The sweet and sour taste of this cherry cosmo is so satisfying and delicious that you’re going to want to smack your lips after each sip.
I capitalize on cherry season by not only eating as much of the red fruit as I can but also by making cherry drinks like this one, as well as cherry margaritas, cherry vodka sours, cherry infused vodka and bourbon and desserts like cherry rhubarb crisp and cherry sauce.
What I love about this cocktail is that the sweetness of the cherries means you can either add a little sweetener or none at all if you like your cocktails tart, like I do.
This is the beauty of making your own cocktails; you can customize them to your taste and to the taste of your guests!
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Helpful tips
- I don’t sweeten this cocktail because I find cherries sweet, so try it as written, but if you think it’s too tart, add ½ ounce of simple syrup.
- Use the best ingredients you can afford because there is more alcohol than juice in this cocktail, so you will taste the difference.
- Wash your cherries before using them. Here’s how: Pull off the stems and put as many cherries as you want in a wire strainer and run water on them. Grab a handful of cherries, squeeze a small amount of natural, unscented foaming soap (I buy mine from Whole Foods) on top, gently roll them together in your hands, and set them in the strainer. Continue until all the cherries have been washed and then run water over them, I swish my fingers around the cherries to get the soap off.
- I highly recommend this cherry pitter gadget for removing cherry pits. Even though you’ll probably only use it during cherry season, it is well worth having.
- If you do use the cherry pitter, wear an apron to protect your clothes from flying droplets of juice.
- Because this recipe calls for muddled fruit, be aware you may get some blockage when you pour the cocktail through your strainer. To help this, spoon some muddled cherries out of the shaker and place in each glass before you pour.
How to make a cherry cosmo
Pre-pre-step
Wash 16 cherries and pit them. (See helpful tips above.) Take six of those cherries and place three each on two martini picks.
Pre-step
Get your muddler and cocktail shaker. Wash a bunch of cherries, including the six cherries for garnish.
After measuring out the ingredients, pour them into the cocktail shaker.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – vodka, orange liqueur, lime, simple syrup and pitted cherries.
Step two
Place 10 washed and pitted cherries in the cocktail shaker. Use your muddler or a wooden spoon to squish the cherries and release the juices. (A)
Notice all the liquid in the shaker below. That’s juice just from muddling the cherries.
Step three
Measure 4 ounces of vodka. (B)
Step four
Measure 2 ounces of orange liqueur. (C)
Step five
Squeeze and measure out lime juice. (D)
Step six
Cap shaker and shake for 15 seconds.
Step seven
Divide and strain cocktail between the two glasses. Add the cherry garnish to both glasses.
Just know that since you muddled the fruit, you may get some blockage when you pour the cocktail through your strainer. If so, take a spoon to fish out some of the muddled cherries and place a few in each glass. (The rest you’ll either eat, throw away or compost.)
You can clearly see the muddled fruit in the photos below.
Now, let’s look at the vertical view.
It is so delicious!
I hope you enjoyed this cherry cosmo recipe.
And as always, may all your dishes/drinks be delish!
If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Bing Cherry Cosmo Cocktail
Ingredients
- 10 Bing cherries (washed and pitted)
- 4 ounces vodka I used Grey Goose
- 2 ounce Cointreau or triple sec
- 2 ounce lime juice (usually one lime)
- .50 ounce simple syrup (optional – try it unsweetened first since cherries are a sweet fruit)
Garnish
- 6 cherries (washed and pitted and put on martini picks – 3 per pick)
Instructions
What To Do
- Place cherries in cocktail shaker and muddle them until they squished and the juices are expressed
- Fill shaker halfway with ice
- Add vodka, Cointreau and lime juice
- Cap shaker and shake at for 15 seconds)
- Strain and divid liquid between the two martini glasses and fish out some pieces of cherries and place some in each glass
- Place the garnish into the glass
- Sip
- Smile
- Enjoy
Notes
- I don’t sweeten this cocktail because I find cherries sweet, so try it as written, but if you think it’s too tart, add ½ ounce of simple syrup.
- Use the best ingredients you can afford because there is more alcohol than juice in this cocktail, so you will taste the difference.
- Wash your cherries before using them. Here’s how: Pull off the stems and put as many cherries as you want in a wire strainer and run water on them. Grab a handful of cherries, squeeze a small amount of natural, unscented foaming soap (I buy mine from Whole Foods) on top, gently roll them together in your hands, and set them in the strainer. Continue until all the cherries have been washed and then run water over them, I swish my fingers around the cherries to get the soap off.
- I highly recommend this cherry pitter gadget for removing cherry pits. Even though you’ll probably only use it during cherry season, it is well worth having.
- If you do use the cherry pitter, wear an apron to protect your clothes from flying droplets of juice.
- Because this recipe calls for muddled fruit, be aware you may get some blockage when you pour the cocktail through your strainer. To help this, spoon some muddled cherries out of the shaker and place in each glass before you pour.
Renee @ The Good Hearted Woman
There’s something about a cosmo that is so classy and relaxing, and this one is beautiful too. We are getting some cherries this weekend, so we will have to try it out.
Elaine
I hope you enjoy it Renee!
Lizzie
Those photos are really stunning! Maybe I’ll have to get some cherries – I shop at a local greengrocer so much of our produce comes in paper bags – though nowadays I can order from the local greengrocer online!
Elaine
Wow! I probably could order them online too but I have never done that with food. Thank you Lizzie!
Helen @ Fuss Free Flavours
I can’t think of anything more sublime than this gorgeous cocktail right now. A perfect Friday night treat, to just sit back and wind down. I love cherries too, and having that flavour run through with the Vodka and Cointreau just seems like a wonderful match.
Elaine
Thank you Helen!!
Kelly @ trial and eater
This cocktail looks delicious, perfect for Friday happy hour!
Elaine
Thank you Kelly!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
I have never known what “[verb]-ing the crap out of” something meant—UNTIL NOW. The magic number is 20! All kidding aside, I am a huge fan of bing cherries, and, given the fact that it is almost 5 pm on Friday, I now have a perfect libation to get the weekend off to a good start!
Elaine
Michelle!! Thanks. 🙂 I hope you enjoy it!
Chris
Lovely way to enjoy cherries! Nice recipe.
Elaine
Thanks Chris!
Jere Cassidy
Well I so happen to have cherries in the fridge right now, so this cherry cosmo will be perfect for a happy hour.
Elaine
Woohoo! I hope you enjoy it Jere! Cheers!
Jeannette
I love a good 5 minute drink I can whip up! Having bing cherries as the base for this cocktail is such a refreshing idea. Thanks for sharing!
Elaine
Thank you Jeannette! I love quick and easy cocktails! 🙂 More drinking, less time making them.
Mindy Fewless
Omg this is so refreshing!! Now one of my favorite drink recipes!
Elaine
I’m so happy to hear that Mindy!! Cheers!
Kathryn
Oh my gosh! You had me as cosmo but then CHERRIES?! Yes — definitely putting this on the list to make ASAP. Thanks so much for the recipe!
Elaine
You’re welcome. Thank you Kathryn. I hope you enjoy it. Cheers!
Priya Lakshminarayan
Now that’s a drink I would love! Thanks for the recipe..making this
Elaine
I’m so glad Priya! Thank you!