This post is intended for readers 21+.
Warning: these Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries are drunk. You would be, too, if you soaked in a jar of spiced rum for two days. 🙂 These little boozy bombs are perfect for parties. Plus they are fun to make. And eat. You get the warm bite of spiced rum, the sweetness of cherry, and the decadence of rich, dark chocolate. Not for the faint of heart!
Boozy Rum-Soaked Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries
Ok, who is with me on these? If you love chocolate covered cherries and rum, this recipe is a dream come true for you.
The idea first came to me a couple of years ago when my friend Joy and I were chatting about Fireball Cherries. (Cherries soaked in Fireball Cinnamon Whiskey.) She told me they were great to snack on at parties, and I've been wanting to try them.
But, I really really really like spiced rum. Plus, I'm sorta obsessed with dark chocolate. "Self," I said, "How can I combine all of these things into a wickedly good holiday fun treat?"
Trust me, testing this recipe for chocolate covered cherries was quite intoxicating. I mean, you have to test every single step of the way, right? Kidding, you don't have to test, because this is a VERY EASY recipe and easy to adapt to your own preferences.
Sampling is just a bonus.
Ingredients Needed to Make Boozy Chocolate Covered Cherries:
- Maraschino cherries with the stem
- Spiced rum - I recommend Sailor Jerry.
- Dark chocolate
- A dab of shortening - optional
- Sparkling decorative sugar
You can totally make this recipe using fresh bing cherries. If you do, pit them first. I opted for sweet maraschino cherries because I like them.
It actually worked out great that I used maraschinos. After they soak in rum for a couple of days, most of the sweetness is replaced with rum. So they are not overly sweet.
TIP: Drain the cherries, but reserve that cherry juice. Put it in a jar with a lid and keep it in the fridge. Great for making homemade cherry milkshakes. I've used it to flavor frosting, too. You can also use a splash in holiday cocktails.
You want the cherries to sit in the rum for at least 24 hours. We let ours go for 72 hours. The longer they chill the strong they will taste of rum.
More Boozy Recipes:
Orange + Spiced Rum Bread Pudding
Blackberry Mojitos
Whiskey Whipped Cream
How to Make Rum-Soaked Chocolate Covered Cherries
- Drain the cherries, reserving the juice for another purpose. It will not be used in this recipe but is great for cocktails and more.
- Place the cherries in a quart-sized mason jar or other container. Cover completely with spiced rum. Seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, up to 72 hours. The longer the cherries sit in the rum, the stronger they will taste.
- Next, drain the rum-soaked cherries. Keep this cherry-infused rum. It is SO good for cocktails. Place the cherries on layers of paper towels for 10 minutes. This step ensures that the chocolate cotaing will cling to the fruit.
- Line a tray or platter with parchment paper. Place the decorative sugar into a shallow dish or bowl.
- Melt the dark chocolate according to package directions. Use a small bowl that is deep enough to dip the cherries into. I used the Dark Chocolate Bada Bing Bada Boom from Chocoley Chocolate. Refer to the brand you use for specific directions.
- If the chocolate is too thick, stir in about a teaspoon of shortening until melted and the chocolate is smooth.
- While the chocolate is warm, dip the cherries one at a time. First dip into the chocolate then into the sugar.
- Place the dipped cherries onto the prepared parchment. When done dipping all of the cherries, refrigerate until set.
The Chocoley Chocolate we used did not take long to set. It is designed for dipping and coating, which makes it a natural choicce for these chocolate covered cherries. If you use another brand, you may have to adjust your chilling time until you find what works best.
TIP: I have found the easiest way to melt most chocolate is in a glass bowl in the microwave. I reduce the microwave power to 70% and melt it 30 seconds at a time, stirring between each time.
Aren't these Boozy Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries simply gorgeous!? I think I impressed myself. They are almost too pretty to eat. (Joke, I ate a dozen of them during the creation of this post!)
The addition of the festive colored sugar really makes them pop off of the platter and gives them a fun texture.
This recipe makes about 50 individual cherries. We used 40 ounces of cherries. The actual quantity will vary. Also, please note that the nutritional value includes ALL of the rum, even though all of it is not absorbed. So they are actually lower calorie than listed. Yay!
Tips + Ideas:
- Use cherries with stems. This makes them easier to dip and easier to eat. Plus the presentation is spectacular. If you want to use stemless cherries, you can dip them using a fork.
- Be sure the cherries are drained on paper towels when you remove them from the rum. You want them to be dry to the touch before dipping in the chocolate.
- PRO TIP: SAVE THAT CHERRY INFUSED RUM. 🙂
- Pick a great quality spiced rum. Some spiced rums are overly sweet and take away from the true flavor of rum. That's why I like Sailor Jerry. It has a light sweetness and spice but still has the hot kick of rum.
- You can make this recipe ahead of time. Just keep the cherries covered and chilled until ready to serve.
- Change the color of the sugar to match your holiday or event theme. (Gold for glam, blue for New Years etc.)
- Not a fan of rum? Swap it out for flavored vodka (think vanilla, cinnamon, etc.) or even whiskey.
- Try these with white chocolate or milk chocolate if you prefer. The options are endless with what you can dip, flavor, and drizzle.
We hope you LOVE this fun twist on a Christmas Classic and are inspired to try it! Let us know what you think in the comments at the end of this post. Be sure to check out more of our Christmas Ideas here.
Boozy Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries
Ingredients
- 40 ounces maraschino cherries with stems, drained
- 1 ¾ cups spiced rum more or less to cover the cherries
- 1 ½ cups dark chocolate
- 1 teaspoon shortening optional, may not be needed
- ½ cup sanding sugar
Instructions
- Drain the cherries, reserving the juice for another purpose. It will not be used in this recipe but is great for cocktails and more.
- Place the cherries in a quart-sized mason jar or other container. Cover completely with spiced rum. Seal and refrigerate for at least 24 hours, up to 72 hours. The longer the cherries sit in the rum, the stronger they will taste.
- Next, drain the rum-soaked cherries. Keep this cherry-infused rum. It is SO good for cocktails. Place the cherries on layers of paper towels for 10 minutes. This step ensures that the chocolate coating will cling to the fruit.
- Line a tray or platter with parchment paper. Place the decorative sugar into a shallow dish or bowl.
- Melt the dark chocolate according to package directions. Use a small bowl that is deep enough to dip the cherries into. I used the Dark Chocolate Bada Bing Bada Boom from Chocoley Chocolate. Refer to the brand you use for specific directions.
- If the chocolate is too thick, stir in about a teaspoon of shortening until melted and the chocolate is smooth.
- While the chocolate is warm, dip the cherries one at a time. First dip into the chocolate then into the sugar.
- Place the dipped cherries onto the prepared parchment. When done dipping all of the cherries, refrigerate until set.
Have been making whiskey soaked cherries for years. You should completely cover the cherries and part of stem, that way the alcohol will not evaporate when you put them with the rest of snacks. Use a toothpick for those without stems. Also I soak my cherries for a year, changing the booze about half way thru the year.
Great tips!! Wow, a year? I'm not going to lie, that sounds amazing. 🙂 I'm about to start a batch for this Christmas. I thought about doing some of the green ones in vodka this year to go with the red ones in rum.
What do you do to the cherries before dipping them to ensure the chocolate sill stick?
I drained them VERY well and patted them dry with a paper towel. And let them sit on paper towels for several minutes.
I'll make sure I add this note in the recipe and post. 🙂