Cherry Shrub

This Cherry Shrub is a sweet-tart cocktail or mocktail base. Made with just four ingredients. Mixed with sparkling water, this shrub makes a refreshing mocktail with deep cherry flavor.

After making a blackberry shrub, inspired by a recent trip to South Carolina, I became obsessed with shrub. It may become my signature drink!

Shrub is incredibly simple to make, it tastes elevated, like a drink you spent hours perfecting, and the flavor possibilities are endless.

I LOVE cherries. (This cherry mocktail is so fab!) So cherry shrub was my first thought after perfecting the blackberry recipe.

While cherries are quite sweet, their flavor is more reserved than a tart berry, so it took some trial and error to get a nice balance of flavor. Something actually worth drinking.

But I'm happy to present this cherry shrub recipe. It's sweet, a little tart, with those rich almondy vanilla notes.

Jump to:

• What Is a Shrub?
• Why You'll Love This Cherry Shrub
• Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
• Step-By-Step Instructions
• Ways to Use Cherry Shrub
• Elizabeth's Kitchen Notes
• FAQ & Expert Tips
• Recipe Prayer
• Related Recipes
• Tried this recipe?
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Comments

What Is a Shrub?

A shrub is a fruit-based syrup made with vinegar, sugar, and fruit. Long before refrigeration, shrubs were used as a way to preserve seasonal fruit while creating a flavorful concentrate for drinks.

Today, shrubs are popular in mocktails and cocktails because they add acidity, complexity, and depth.

My shrub recipe includes both a quick version and the classic method, so you can choose what works for you.

Why You'll Love This Cherry Shrub

• Super simple mocktail base - once you make shrub you don't need any other mix-ins, just top with sparkling water
• Sweet & Tangy - A unique balance of fruit and acidity
• Great Way to Use Cherries - Especially during peak season
• Easy to Customize - Adjust sweetness and acidity to taste

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

• Cherries: fresh or frozen both work well
• Sugar: I used organic cane sugar, but you can sub an equivalent amount of agave for a refined sugar free version. Sugar provides some extra sweetness to balance the tart vinegar.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: all shrubs include some type of vinegar. I chose apple cider vinegar because it's easily accessible and pairs nicely with cherries. I like to go easy on the vinegar at first, so I recommend a range. Start with the lower end of the range and adjust up to your taste.
• Water: if you are making the quicker hot process version. Omit if you're using the cold process.
• Vanilla: helps enhance the overall cherry flavor. To me, the shrub was lacking without the vanilla, so I highly recommend including it

For a mocktail

• Sparkling Water
• Shrub

Step-By-Step Instructions

Step 1. Mix the sugar and cherries in a medium bowl or large mason jar, mashing the cherries as you mix.

Step 2. Cover with a towel and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours.

Step 3. Mix in the vinegar and vanilla. Place in the fridge for 12-24 more hours to let the flavors develop. Then, taste and add more vinegar to your preference.

Step 4. Strain just before serving - I find that the drink develops better flavor if the cherries stay in the jar. Serve 1-2 ounces of shrub as a mocktail topped with club soda and a garnish of fresh mint.

Ways to Use Cherry Shrub

• Mixed with sparkling water
• Added to lemonade
• Combined with iced tea
• Added to sangria-inspired drinks
• Used in homemade Italian sodas
• Drizzled over fruit salad
• Added to vinaigrettes

Elizabeth's Kitchen Notes

• Leave the cherries in the jar. As with most shrubs, the flavor builds more and more the longer you let it sit. Other shrubs call for you to strain/discard teh fruit, but I found that with this cherry version, the best flavor came from leaving the cherries in the jar. Strain by the glass before you use.
• Quick shrub vs. classic shrub: I've listed two preparation methods: hot process and cold process. Hot process is a quick shrub, which can be used the same day it's made. It involves heating the sugar and berries like a syrup before adding the vinegar. Classic, cold process shrub skips the heat and instead involves macerating the fruit and sugar, letting it sit for a day or two, and then adding the vinegar. Both are delicious - pick whichever you prefer and have time for.
• Vinegar: traditional shrub is 1:1:1 ratio. Equal parts sugar, fruit, and vinegar. I've found that in this cherry version, this is WAY too much vinegar. I recommend starting with less (listed below) and adding more if you find the drink too sweet. The drink should feel balanced, not too sweet or too tart.
• Fruit ratio: you'll notice I also adjusted the cherries out of that 1:1:1 ratio. Because cherries don't break down totally like a berry, they don't release as much flavor, so I found more cherries to be helpful.
• Cherries: fun fact: You can use the cherries from this liquid like maraschino cherries. Delicious on ice cream!

FAQ & Expert Tips

Recipe Prayer

Jesus thank you for this delicious drink. Amen.

Related Recipes

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