Bold cherry flavor paired with that fun tartness of lime. Two summer flavors gently sweetened, then infused with a touch of fresh mint and served chilled over a glass of crushed ice. Add a kick of gin and a splash of maraschino liqueur and you’ve got an old-fashioned, all American drink turned cocktail!
Cook Time 10 minutesmins
Course Drinks
Servings 2generous cocktails
Equipment
small saucepan
Cold shaker and muddler
Sieve
Ingredients
To make simple syrup:
2cupswater
3cupssugar
10 to 12fresh mint leaves
½cupfresh pitted cherries
4tablespoonssimple syrup
4tablespoons4 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice, about 2 to 3 limes
¼cupblack cherry juice
8tablespoonsgood gin
2tablespoonsmaraschino liqueur, such as Luxardo
4 to 6tablespoonstablespoons club soda
Ice for shaking plus crushed for serving
good maraschino cherries for serving,such as Luxardo
Instructions
Drop the mint leaves into a cocktail shaker along with the fresh cherries. Muddle together crushing the cherries and mint leaves together.
Pour in the simple syrup along with the fresh lime juice, cherry juice, the gin and the maraschino liqueur. Check for flavor, adding more simple syrup if needed.
Top off the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until the cocktail is chilled, about 20 seconds.
Divide the cocktail between two highball glasses filled with crushed ice.
Top with 2 to 3 tablespoons of club soda per glass and stir to mix.
Add 3 to 4 maraschino cherries to a cocktail pick for garnish.
Notes
The recipe for simple syrup makes a batch, about 2 to 2-½ cups and keeps well refrigerated, perfect for sweet iced tea, cocktails or cold drinks. If you want a smaller batch, you can easily cut the recipe in half.