How to make your own cherry extract at home. It's so easy to make and the flavour is out of this world.
When the Sunday Supper crew announced we were doing Holiday Gifts from the Kitchen as our theme this week I may have jumped for joy. I mean just a little. I love giving home-made gifts so I knew this was going to be fun. The possibilities are endless when it comes to gifts you can give people from the kitchen. Cookies, bars, bark, snack mix, chocolates, bread, candy, alcohol and the list goes on and on. You can also make gifts in jars that the recipient just adds some wet ingredients to in order to bake, cookie mixes and breads are perfect for this.
Last year I gave away vanilla extract, vanilla salt, vanilla sugar, vanilla brown sugar and vanilla oats. I also did up some cookies in a jar for some people. Then I whipped up some Turtle Bark, Black Forest Bark, Coconut Bark, Hot Fudge Sauce and Slow Cooker Snack Mix for some family members. Yup, being in Lunie's world during the holidays is a good thing. And sorta fattening.
I made this extract eons ago. The downside to that is there is no fresh cherries to use as props in the photo. I intended to photograph this before I went out west. But I was too busy. Then I intended to photograph this when I returned home from the vacation of doom. But I was too sick. So I finally photographed this but the timing meant no cherries to add in the shot. Such a big old cherry bummer.
The upside to making cherry extract is it is so much cheaper than buying it. A tiny bottle of it costs a fortune. I love using cherry extract whenever possible in my baking. So I go through quite a bit of it. Making my own made good economic sense. Plus it was fun. I mean who doesn't love playing with vodka. It's how all good weekends start right.
Homemade Cherry Extract
Ingredients
- 1 375 ml bottle vodka
- 2 cups fresh cherries
Instructions
- Pit and cut your cherries in half.
- Pour vodka into a mason jar.
- Toss cherries in the vodka.
- Give it a shake.
- Store in a cool, dark place for about 2 weeks.
- Give it a little shake now and then.
- After 2 weeks time remove and discard the cherries. You can pour it through a sieve to remove any particles. Pour back into jar and store in a cool, dry place.
- Give as gifts with a big old cherry smile!
Notes
Yes I realize it's not cherry season. You may need to wait awhile to try this one. If you're wondering if you can use dried cherries, well, I'm on that. I've got a batch brewing as I write this. So stay tuned for results.
Hope you enjoy this. Thanks to our hostesss this week, Susan from The Wimpy Vegetarian. She really came up with the perfect theme. As always a huge thank you to our fearless leader, Isabel of Family Foodie. Make sure you stop by all the other Sunday Supper crew to see what amazing gifts they made for you.
Breads/Breakfast:
- Pumpkin Biscoff Bread – Dinners, Dishes, and Dessert
- All-in-One Beer Bread Kit – girlichef
- Banana Coconut Coffee Cake with Macadamia Nut Streusel – The Lovely Pantry
- Pancake Mix With Apple Cider Syrup and Candied Walnuts – Tora’s Real Food
- Cranberry Hootycreeks – Baker Street
Condiments/Ingredients:
- Apple Butter – Hezzi D’s Books and Cooks
- Herb Vinegars – Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Harissa – The Wimpy Vegetarian
- Homemade Vanilla Extract – Flour on my Face
- Nutella Powder – I Run For Wine
- Apricot Pineapple Rum Sauce – Vintage Kitchen Notes
- Spiced Cranberry Apricot Almond Chutney – Sue’s Nutrition Buzz
- Pumpkin Butter – Family Foodie
Soup/Snacks:
- A Soup For You – Momma’s Meals
- Maple Nut Granola - Girl in the Little Red Kitchen
- Sweet and Spicy Curried Nuts – Soni’s Food for Thought
- Sweet and Spicy Pecans – Supper For a Steal
- Maple Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars – Cupcakes and Kale Chips
- Orange Spiced Chickpeas – Home Cooking Memories
- Turtle Pretzels – The Messy Baker
Sweets:
- Rocky Road Candy – Magnolia Days
- Dairyfree Vegan Caramels – Galactosemia in PDX
- Peanut Butter Cookies in a Jar – Mama’s Blissful Bites
- M&M Cookies in a Jar – Damn Delicious
- Monster Cookie Mix in a Jar – What Smells So Good?
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Biscotti – Meal Planning Magic
- Snickerdoodle Snack Mix – Pippi’s in the Kitchen Again
- Butter and Jam Thumbprint Cookies – Crispy Bits & Burnt Ends
- Peppermint Stick Cookie Truffles - The Weekend Gourmet
- Nutella Truffles – Small Wallet Big Appetite
- Peanut Cajetas (Peanut Fudge) – Basic and Delicious
- Cookie Cutter Fudge – Chocolate Moosey
- Pumpkin Roll – Shockingly Delicious
- Homemade Chocolates – My Trials in the Kitchen
- Hot Chocolate on a Stick – Juanita’s Cocina
- Chocolate Toffee “Crack” – Ruffles and Truffles
- Holiday Tree Cake – Noshing with the Nolands
Drinks:
- Applepie Moonshine - My Catholic Kitchen
- Holiday Spiced Mocha - Daily Dish Recipes
- Homemade Peppermint Mocha Mix - In the Kitchen with KP
- Homemade Kahlua - That Skinny Chick Can Bake
Thanks for visiting today!
