Cherry Vodka Sour

Name: Cherry Vodka Sour
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 oz vodka; 2 oz sour mix (see notes); 1/2 oz grenadine (adjust to taste); 1 egg white (for shaken cocktails, optional); cocktail cherries (for garnish); ice

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Cherry vodka sour is a fun and fruity take on the vodka sour cocktail. Plus with only 5 ingredients it takes less than 5 minutes to make!

cherry vodka sour shaken in cocktail glass

Isn't this a pretty drink? And, it's so simple to make! Similar to a Strawberry Mimosa, this cherry vodka sour recipe has a beautiful pink hue to it.

It's a sour cocktail, similar to a whiskey sour or vodka sour. Sours cocktails are typically comprised of the alcohol, citrus (often lemon), and a sweetener (such as sugar, sour mix, or simple syrup). And, an optional egg whites to froth up the drink.

This drink is fruity version of a sour cocktail. And while it’s fun to order out at a bar or restaurant, it’s so simple you can easily make it at home. And while grenadine is actually sweetened pomegranate flavor, Rose’s grenadine is the most common brand that we’re all familiar with, and has a bright red color, very sweet flavor, and is often paired with Maraschino cherries.

INGREDIENTS

Vodka: You can use your favorite vodka such as Titos but I think Cherry vodka goes great with this recipe! Smirnoff and Absolut both make one.
Grenadine: You adjust the amount of grenadine to taste. More will be sweeter. I prefer about 1/2 oz.
Cherries: I prefer good old maraschino cherries you can also garnish with mint, orange slices, lemon slices, or anything else you think sounds delicious!

Sour Mix Substitutions

This recipe uses sour mix, also known as sweet and sour mix.

Most pre-made sour mix is artificially colored and flavored. Because of this, I used my own homemade mix, which is absolutely delicious and so easy to make! It was really take your cocktails to the next level.

But, if you don't feel like making your own you can use the store bought mix or the following easy substitutions:

Fresh lemon juice from ½ Lemon
1 oz simple syrup

Don't have simple syrup?

Just use the juice of ½ lemon and a splash of carbonated water, 7 up, or Sprite (I don’t recommend putting carbonated drinks in a cocktail shaker so be sure to pour it on top of the shaken vodka/lemon mix).

Egg Whites

Did you know whiskey and vodka sours originally had egg whites to foam while they were shaken? It's so common now for recipes to skip this step, but it is really delicious if you want to try it! I recommend used boxed pasteurized egg whites.

How to make

This is such an easy cocktail!

Put all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker along with some ice. Shake until chilled. Pour into a cocktail glass such as a coupe glass and garnish ( I used maraschino cherry and these cute cocktail sticks). That's it!

Tips

2 oz is 4 tablespoons of liquor or one jigger. 1/4 oz is 1 tbsp or 1/4 jigger.
The egg white is optional for shaken cocktails but gives it a nice frothy consistency. I recommend using boxed, pasteurized egg whites.
You can use 1 oz lemon juice (about 1/2 to 1 lemon) and 1 oz simple syrup in place of the sour mix.
This recipe can easily be doubled or tripled if making more than one drink. You can also make a batch version as instructed below.

This drink is perfect for:

Valentine's Day
Bridal Showers
Bachelorette Parties
Wedding Cocktail
Mother's Day Drink
Summer BBQ
Happy Hour!

Honestly, similar to this blueberry lemonade recipe, this cocktail is so easy it's really great any time of year but the citrus and cherry flavor really stand out in spring or summer.

FAQ

Can I make this on the rocks?

Sure! If you're serving a cherry vodka sour on the rocks, just pour all ingredients of vodka, sour mix, and grenadine over ice and give it a stir. Add your garnish and enjoy. Can't get any simpler than that!

Can I make a large batch?

Yes, this is a great cocktail mix to in advance. Just omit the egg whites and mix 2 cups vodka, 2 cups sweet and sour mix, and 1/4 cup grenadine for 8 cocktails.

How can I make it more sweet/less strong?

This drink has 2 full ounces of vodka and a very tart sweet and sour mix, especially if it’s homemade sour mix.
The best way to alter the flavor is to add more grenadine if you’d like it sweeter. Or, add a splash or Sprite, 7-up, or other citrus soda to the mixed cocktail if you’d like it more mellow.

Looking for more fruity and Citrus drinks? Check these out!

cherry vodka sour shake and on the rocks with garnish

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