It’s late summer but there has been some hot weather this week! Baking in the heat is intolerable so I would like to share a no-bake recipe. I realize I haven’t shared a recipe with cherries yet so here are my chocolate bourbon cherries!

Red cherries soaked in bourbon and smothered in chocolate are absolutely delicious! The soak time is minimal so that the cherry flavor still comes through with the essence of bourbon, since bourbon can be pretty strong. However, for those wanting a stronger taste, you can soak them for a longer period. The semi-sweet chocolate adds a nice balance of sweetness with the slightly tart cherries and the bourbon. And the inside is wonderfully juicy!

These candies are made in a silicone candy mold which makes them so quick and easy to make, less messy too! These chocolates are perfect for a bite of something sweet after dinner, to pair with a bourbon tasting, or just an afternoon treat!

Ingredients You Will Need

fresh red cherries, pitted and cut in half
semi-sweet chocolate chips
straight bourbon of choice (I used Evan Williams)

These chocolate bourbon cherries are: gluten free, delicious, rich, refreshing, juicy, and super easy to make with just 3 ingredients!

Other chocolate candy recipes to check out on my blog are these Peanut Butter Cups, Chocolate Sunflower Butter Cups, Raspberry Pistachio Chocolates, and Chocolate Cranberry Bark.

Other Events for Chocolate Bourbon Cherries

picnic
special parties
bonfire
camping trips
afternoon tea
etc.!

Additional Topping Options

drizzle melted white chocolate on top
sprinkle the tops with sea salt before chilling

How to Make Chocolate Bourbon Cherries

Start by cutting the cherries in half and removing the pits. This part gets messy and may stain your hands with red cherry juice.

Then measure out the bourbon and pour it in a small bowl. Add in the cherries, stir so that all are covered in liquid, and let soak for 6 minutes. If you would like a stronger flavor of bourbon, you could soak for double the amount of time.

In the meantime, melt the chocolate chips on a non-stick pan or in a double boiler over the stove on low heat. Constantly stir with a spatula until the chocolate is completely melted. Remove it from the heat and allow the chocolate to cool for a few minutes.

Next, use a mesh or strainer to drain the cherries for a few minutes so that they aren’t too wet. While they sit, start putting chocolate in the bottom of a silicone candy mold. Use a teaspoon of chocolate for the bottom of each mold. (Candy molds vary greatly in size, but the cups in the mold I used are about 1 1/2” wide by 1/2” deep) Then press half of a cherry down into the chocolate in each cup.

Finally, cover the tops of the cherries with another teaspoon of melted chocolate. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours or until set. Remove and allow chocolates to thaw for a few minutes before enjoying.

Storage Notes and Tips

Keep these chocolates in a sealed container in the refrigerator. They taste best when enjoyed within 5 days.
You can also store these in the freezer
If you like things sweeter, you can use milk chocolate in place of semi-sweet chocolate.