Cherry Bomb! Recipe

Combine cherries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar, and cook for 8–10 minutes until cherries have softened and released their juices.

Use a muddler or the back of a spoon to crush the cherries in the pan to release more flavor and color.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice to brighten the syrup and balance sweetness.

Let the mixture cool slightly (10–15 minutes), then strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a jar or bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Reserve the strained cherries for other uses or discard.

Chill the syrup in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using. The syrup will keep up to 2 weeks refrigerated in a sealed container.

Prepare glass

If serving on the rocks, fill an old-fashioned glass with large ice cubes. For a stirred-up cocktail, chill a coupe glass and skip the ice. For a spritz version, use a highball glass with ice.

Mix

In a cocktail shaker, add 2 oz bourbon, 0.75 oz cherry syrup, 0.5 oz fresh lemon juice, 0.25 oz maraschino liqueur (or a splash of maraschino cherry juice), and 2 dashes Angostura bitters.

Shake or stir

If serving over ice, fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds to chill and dilute. If serving up (no ice), add ice, stir for 20–30 seconds, then strain into the chilled coupe.

If making the spritz variation, after straining into the glass with fresh ice, top with about 1 oz club soda and gently stir once to combine.

Garnish with one maraschino or brandied cherry and a lemon twist (express the lemon twist over the drink to release oils, then drop or hang on the rim).

Serve immediately.