I tried all kinds of recipes in 2010 when I tried 365 new recipes. One was this Bourbon Cherry Crush, a simple alcoholic bourbon-cherry slushie.
It's easy to make, and pretty delicious when made right (which I definitely didn't do 15 years ago). It's a refreshing, not-too-sweet frozen cocktail.
If you like this slushy but not sweet cocktail, you'll also enjoy my Bourbon Cranberry Cocktail and my Whiskey Sherry Cocktail.
When I was looking up pina coladas in 2010 I came across another blended drink recipe that The New York Times called Cherry Crush. Alex and I were having drinks, and I figured I might as well make it since I had the stuff for it.
Ingredients
Ingredients are pretty simple:
- Bourbon: use a standard 40%, 80-proof one that you like the taste of.
- Cherries: fresh, and not grocery store maraschinos, which have no flavor. Use a cherry pitter (affiliate link) to pit them. Frozen cherries are probably also okay.
- Lemon juice: fresh is better, but bottled is fine.
- Sugar
- Angostura bitters
- Ice: I use crushed ice if possible, to make it easier to blend.
Instructions
Pit the cherries; I recommend using a cherry pitter (affiliate link).
Combine all the ingredients in blender or bullet blender (affiliate link), like I use. Add the sugar directly to the liquid to help it dissolve.
Blend in 15 second increments for 1 minute total. The slushie blended better when I gave it a 10-15 second rest halfway through blending.
Garnish with mint or basil if desired. Enjoy immediately!
More Bourbon and Other Spirits
Here's other bourbon and drinks recipes I've made!
Interested in other recipes? I save and share recipes I like or want to try on my Pinterest page - follow me there! You can also check out my Facebook page for more recipes and helpful tips. I'm also happy to try to help troubleshoot my recipes there.
Have you tried this recipe? Or have a question about it? Rate it or leave a comment below! (PS: rating my recipes helps other people find them, too!)
📖 Recipe
Bourbon Cherry Crush
Equipment
- bullet blender (affiliate link)
Ingredients
- 2 ounces bourbon (56 grams; ¼ cup)
- 3 pitted cherries
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (28 grams; 1 ounce)
- 1 tablespoon sugar (12 grams)
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
- 1 cup ice (crushed ice if possible)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a blender or bullet blender (affiliate link). Add sugar to the liquid (rather than onto the ice or the bottom) to help dissolve it.
- Blend in 15 second increments for 1 minute total, until smooth. I find it blends best when I take a brief rest halfway through blending.
- Enjoy immediately.
Leona Konkel says
I vastly prefer this version of the cocktail over the one I made 15 years ago! If you try it, be sure to let me know what you think!