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Christmas Drunken Cherries are the perfect boozy bite treats for the holidays. The maraschino cherries are infused with vodka or bourbon, dipped in white chocolate, and coated with red, white and green sanding sugar. They are festive, decorative, and make for some of the simplest and most delicious boozy dessert cocktails you can have on your holiday tables.

We love this time of the year since we can make the most decorative and amazing desserts possible. A large collection of Christmas themed desserts can be found on our blog, such as Christmas Sugar Cookies, M&M Cookie Bars and Eggnog Cheesecake.

Best Christmas Drunken Cherries

Christmas Drunken Cherries are a great way to entertain your guests and loved ones. They are super simple and easy to make. First, you soak them in alcohol, drain and then pat dry. Gently drying them with paper towels is key to getting the chocolate to stick to the cherries.

Any liquid can seize your chocolate and sanding sugar coating, so be sure to do this step. After soaking them in alcohol, it takes just a few minutes to prepare them. Once coated in chocolate, let them rest for 30 minutes in the fridge before serving.

Similarly, the Christmas Drunken Cherries can be perfect for any other events or holidays. Just decorate them with the appropriate colors, and you have the most delicious boozy dessert. Please note, since they are soaked in alcohol, they are not safe to serve to children. If you plan on serving them to children, go for the virgin version.

What do you need to make Christmas Drunken Cherries?

1 jar of red maraschino cherries with stems
1 jar green maraschino cherries with stems
2 cups vodka, champagne or bourbon
1 cup white chocolate chips
red, white, and green sanding sugar

How to make the perfect Christmas Drunken Cherries?

This is a quick and festive treat to make during the holiday season. Also, please watch the recipe video attached.

First, soak cherries in your favorite alcohol (vodka, bourbon, champagne) for 12 hours in the refrigerator.
Then, remove cherries and gently pat dry with a paper towel.
Place the white chocolate chips in a bowl, and heat in the microwave in 20-second intervals. Stir in between, until fully melted.
Dip each cherry two-thirds of the way into the melted white chocolate, twisting it slightly to help the chocolate stick.
Next, dip the cherry in red, green, or white sanding sugar, coating it halfway up the white chocolate coating.
Chill in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes before serving.

How do I soak the cherries?

Before soaking them in alcohol, we recommend draining the juice out of maraschino cherries jar and replacing it with vodka or bourbon. Pop the lid back on, and let them soak for at least 12 hours. Preferably, it would be to soak them overnight or even longer. Make sure you use decent alcohol brands since the flavor will reflect in the cherries.

What is the best alcohol to soak the cherries in?

You can basically soak the cherries in any alcohol you desire. Some suggestions are:

Rum
Champagne
Vodka and flavored vodka
Brandy
Bourbon
Whiskey
Cognac

Can I make them without alcohol?

If you want to serve them to kids, or don’t want to soak them in alcohol, go for the virgin cherries version of them. For alcohol-free, skip soaking the cherries, just pat them dry, dip in melted chocolate and the sanding sugar.

For additional flavor, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of vanilla to the cherry juice in the jar. Similarly, you will let them absorb the vanilla in the jar for 12 hours or so before coating them with chocolate and sanding sugar.

Can I use different fruits instead of cherries?

If you are not a fan of cherries, any other fruits will work just as fine. You can use fresh cherries, strawberries, pineapple, peaches, etc. Just keep in mind when changing the fruits, make sure to give them a different name other than Christmas Drunken Cherries.

Can I coat the Drunken Cherries with something else?

Absolutely. For this recipe, we went ahead and used white chocolate chips and sanding sugar. Similarly, you can coat the cherries with dark chocolate, sprinkles, or other sanding sugar colors.

Can I make them in advance?

Yes. If you already coated the cherries with chocolate and sanded them with sugar, it’s best to store them in the fridge for up to 5-7 days. Alternatively, you could freeze the cherries soaked in alcohol jar for a few months.

When the time comes, thaw, then remove the cherries from the jar, pat them dry, and coat with chocolate and sanding sugar.