Easy Cherry Vodka Sour Recipe
This Cherry Vodka Sour recipe is sweet, tart and totally delicious with just 3-ingredients. If you love easy vodka recipes, this one with a bright pink color is perfect to serve for girl’s nights, bridal showers, or any cocktail party. Best of all, it’s ready in under 5 minutes.
Why You’ll Love This Vodka Sour
This Cherry Vodka Sour takes just a few minutes to make and you only need a cocktail shaker. It doesn’t use egg whites which can be daunting to beginning cocktail makers (and me!).
The fun bright pink drink color is fun to sip and serve and the yummy taste will always please a crowd.
I love to make cocktails at home. I especially love to make easy recipes that use just a few ingredients but taste amazing. This Cherry vodka sour uses grenadine in place of a cherry simple syrup to keep things super basic.
Related: Slushie Vodka Sunrise
If you also love to make quick and easy cocktail recipes that don’t require any special skills or fancy mixologist tricks, this vodka sour recipe is perfect for you.
I jazzed up a classic vodka sour with cherry flavor. The tartness from fresh lemon juice pairs with the sweet grenadine and keeps the flavors from being too sweet.
It’s an easy drink to serve for all your parties or any time you need a tasty vodka cocktail.
Ingredient Notes
You can use any type of vodka in this recipe. I had Smirnoff in my cupboard so I grabbed it. But if you have a favorite brand you can use that.
My rule of thumb for choosing liquor is to pick something that you would tolerate drinking on its own. I don’t suggest you break the bank, but also don’t choose something that is just terrible.
Fresh lemon juice is essential. It cuts through the sweetness of the cherry grenadine syrup and is the perfect sour component for this recipe.
Bottled lemon juice would not be the same. And you wouldn’t want to use pre-bought sour mix since that has sweetness included and it would be entirely too sweet with the grenadine. You could use lime juice for a slightly different flavor. It would kind of taste like a cherry limeade.
I used grenadine to keep things super easy and get that familiar sweet cherry flavor but there are a few other ways you can get cherry flavor into a cocktail. You can make a cherry simple syrup (I would go easy on the sugar to make it a little less sweet – here you can use fresh or frozen cherries), or you can use tart cherry juice (with a super subtle cherry flavor).
Be sure to scroll down to the printable recipe card for the full recipe and ingredient list.
How to Make a Cherry Vodka Sour
I like to provide step-by-step instructions so you can easily recreate these cocktails at home. I realize that some people won’t need this much detail but I like to put it just in case.
Step 1
To a cocktail shaker, add the vodka.
Step 2
Add the grenadine.
Step 3
Add the fresh lemon juice.
Step 4
Add ice cubes to the cocktail shaker.
Step 5
Shake well.
Step 6
Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lemon wedge or slice.
NOTE: A classic garnish for a sour is a cherry (we love Luxardo cherries over here!) but in this case, since the drink is so sweet I went with a lemon garnish instead.
You can add ice cubes to your cocktail glass or not.
You could also rim the glass with a sugar rim if you prefer. Since it’s already very sweet, it might push you over the edge if you aren’t into super sweet things.
Tips and Tricks
- To get the most juice out of your lemon, you can use my favorite citrus squeezer. If the lemon feels hard to start, you can microwave it for about 10 seconds then roll it on the counter, pressing down with the heel of your hand.
- Want to go a little lighter on the liquor? You can cut it back to 1 ounce or an ounce and a half if you prefer.
- You can easily make this into a larger batch. Just change the serving amounts in the recipe card.
Variations
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can make your own sour mix if you prefer, however, sour mix is fresh lemon and simple syrup. I think that is too sweet when paired with the grenadine. But if you like things really sweet, you can use homemade sour mix.
Sour cocktails are served in a variety of glassware like rocks glass or Old Fashioned glass. But I’ve also seen them served in a collins glass. I served mine in a stemless margarita glass because I think they look cool. Coupe glasses are always elegant. I’m a big proponent of using what you already have.
Use your favorite vodka. If you don’t have a brand that you prefer, I suggest Tito’s. It’s a great value and delicious taste.
Yes, you can use the maraschino cherry juice from a jar of cherries. You could also try pomegranate juice with simple syrup.
This easy Cherry Vodka Sour recipe is tangy and sweet and a fun cocktail to serve whenever you want a fun drink.
More Cherry Drinks
More Sour Cocktails
- Honey Lemon Whiskey Sour
- Tequila Sour Cocktail
- Fireball Sour Recipe
- Summer Strawberry Whiskey Sour
- Amaretto Sour
Cherry Vodka Sour Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ounces vodka
- 1 ounce lemon juice fresh
- 1/2 ounce grenadine syrup
Instructions
- To a cocktail shaker, add the vodka, grenadine and lemon juice.
- Shake well.
- Stain into a cocktail glass.
- Garnish and enjoy!
Notes
- To get the most juice out of your lemon, you can use my favorite citrus squeezer. If the lemon feels hard to start, you can microwave it for about 10 seconds then roll it on the counter, pressing down with the heel of your hand.
- You can use something other than vodka for this recipe! A Whiskey Sour is also a popular drink idea. And don’t forget an Amaretto Sour.
- Want to go a little lighter on the liquor? You can cut it back to 1 ounce or an ounce and half if you prefer.
- This would also be delicious topped with a splash of club soda to make it a little fizzy.
- You can easily make this into a larger batch. Just change the serving amounts in the recipe card above.
- You can serve this drink over ice if you prefer.
- Rim the cocktail glass in sugar before adding the drink for an extra fun (and extra sweet) presentation.
