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Cherry Vodka Sour | Refreshing and Delicious

This cherry vodka sour recipe is perfect for the spring and summer months. Made with my homemade cherry infused vodka and fresh sour mix, it is especially delicious and refreshing!

Three glasses filled with the cherry sour with cherries and lemon twists in the glasses

Doesn’t this photo make you want to grab one of the glasses and slurp this cherry vodka sour down in one go? Or is that just me?

Two stand-out characteristics that make most cocktails refreshing are the ice cold temperature and the zest of citrus.

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This cocktail has both of those things going for it. It’s full of ice and it has a good amount of fresh lemon juice. And the vodka with the fresh cherry flavor is out of this world.

One sip of this delicious drink will have you thinking – cherry lemonade. Just remember that it has booze so sipping is suggested.

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Helpful tips

  • Homemade cherry vodka is a deep red color and goes perfect in this cocktail. Most people use just regular vodka or store bought cherry vodka that is clear, so they add grenadine which makes the cocktail overly sweet. Use my homemade cherry vodka, you won’t regret it.
  • Usually sweet and sour mix is made of equal parts citrus and syrup, but I like a more tart cocktail so I always use 1/2 the sweetener that other recipes typically call for.
  • Make your own simple syrup as it saves you money and is so easy. Here’s how: add equal amounts of water and sugar to a saucepan. I usually do 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. On medium heat, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the syrup cool completely before using it in a cocktail.
  • I say make it like this and taste it. If it isn’t sweet enough for you, add more by 1/2 ounce increments and taste after each one. But I’m thinking the sweetness is enough.
  • You can use any glassware. The tall glass is a Tom Collins glass, my glass of choice for this cocktail. The double old fashioned glass and coupe are fun options, too.
  • Fresh fruit tastes best in cocktails, so whenever you can, squeeze the lemon juice yourself.
  • You can make a big batch of this cocktail. Just double or triple the ingredients and mix it in a pitcher.
  • Some sour’s like whiskey sour or a classic vodka sour are made with egg whites to make the cocktail frothy and creamy. That is the old fashioned way of making a sour cocktail. I’m here to tell you that you don’t need the egg white. Leaving it out not only lessens your chance of contracting salmonella but it makes it more refreshing and oh, so pretty.

How to make the cherry vodka sour

Pre-step

Fill a cocktail shaker 3/4 of the way with ice and get a measuring glass and glassware.

After measuring each ingredient below, pour it into your shaker.

Step one

Gather the ingredients – my much loved homemade cherry infused vodka, some fresh lemons, and simple syrup.

Cherry vodka, lemons, simple syrup and glassware and the cocktail shaker in the background

Step two

Measure 4 ounces of cherry infused vodka.

Cherry vodka measured out with the bottle in the background along with some cherries on a little white dish

Step three

Measure 6 ounces of fresh lemon juice.

Lemon juice measured out with a lemon and juicer, cocktail shaker and glasses in the background

Step four

Measure 3 ounces simple syrup

Simple syrup measured out with the bottle and cocktail shaker in the background

Step five

Cap the cocktail shaker and shake gently for 15 seconds. The reason I shake gently is because the shaker is so full!

Step six

Add ice cubes to the glasses and divide, strain, and pour the vodka sour between the three glasses. Add two cherries to each cocktail glass as garnish.

Cherry sitting on some ice in a glass with the pink cocktail

Isn’t that simply mouthwatering?

Short glass filled with the pink cocktail with two other glasses behind

The large ice cube you see above was made with this ice cube tray.

Overhead view of the cherry sour with cherries and lemon twists

And here’s the vertical view.

tall thin glass with the vodka sour in it with cherries and lemon twists as garnish

And another because I love a good vertical view.

Bubble glass filled with the pink cocktail

I hope you enjoyed this cherry vodka sour cocktail recipe!

What is your favorite sour cocktail? Leave me a comment as I love to know!

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 FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

A bubble glass filled with a reddish cocktail with a lemon twist and cherries in as garnish - square

Cherry Vodka Sour

Refreshing and delicious, this cocktail is perfect for the spring and summer months!
5 from 13 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: Cocktails
Keyword: cherry cocktail, cherry vodka sour, vodka sour
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 3 servings
Calories: 173kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces cherry infused vodka
  • 6 ounces lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
  • 3 ounces simple syrup (anywhere between 2.5 – 6 ounces)

Garnish

  • 6 cherries

Instructions

  • Fill shaker 3/4 with ice
  • Add vodka, lemon juice and simple syrup
    4 ounces cherry infused vodka, 6 ounces lemon juice, 3 ounces simple syrup
  • Cap shaker and gently shake for 15 seconds
  • Add ice to the glasses and divide the contents equally between the 3 glasses
  • Add two cherries to each glass as garnish
    6 cherries
  • Sip
  • Smile
  • Enjoy
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Notes

Helpful tips
  • Usually sweet and sour mix is made of equal parts citrus and syrup, but I like a more tart cocktail so I always use 1/2 the simple syrup that other recipes typically call for.
  • Make your own simple syrup as it saves you money and is so easy. Here’s how: add equal amounts of water and sugar to a saucepan. I usually do 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar. On medium heat, bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Let the syrup cool completely before using it in a cocktail.
  • I say make it like this and taste it. If it isn’t sweet enough for you, add more by 1/2 ounce increments and taste after each one. But I’m thinking it is sweet enough.
  • You can use any glassware. The tall glass is a Tom Collins glass, my glass of choice for this cocktail. The double old fashioned glass and coupe are fun options, too.
  • Fresh fruit tastes best in cocktails, so whenever you can, squeeze the lemon juice yourself.
  • You can make a big batch of this cocktail. Just double or triple the ingredients and mix it in a pitcher.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 173kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 108mg | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin C: 23.1mg | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.8mg
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Originally published in July of 2018. Updated photos and recipe.

Website | + posts

From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.

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36 Comments

  1. Perfect for the hot weather we’ve been having! This looks absolutely refreshing and has such a pretty colour too.

    1. Thanks so much Marie!! I agree. At least the heat is going to break here for us in New England. But it’s been brutal.

  2. This looks refreshing for summer. I love the flavor of cherries when tart and fresh. It’s one of my favorite cocktails.

  3. I love infusing spirits, especially in the summer when fruit and berries are at their peak. And this cocktail sounds so refreshing and easy to make! Perfect for summer entertaining.

  4. Love the color of this drink! It’s a delicious drink for summer and entertaining!

    1. Cheryl, the recipe is right on the page. You basically wash and pit a bunch of cherries, put them in a ball jar and pour in vodka. You place it in the fridge for 1 week, take the cherries out and throw them away and voila!

    1. Thank you Irina. It’s so refreshing that you have to keep reminding yourself that it has booze in it. 😉

  5. Can you make suggestions for those of us that don’t have the time to make the cherry infused vodka? I love anything cherry but I truly don’t have the time to pit and do all that

    1. Kim, they do have cherry flavored vodka in liquor stores. I haven’t tried any of those brands but I do trust Grey Goose. But if it’s not in your budget, Smirnoff is a solid brand. Just know you won’t get the same color as my drink. (I’ve also found that in the summer months – the vodka only takes around 3 days to infuse and lately I’ve been infusing it on the counter.)

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