Cherry Infused Manhattan Cocktail

This Maraschino Cherry Infused Manhattan Cocktail is perfect for any holiday dinner, holiday party or just a cozy date night in. Made without food coloring.

If you are a Bourbon or Whiskey drinker, you are most likely familiar with what is known as a Manhattan cocktail. Growing up, my parents were really into Scotch (particularly Johnnie Walker Blue Label) and occasionally indulged in other types of Whiskey.

The first time I have tasted a scotch on the rocks, I nearly threw up. It was just so strong. I sort of wrote off Whiskey, Bourbon, and Scotch and stuck to Wine and clear alcohol (like Gin, Vodka, and Tequila).

Then one holiday season, I went to a dinner party and tasted the most fabulous Manhattan. It was smooth, balanced, had a hint of both cherry and orange and shaken until perfectly chilled. It was then that I began exploring high-quality Bourbon and decided to give the entire category a fresh look with an open mind.

Enter this cherry-infused Manhattan cocktail! I developed this for a dinner party we hosted where I knew we had a bunch of Bourbon lovers. It’s a simple cocktail but has such a fantastic flavor thanks to the dye-free maraschino cherry juice, bitters, and fresh orange.

Make this for your next holiday event or dinner party and you will be sure to impress!

Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating below!

Cherry Infused Manhattan Cocktail

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 1 min

 

This cherry juice infused Manhattan cocktail is perfect for any holiday party or just a cozy date night in. Made with dye-free cherries and bourbon.

Course: Cocktail, Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cherry manhattan, dye free cherries, festive cocktail, holiday cocktails, how to make a manhattan, manhattan cocktail, maraschino cherries, maraschino cherry cocktail

Servings: 1 serving

Calories: 170 kcal

Author: Alyssa Brantley

5 from 7 votes

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Ingredients

• 50 ml Bourbon Whiskey high-quality
• 1 Tablespoon dye-free Maraschino cherry juice
• 1/2 ounce sweet red vermouth
• 4 drops Bitters
• 1 slice navel orange
• 5 maraschino cherries for garnish

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients EXCEPT slice navel orange and whole cherries in a shaker filled with ice. Cover and shake for 45 seconds to 1 minute.

   Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice, garnish with orange twist and cherries. Serve and Enjoy!

NOTES:

• Dye-Free Cherries are becoming easier and easier to find at stores like Whole Foods, Sprouts, Natural Grocers and more. If you have a tough time, they are available for a bit more online.
• You can make a large batch of this cocktail ahead of time (a few hours) and then shake over ice and top with garnishes to serve.

Nutrition Facts

Cherry Infused Manhattan Cocktail

Amount Per Serving (1 cocktail)

Calories 170

% Daily Value*

Carbohydrates 4g1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you make this recipe? Tag @EverydayMaven on Instagram with the hashtag #EveryDayMaven and please give a star rating below.

UPDATE NOTES: This recipe was originally published in October 2018 and was updated in October 2019 with edited photos, more text, and better instructions.