It was cherry season and I was trying to come up with some new way to highlight them. I have made a cherry simple syrup before (and it’s also great with bourbon) but I wanted to put a little twist on that. I decided to add in some jalapeño for a little earthiness and heat. I wasn’t sure if the combo would work but I was hopeful.
Thankfully the combo turned out great! You can use this for margaritas or just to kick up some seltzer water. It provides an amazing color to drinks and adds some uniqueness to your cocktail menu.
Andrea’s Cherry Jalapeño Simple Syrup
- 1C Water
- 1C Sugar (Cane or Coconut works)
- 15-20 Cherries, pitted
- 1 Jalapeno, sliced in half
In a medium sized sauce pan, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes and turn off heat. Allow the syrup to cool and the ingredients to steep for about 1/2 an hour.
Pour all ingredients in a blender (See note at bottom) and blend until everything is smooth. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a glass jar. Will keep for two weeks in the fridge.
NOTE: You can control the level of heat of this syrup by removing the seeds before simmering. I wasn’t sure how spicy this would turn out so I only blended in half of the jalapeño. It was a mild spicy, for more heat blend both halves. Even more heat, keep the seeds in and blend those as well.
Perfect to bring along to cookouts and gatherings because people can use it to mix their own drinks and it can be at room temperature for a few hours.
You can also try using some frozen cherries to make this syrup in case you can’t find any fresh at the markets.
Enjoy guys, and remember, always play with your food!