Check out my recipe index for more amazing recipes. You can find more fruit recipes and tons of DIY recipes.
While you’re here please take a minute to follow me on Pinterest. I’m always pinning great recipes and fun DIY projects.
You should also follow me on Instagram. It’s a great way to stay up to date on all the latest and greatest blog recipes.
Toodles! xx
Samantha
How did the dried cherry extract turn out?
Kim Beaulieu
Fabulous. I'll post the recipe at the end of this month with some other Christmas Gift Ideas I have happening. That way people can still make it for the holiday season.
Ally
How long do you steep the dried cherries? 2 weeks also?
Kim Beaulieu
Hi Ally. Yes, two weeks is good.
I realize I never posted the recipe for the dried cherry version so I'll make it this week then post the recipe for it.
Cynthia Caballes Papangelis
Hi there!
I will definitely try and make your Cherry Extract recipe as I need to use it as a flavour for my buttercream.
I would like it though to be in a liquid state, may I ask if you have pureed it after 2 weeks before?
Thank you!
Cynthia
Kim Beaulieu
Hi Cynthia. Thanks so much for your comment. You remove the cherries after 2 weeks. I clarified that in the recipe because I think it was misleading. Sorry for any confusion.
Basically you combine the cherries and booze in a jar for 2 weeks. Then you discard the cherries and run through a sieve. Pour the liquid back in the jar. Then you can store in a cool, dry place until you need it.
Thanks again for the comment.
didi
Hi,
I tried to make you homemade cherry extract, but I sort of forgot about it and left it for 4 weeks instead of 2. Is it ruined? can I still use it? and my cherry extract tastes sour.
Kim Beaulieu
Hi. I would probably make it again. 2 weeks is ideal for extract. I've forgotten myself when making extracts. Try setting an alert on your phone or computer as reminder. I usually write it on my calendar and set a reminder on my computer so I'm reminded twice. HA!
Anonymous
Hi, thanks for your reply and yes I threw away the old one (sigh... all those cherries). I am making a new batch now hope it turns out great this time.
Kim Beaulieu
Good luck. I love my cherry extract. Have you ever made coconut extract? I'll be sharing a recipe for that next month.
Wendy
I can't find the post about the outcome of this recipe using dried cherries. Can you please provide a link? Or did someone else try the receipt with dried cherries and have information to share?
Kim Beaulieu
Hi Wendy. Yes, it does work with dried cherries. I'll try to add a new post for it in a couple of weeks. I lost the photos during a computer crash so I'll remake a batch so I can take new pics for a post. Thanks for the reminder.
Paul Parker
What would the shelf life be?
Is fridge to cold to hold for the flavoring period?
Kim Beaulieu
Hi Paul. Just saw this. I recommend no longer than a year. Don't turn the lid too tight. I've heard of people having jars explode when they seal them super tight.
I wouldn't put it in the fridge during the 2 week flavouring period but you could certainly put it in the fridge afterwards. I store mine in a dark closet in one of our cooler rooms of the house. Try to avoid putting it in a screaming hot room. We have 2 rooms in our house that get hotter than the rest so I never store extracts in those rooms.
Hope that helps. Let me know if you have more questions.
Erech
Hi Kim,
Do you know if the extract retains any of the sugar from the cherries? I'm on a Keto/low carb diet and can't have the sugar.
Thanks!
Erech
Kim Beaulieu
Hi Erech. I'm not sure if it retains much sugar from the cherries or not. I asked a Keto blogger friend (Mellissa from I Breathe I'm Hungry) and she said you have to count the alcohol sugar.
I've heard cherries are good for diabetes but not sure how they rank on the Keto diet. My guess is the sugar from the cherries is marginal if you're using a teaspoon or less in a sugar free recipe.
If push comes to shove and you want cherry flavouring in your extract you could always find a sugar free alcohol then add sugar free cherry candies or sugar free drink flavourings (like Torani or Da Vinci). You could use drink flavouring too (like sugar free Crystal Light or Kool Aid), or go to well.ca and check out their flavorings. They have a lot of healthy options.
If you need any more help just holler back.
Also, if you are doing Keto I highly recommend I Breathe I'm Hungry's website and cookbooks. I just got her new cookbook called Squeaky Clean Keto in the mail today. It's amazing!
Mary
Can you please clarify, do the cherries have to be just halved or can you do this with smaller cuts of cherry? I'm thinking more of the inside surface area exposed = more flavor. or does this not matter since they will be soaking so long in the alcohol?
Kim Beaulieu
I always cut mine in half and remove the pits. I don't think cutter them into smaller pieces is necessary because they soak long enough to pull all the natural flavour out of them. That said, if you want to try cutter them smaller I don't seem any harm in it.
Heather
Hi, I think I left my sour cherries too long in the vodka. I was taking the lid off the bottle and fizzed up and over. What did I do wrong.
Thank You
Heather
Kim Beaulieu
Hi Heather. Did you use plain vodka in a glass jar? How long did you leave them in there? I'll check back later for your reply. Or feel free to email me at cravingsofalunatic@gmail.com so I can help you problem solve this one.