Maraschino is a liqueur that tastes like cherries and is clear in color. It originated from Croatia and was made using Marasca cherries. The liqueur is still being produced because it acts as a base for many Italian recipes.
Even countries like the U.S. have started to use this in their recipes because of its unique taste. If you enjoy drinking cherry-flavored drinks then this liqueur will best suit your taste. Many bars also use this ingredient for their cocktails.
This is because while it adds a cherry taste to your drink, it does not overwhelm the taste of all the other ingredients. This makes Maraschino Liqueur the best option for users and adding in even a small amount can make your drink enjoyable.
However, many countries do not have this available. Considering this, if you want to add in this ingredient while cooking or making a cocktail then it will be impossible for you. This is why we will be using this article to provide you with a few Maraschino Liqueur Substitutes.
Maraschino Liqueur Substitutes
- Kirsch
While the unique taste of Maraschino Liqueur is almost impossible to replicate. There are still some ingredients that you can use which will provide you with similar fruity tastes. One of the best recommendations for people is to use Kirsch instead. This is also an ingredient that is distilled from cherries and even its name means cherry in German. The liqueur is clear in color which makes it easy to distinguish.
You should note that originally the brandy was made by distilling morello cherries which are quite dark in color. These also have a sour taste but now companies have started to use other cherries while making this liqueur as well. While most cherry liqueurs are sweet, Kirsch is quite sour and tangy in comparison. This is because the brandy ferments whole cherries including their stones in the procedure.
This gives them a unique cherry taste along with a slight almond buttery taste which makes it stand out. Some famous cocktail recipes that use this as their base ingredient are Rose, Florida, and Ladyfinger.
- Cherry Heering
Cherry Heering is another famous liqueur that provides its users with a cherry taste. The ingredient was found in Denmark and is even considered to be a cherry brandy in some areas. Cherry Heering is made by using neutral grain alcohol, spices, and a mix of Stevens cherries. The liqueur is considered to be a royal red drink that has one of the best tastes among all the cherry spirits in the market.
Bartenders from all around the world use this as the base for their cocktails. Out of which some famous ones are blood and sand as well as the Singapore sling. It is also used as a substitute for Maraschino in many areas already. Although, one thing to note is that Cherry Heering can be a little sweeter when compared to the prior ingredient. This is why you should take a look at the product when purchasing it. If the bottle is not labeled as being a ‘true brandy’ then the ingredient will most likely be really sweet.
- Make Your Own Cherry Liqueur
Instead of using a substitute for the ingredient, you can even make your cherry liqueur at home. This is a better option because the unique taste of Maraschino is really hard to get from stock products.
Usually, if you decide to get a cherry brandy or liqueur then its taste will be really sweet. On the other hand, Maraschino has a much tangier and more herbal taste that is easy to distinguish between other substitutes.
This is why you can create your liqueur using fresh cherries at your home. Making your substitute will be both inexpensive as well as easy. Aside from this, it should last you a long time and you can even add additional products to modify the taste.
This way you can either make it even sweeter or even sour than traditional liqueurs. Messing around with the ingredients can help you in getting a product that will best suit your taste. You can even purchase a small bottle of stock cherry brandy to help you with adjusting the taste.