Red White & Blue Drunken Cherries

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These Red, White, and Blue Drunken Cherries are the ultimate summer treat! Made with just four simple ingredients, they’re incredibly easy to prepare—no baking required. Most of the “work” is letting the cherries soak up the vodka, making them a fun, boozy snack perfect for cookouts, pool parties, or patriotic holidays like Memorial Day and the 4th of July.

Drunken Cherries

I’m a sucker for red, white and blue foods – they are one of my most favorite things around the 4th of July so of course I had to jump on this trend for boozy cherries. They’re pretty and delicious and so simple to put together – anybody can make easy drunken cherries.

These Boozy Cherry Bombs are perfect for patriotic celebrations, such as Veterans Day, the 4th of July, or Memorial Day. Love fruit and alcohol? Check out my Champagne Grapes recipe!

Note: Alcohol soaked cherries are not for kids!

Why You’ll Love Boozy Cherries

Quick and easy – Just a few ingredients and minimal prep time.
Perfect for parties – A fun, adult-only treat that’s always a hit.
Customizable – Wanna skip the vodka? Use your favorite liquor to make rum, whiskey or bourbon cherries.
Make-ahead friendly – They get better as they soak, making them ideal for prepping in advance.
Sweet and strong – A delicious mix of fruity flavor with a kick of booze for an indulgent treat.
Festive and fun – Great for holidays, summer BBQs, or 4th of July celebrations. You can also change up the chocolate – dip them only in white or white and red to use for Valentine’s Day or Christmas celebrations.
No baking required – A refreshing, no-oven treat for hot days.

drunken cherries with red white and blue nonpariels

Tools Needed

Paper Towels
Parchment Paper
16-Ounce Mason Jar with Lid
Pinch Bowls (optional) or other small bowls

Ingredients

You can easily grab these ingredients at your local grocery store and liquor store. You may need to order the sprinkles online.

Maraschino Cherries with Stems (10 ounces each)
Whipped Cream Vodka
White Chocolate Chips or chopped Almond Bark
Red White and Blue Nonpareils

How to Make Drunken Cherries

This recipe is really easy to make and the hardest part is the waiting!

a white plate with vodka cherry bombs dipped in red white and blue sprinkles

Dump and sort. Pour both jars of cherries into a bowl and sort through them. Toss any cherries without stems or that are too soft or halved — you want only the prettiest, stem-on cherries.
Soak in vodka. Place the good cherries into a mason jar and pour cherry vodka over the top until they’re completely covered. Seal the jar and stick it in the fridge overnight to let them soak.
Drain and dry. The next day, drain the cherries and lay them out on paper towels. Gently dab them dry so the chocolate will stick properly.
Melt the chocolate. Add white chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for about 1½ minutes, stopping every 30 seconds to stir (even if it looks like nothing’s happening yet). Keep going until the chocolate is smooth and lump-free.
Prep your dipping station. Pour sprinkles into a small bowl (pinch bowls are perfect!) and line a plate or small baking sheet with parchment paper.
Dip in chocolate and sprinkles. One by one, grab each cherry by the stem and dip the bottom half into the melted white chocolate. Lightly scrape the bottom on the edge of the bowl to remove excess chocolate.
Add sprinkles and set. Immediately dip the chocolate-covered part into the sprinkles, then place the cherry on the parchment paper.
Repeat and enjoy. Keep going until all the cherries are dipped and decorated. Chill if needed, or serve right away for a fun, boozy treat!

pouring vodka over maraschino cherries in a mason jar

cherries soaking in vodka in a mason jar

draining maraschino cherries of the vodka

white chocolate chips in a small white bowl

drunken cherries with white chocolate and red, white and blue nonpariels

Variations

To use for any celebration, dip in white chocolate and use rainbow sprinkles.
For a more elegant, rich treat, dip the marinated cherries in dark chocolate.
Use red, white and/or green nonpariels to make Christmas Drunken Cherries.
For a kid-friendly cherry bomb, skip the alcohol and dip the dried marachino cherries in chocolate and sprinkles… kids will LOVE this fun treat over ice cream or on their own.

Storage Directions

Refrigerator/Freezer. Store spiked cherries in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze them for up to 3 months.

Pro Tips for Drunken Cherries

These can be made ahead and kept in the vodka until you’re ready to dip and serve but the longer they soak, the more potent they will become.
For best results, enjoy them soon after dipping — they don’t keep well once removed from the liquid.
Dry the cherries thoroughly before dipping; chocolate won’t stick to wet cherries.
Work in small batches when dipping. If cherry juice gets into your melted chocolate, it can cause it to seize.
No mason jar? No problem — you can reuse the jar the cherries came in.
You can skip the chocolate and simply enjoy vodka-infused cherries on their own or use them as cocktail garnishes.
Try different alcohols or skip the booze entirely for a kid-friendly version.
Nonpareils work best for this recipe, but feel free to experiment with other sprinkles.
Be careful eating these straight from the freezer — the sprinkles can be hard on your teeth.
Don’t toss the cherry juice — it’s perfect for making Shirley Temples!

FAQ

Can you use fresh cherries for drunken cherries?

Yes, you can use fresh cherries. I recommend using dark, sweet cherries for the best flavor. Just keeping in mind that the soaking time may be different and the flavor will not be the same. Use cherry pitters to remove the seeds if you go this route.

What is the best alcohol to soak cherries in?

Most recipes make alcohol cherries with vodka. It seems to be the best overall liquor – it’s neutral and let’s the cherry flavor really shine. I love the flavor of the Whipped Cream Vodka but there are so many other options that would be delicious:
*Cinnamon Whiskey (such as Fireball)
*Amaretto
*Cherry Brandy or Cherry Vodka – it will boost the cherry flavor and add a little more sweetness. This would be great for Valentine’s Day. The best cherry vodka in my opinion is Absolut Cherry. I also like Smirnoff Cherry Vodka.
*Bourbon
*Champagne

How long to soak cherries in vodka?

I recommend overnight or at least 12 hours for the best flavor, and no longer than 24 hours. The longer you soak them, the stronger the alcohol flavor will be. Cherries soaked in alcohol longer than 24 hours begin to lose the natural flavor of the cherries.

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