What better way to use up fruit than to drown them in Bourbon and Kirsch. I made boozy cherries and peaches this afternoon and can’t wait to use them in cakes, drinks and over ice cream!
We just got back from our two week vacation in Southern BC and I brought back a lot of fruit!
I was able to hand pick 25 pounds of peaches. I chose the harder ones so they would make the trip back in the motorhome. Only a few turned on me, an extra fuzzy mess in the bottom of the box.
We also took the kids cherry picking. There was a U-pick right across from our campsite. It was boys against girls but in the end we tied with three pounds each. Though the boys probably had more, the evidence was all over their faces! It was one of my favorite parts of our holiday.
Canning the boozy fruit is pretty easy. I started by making a simple syrup which is just equal parts water and sugar. You can add as much liquor as you want. I used a shot glass for each 1 cup jar then topped it up with the syrup. If you’re just planning on doing cherries, go with 2 1/2 cups each of sugar and water. You’ll end up with eight jars of boozy cherries.
The recipe below made four Kirsch Cherries, four Bourbon-Vanilla Cherries and 10 Bourbon-Vanilla Peaches. If you don’t have vanilla beans, add a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract to each bourbon mixture.
If you want to see where I got the ideas for the cherries, check out She Eats!
- 5 cups sugar
- 5 cups water
- 2 pounds of cherries
- 10 large peaches
- Bourbon
- Kirsch
- Vanilla Beans or extract
- Heat water to a boil in a large canning pot.
- Sterilize 18 jars, lids, utensils and set aside. If canning only cherries, you'll need 8 jars.
- Combine the sugar and water in a sauce pan and heat over medium until the sugar is completely dissolved. This is your syrup
- Wash, dry and pit the cherries.
- Place a small piece of vanilla bean in each jar (for Bourbon) and fill with cherries. Add liquor of choice and top with syrup, leaving ½ inch at the top. Wipe the rims, place the lid on top and screw on the band.
- Place all 8 jars in the boiling water and leave to boil with the lid on for 20 minutes.
- Carefully remove the jars and place on the counter. If any of the jars don't seal with a pop sound, place them in the fridge.
- Repeat for peeled, sliced peaches.
