Don't Throw Out Those Leftover Cherry Pits, Infuse Vodka With Them Instead

When you hear "flavored vodka," you might think of cloyingly sweet offerings from big brands in years past, but when you try a spirit made with real fruit rather than artificial additives, the difference is game-changing. Liquors flavored through natural methods present a new way to enjoy our favorite ingredients. And making these liquors is incredibly easy to do at home once you know the simple art of infusing spirits, which is essentially letting something steep in the liquid. One of our favorite infused spirits is cherry-flavored vodka. It makes the delicious magic of cherry season something you can enjoy for an entire year. 

All you need is good-quality, unflavored vodka and cherry pits — this is an excellent no-waste approach to your next cherry pie or jam. If you've ever made something like cranberry-infused vodka, you know the process, but it's a breeze for newbies, too. Just pit sweet or sour cherries with a pitter or even by pushing a straw through the fruits. Put them into a clean glass jar with a lid. Cover them with vodka, using a ratio of a ½ cup of pits to 1 cup of vodka, or upping the pits for stronger flavor. Let it sit in a cool, dark spot for over a week; the more time, the bolder the flavor. Let air out of the container every so often, because the pits ferment a bit and you don't want a build-up of carbon dioxide. Finally, strain the vodka and bottle it.

Stone fruits like cherries are in the same family as almonds, so their pits have an almond-like taste to them. The Italian liqueur amaretto, known for its almond flavor, is often made with peach or apricot pits. So, the flavor of cherry pit-infused vodka mingles the bright tartness of cherries with an almond sweetness, creating a beautiful balance. 

Light yet complex, sweet yet tart, and fruity but never cloying, cherry pit-infused vodka is delectable on its own, with the simplest cocktail recipe being the addition of soda water for some nice effervescence. It's also a great upgrade when you're planning on spritzes for brunch or aperitivo hour — once you know the ratio for a classic Aperol spritz, you can substitute from there. Instead of the 2 parts Aperol to 3 parts prosecco and 1 part soda water, use 1 part Aperol and 1 part cherry-pit vodka to balance bitter-leaning Aperol with cherry-almond sweetness. 

You can also swap in cherry-pit vodka for cherry liqueur to make a lighter version of the marasca fizz with champagne and bitters, or build a simple, irresistibly fruity martini with a cherry twist. The iconic last word cocktail combines gin, chartreuse, lime juice, and maraschino liqueur; you can also brighten this by employing the vodka instead of the liqueur. With the simplest bar-cart repertoire of soda water, amaro, bitters, and maybe a little sparkling wine, the possibilities are endless for cherry pit-infused vodka.