Bottled Cherry Coke Recipe
Make Bottled Cherry Coke Recipe in just 1h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Cherry Syrup
Bottling & Serving
Method
Cherry Syrup
- 1
Prep cherries
Rinse the cherries and pit them. If you don't have a pitter, halve each cherry and remove the pit with the tip of a paring knife. Measure out 3 cups pitted cherries.
- 2
Combine and heat
In a medium saucepan, combine the pitted cherries, 1 cup water, and 1.5 cups granulated sugar. Stir to combine.
- 3
Simmer
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally so the sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes, breaking cherries with the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher every few minutes to release juices and flavor.
- 4
Add aromatics
Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt. Taste and, if desired, add up to another 1 tablespoon lemon juice or a pinch more salt to balance sweetness.
- 5
Strain and finish
Place a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth (or a double layer of fine mesh) over a bowl. Pour the hot cherry mixture into the sieve and press gently with a spatula to extract the syrup. Discard solids (or reserve a spoonful for garnish). Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until fully chilled (about 30–45 minutes). You should yield roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups of syrup depending on how much you press.
Bottling & Serving
- 6
Sterilize bottles
While the syrup cools, sterilize your bottles and caps. Wash bottles and caps with hot soapy water, rinse, then place them in a large pot of boiling water for 5 minutes. Remove carefully with tongs and set upside down on a clean towel to drain and cool slightly. Alternatively, use a dishwasher on the hottest cycle.
- 7
Decide syrup strength
Decide how pronounced you want the cherry flavor: start with 1 tablespoon (mild) to 2 tablespoons (pronounced) of cherry syrup per 12‑oz bottle. This recipe's syrup quantity is sized for 6 bottles at about 1.5–2 tablespoons per bottle; adjust to taste.
- 8
Fill bottles
Using a small funnel, add 2 tablespoons of chilled cherry syrup into each sterilized 12‑oz bottle (for a pronounced cherry flavor). If you prefer milder flavor, use 1 tablespoon. Reserve any extra syrup in the refrigerator for later.
- 9
Top with cola
Pour chilled cola into each bottle slowly, leaving about 1/2 to 1 inch of headspace at the top. Fill gently to preserve carbonation.
- 10
Seal and equilibrate
Cap each bottle tightly. Turn bottles upright and gently invert them 1–2 times to mix syrup with cola without losing much fizz. Do not shake vigorously. Let bottles rest at cool room temperature for 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to marry, then refrigerate upright for at least 30 minutes before serving so they are thoroughly chilled.
- 11
Serve
To serve, place 1–2 ice cubes in a chilled glass, pour the bottled cherry coke over the ice, and garnish with a maraschino cherry. Taste and if you'd like more cherry, stir in an additional 1/2–1 tablespoon of reserved syrup per glass.
- 12
Storage
Keep any remaining bottled Cherry Coke refrigerated and consume within 3–4 days for best flavor. Keep leftover syrup refrigerated and use within 7–10 days.
