Make the most of summer cherries with these Cherry Spritzes! Made with real cherries, cherry liqueur, and champagne, it’s a berry-lover’s dream! You can use any type of bubbly you like, whether it’s champagne, prosecco, or cava. These cocktails are light, fruity, and refreshing – perfect for summer dinners al fresco!
One of my most favorite things is making cocktails with FRESH fruits. Don’t get me wrong, I do love my artificially-flavored blue raspberry Icees. But there’s something rewarding about going straight to the source. Fresh cherries don’t have that “punch you in the face” artificial cherry flavor. However, they have this tartness and juiciness that can’t be replicated.
And, of course, the cherry flavor is amplified by the dehydrated cherry sugar rim. (I know I’ve said cherries many, many times in this post, but bear with me.) All you need to do is pulverize the dehydrated cherries in a food processor or blender, then mix them with sugar. You wet the rim of the glasses with a little fresh lemon, then press them into the sugar mixture. Et voilà! A homemade drink that’s better than from a restaurant! :) Enjoy!!
For more berry deliciousness, try my Tart Cherry Smoothie, this Strawberry Icebox Cake, or my Strawberry Salsa!
Cherry Spritzes
Ingredients
Cherry Spritzes
- 1/2 Cup Pitted Cherries
- 2 oz Cherry Liqueur
- Champagne to top off the glass
- 4-5 Ice Cubes
Cherry Sugar Rim
- 3 Tbsp Freeze-Dried Cherries
- 2 Tbsp Sugar
- 1/2 Lemon
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add the cherries.
- Using a muddler or a wooden spoon, smash the cherries until you have a rough purée.
- Then, add in the cherry liqueur and ice to the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously, for at least 45-60 seconds, or until the cocktail shaker is painfully cold to the touch!
- For the cherry sugar rim, pulverize the freeze-dried cherries in a food processor or blender until they become a course powder. On a flat plate, sprinkle your sugar and freeze-dried cherry powder into even layers. Use the 1/2 lemon to wet the rim of your glasses. Then, invert the glass and press into the sugar mixture.
- Add ice to fill your glasses almost to the top. Using a strainer, pour the cherry liqueur mixture from the cocktail shaker evenly into both glasses. If it's getting hard to pour the liquid out, use a mesh strainer to get the rest.
- Top off each glass with champagne, or a bubbly of your choice (such as prosecco or cava).
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Cherry Spritzes FAQs
What’s in a Cherry Spritz?
In my recipe, you make the cocktail with fresh cherries, cherry liqueur, and champagne. That’s it!
Can I make this Cherry Spritz into a mocktail?
Absolutely! Instead of the cherry liqueur, try some cherry juice or cranberry juice (I like Ocean Spray), and top with cherry seltzer or non-alcoholic grape bubbly!
What alcohol has a cherry flavor?
You need to find an infused liqueur, cordial, or brandy for this recipe. There are different methods of infusing flavors into alcohol, such as steeping or actually using the fruit in the fermentation process. No matter which type or cherry liqueur you find, go for what looks best to you!
What is the best cherry liqueur?
For this recipe, I used Wiśniówka, a Polish cherry liqueur. My husband is Polish, so we always try to find liqueurs from Poland whenever we can! However, you can use a cherry brandy, such as the Giffard cherry brandy.
Is Cherry Spritz for men?
So whenever I write a post, I look on Google to see what questions people may have about my recipe. I saw this as a result and actually laughed. OF COURSE a man can have a Cherry Spritz. I can’t believe in 2025 that is still a question! Food and drinks are for everybody. If something looks good to you, try it :)
P.S.
For more plant-forward recipes, dinner parties, and New England lifestyle inspiration, be sure to follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok! If you make a recipe, please tag me in the photo and use the hashtag #wellandfull so I can see! I love seeing your creations!
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