This cherry syrup recipe is easy to make with only two ingredients plus water. This is a cherry simple syrup recipe, so a thin syrup to add to drinks, cocktails, lattes or my personal favorite: Diet Coke. Lol.
I love the rich flavor of cherries and making your own homemade syrup from fresh cherries is the best! While store-bought cherry syrups are less work they sometimes can taste too much like medicine or too sweet to me. Homemade is worth with and super easy.
Related: Next up try mint syrup or pumpkin spice syrup. And if you love cherries make our Cherry Limeade recipe or Cherry Bomb shot.
Ingredients
- Cherries – fresh or frozen work well
- Granulated white sugar
- Water
We are looking for fresh cherries, like what you would find in the produce section. You may find them frozen as well. Do not use maraschino cherries (jarred) for this recipe.
How to make Cherry Syrup
Remove the stems and cut the cherries in half.
In a small to medium pot combine the sugar and water. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Add the cherries to the mixture. Bring to boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer (low) and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool. The cherries will continue to steep and release flavor.
Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a glass mixing cup with a spout. Use a spoon to fresh the cherries into the sieve, to get as much liquid out as you can.
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you think you may want to use the cherry syrup longer you can freeze it in ice cubes to use as needed.
Tips, Notes and Substitutions
- If you are using frozen cherries thaw before following this recipe.
- You do not have to remove the pits. But, if you do remove the pits then you can use the leftovers like a compote on jam or ice cream. If you leave the pits in it will not effect your syrup but you’ll want to discard the remains after straining.
- This cherry syrup recipe is super simple and delicious as is. But if you want to slightly deepen or alter the flavor you could try adding: vanilla extract, fresh herbs like mint or rosemary, citrus rind like orange or lemon, or simply a big pinch of sea salt. Add these to the cooking process as strain out any solids along with the cherry fruit / pits.
- You could also swap some or all of the granulated white sugar for brown sugar for a different flavor. Or swap for demerara sugar for a slightly different texture to your syrup.
Uses for Cherry Syrup
Frequently Asked Questions
Is cherry syrup the same as grenadine syrup?
No, grenadine syrup is made from pomegranate. But, it can make a good substitute even though it doesn’t taste exactly the same.
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A sweet simple syrup made from fresh cherries and sugar.
Instructions
-
Remove the stems and cut the cherries in half.
-
In a small to medium pot combine the sugar and water. Whisk until the sugar dissolves. Add the cherries to the mixture.
-
Bring to boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer (low) and continue to cook for 10 minutes.
-
Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool. The cherries will continue to steep and release flavor.
-
Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a glass mixing cup with a spout. Use a spoon to fresh the cherries into the sieve, to get as much liquid out as you can.
-
Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. If you think you may want to use the cherry syrup longer you can freeze it in ice cubes to use as needed.
Notes
If you are using frozen cherries thaw before following this recipe.
You do not have to remove the pits. But, if you do remove the pits then you can use the leftovers like a compote on jam or ice cream. If you leave the pits in it will not effect your syrup but you’ll want to discard the remains after straining.
This cherry syrup recipe is super simple and delicious as is. But if you want to slightly deepen or alter the flavor you could try adding: vanilla extract, fresh herbs like mint or rosemary, citrus rind like orange or lemon, or simply a big pinch of sea salt. Add these to the cooking process as strain out any solids along with the cherry fruit / pits.
You could also swap some or all of the granulated white sugar for brown sugar for a different flavor. Or swap for demerara sugar for a slightly different texture to your syrup.
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Cherry Syrup
Amount per Serving
% Daily Value*
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated, using Spoonacular, for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.