruit because the cherry taste is always there!

Why You’ll Love Homemade Cherry Syrup

Easy to Make – Making cherry flavored simple syrup at home is super easy and only takes three ingredients. All you have to do is make concentrated cherry juice by boiling the cherries in water, then combine with sugar.

All-Natural Ingredients – Unlike store-bought bottles of flavored syrup, that contain preservatives and often food dye, this homemade cherry syrup gets all its flavor and color from the fruit and sugar.

Delicious in Drinks – This syrup is a delicious way to add sweet cherry flavor to a variety of drinks, from lemonade and iced tea, to cocktails, mocktails and more. Also try my homemade strawberry syrup and raspberry syrup recipe.

Cherry Syrup Recipe

This simple syrup recipe is a one-to-one ratio of concentrated cherry juice and sugar, perfect for adding to drinks.

For a thicker dessert topping syrup just follow the recipe, but double the amount of sugar.

Ingredients Needed

• cherries
• sugar
• water

Cherries – When it comes to cherries, you have two options: fresh or frozen.

Personally, I prefer to make this syrup using store-bought frozen cherries.

I live in the Chicago area and for most of the year fresh cherries don’t taste like much, if I’m being honest. My go-to is a mixture of dark sweet cherries and tart red cherries.

Frozen cherries are usually flash frozen at peak ripeness and loaded with cherry flavor. Additionally, they’re already pitted, so the only extra step is to thaw them.

Fresh cherries are a great option when they’re in-season during the summer months, and often on sale. However, you will need to pit them.

Dark cherries are the sweetest and provide the best flavor.

Sugar – Granulated white cane sugar is the sweetener of choice for this recipe. Its neutral flavor lets the cherries be the star of the show.

Water – I highly recommend using filtered water, since water is such a big component in this recipe. If your tap water doesn’t taste great, this Brita water filter pitcher is a great solution.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Detailed recipe and instructions are in recipe card at bottom of post.

1. Combine cherries and water in a saucepan. If using fresh cherries, remove stems, wash and pit. If using frozen cherries, thaw in microwave, then add both the thawed cherries and any juices to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and gently smash softened cherries with back of spoon to release all the juices. Boil uncovered for about 15-20 minutes, until water is reduced by about a third and fruit is pale in color.
2. Remove from heat and using a fine mesh strainer, strain the cherry pulp from the juice into a glass measuring cup. Measure the amount of cherry juice produced. This determines the amount of sugar needed. (For example, if the recipe yielded 2/3 cup cherry juice, then you need 2/3 cup sugar.)
3. Rinse the saucepan to remove any bits of pulp stuck on the sides. Return the cherry juice concentrate to the saucepan and stir in granulated sugar. Cook over medium heat until sugar is dissolved (about 1 minute).
4. Remove from heat and strain once more to eliminate any bits of remaining pulp. Do not scrape any undissolved sugar crystals from sides of pan into the finished syrup. Stir in almond extract or lemon juice, if using (optional).
5. Let syrup cool. Refrigerate for 1-2 weeks.

Making the concentrated cherry juice.

Straining the cherries and adding the sugar.

To determine the exact amount of sugar to add to the juice, follow my two-step process for a true one-to-one ratio of juice to sugar.

First, make the cherry concentrate. Then, strain and measure it. You will use an identical amount of sugar as juice.

Recipe Tips

Thaw frozen cherries in a bowl in the refrigerator overnight or in the microwave. Be sure to add any juice along with the cherries to the saucepan.

Don’t rush the boiling process. You need to leave the fruit in long enough for all the cherry flavor to be extracted. This is why I also like to smash any large cherries while they’re boiling.

The pulp will look a sickly pale color and the water will have reduced when they’re done.

Do not cover the saucepan while the cherries are boiling. To concentrate the juice, the water needs to reduce. If you put a lid on, the water is trapped in the saucepan and cannot evaporate.

Rinse saucepan between steps. This is important because you want to keep any fruit pulp from getting into finished syrup since it can ferment and the syrup won’t last as long.

Avoid getting undissolved sugar crystals into the finished syrup. This can cause the syrup to recrystallize and harden in spots.

Ways to Use Cherry Simple Syrup

• Flavor Drinks – There are so many possibilities…cherry limeade, cherry lemonade, cherry iced tea, cherry hot cocoa, cherry mochas and more.
• Drinks Toppings – Use this syrup to make cherry cream cold foam for drinks or to sweeten and flavor a batch of homemade whipped cream. Here’s how to make and iced cherry chai, with a creamy cherry topping.
• Dessert Topping – Double the sugar for a thicker dessert topping or pancake syrup. It’s delicious on cheesecake, ice cream and snow cones!

More Fruity Simple Syrup Recipes

• How to Make Strawberry Syrup for Drinks
• How to Make Raspberry Simple Syrup for Drinks