Do you have a cherry tree or two? This homemade cherry pie moonshine recipe requires only a few simple ingredients and a little patience to wait for fermentation. This recipe can also make cherry wine (with or without adding grapes)! If you’re new to the world of homemade spirits, check out our Ultimate Guide on How to Make Wine at Home to master the art of turning your backyard harvest into a delightful adult beverage!

Health Benefits of Cherries

Consumption of cherries may reduce the risk of several chronic inflammatory diseases including, arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. There are also studies that show that cherry consumption may improve sleep (within 3 days of regular cherry consumption), cognitive function, reduce gout attacks (with 2 days of regular cherry consumption), and reduce pain after strenuous exercise.

Harvesting Cherries

There are two main types of cherries, sweet and tart. Both sweet and tart cherries can be used to make cherry brandy, however, using half sweet and half tart produces the best result. Depending on the type of cherries, they are usually ready for harvest beginning in May and ending in July. If you are looking to make Drunken Cherries (alcohol-infused maraschino cherries) you’ll want to preserve extra cherries for eating later. The fermentation process takes months, and the cherries used in making cherry schnapps will be mushy. For best flavor, I would preserve sweet cherries (by freezing or canning in a simple syrup) and make tart cherry brandy.

Optional Cherry Wine Ingredients

Adding yeast to the recipe can jump-start the fermentation process, yielding homemade moonshine in fewer months. If you are using home-grown cherries (not store-bought), adding yeast is unnecessary because of the natural yeast found on the surface of the cherry. Store-bought berries are loaded with preservatives and chemicals that prevent the fermentation process, giving the berries a longer shelf-life. Adding yeast will be necessary when using store-bought berries.
Raisins will add body to the cherry wine, meaning that they increase the viscosity of the cherry brandy. This also allows the flavors to linger in the mouth longer, and also gives off a slight caramel taste. Adding raisins may also increase the sweetness of the drink (great for dessert alcohol).
Pectin can also be added to thicken the cherry schnapps. Cherries (even homegrown) do not contain a lot of natural pectin, and can be added to thicken the moonshine if desired.
Tannin can be added to increase the bitterness and dryness taste of the moonshine or wine. A natural source of tannin includes green oak leaves and grape leaves.
Cinnamon can be added for a spiced cherry moonshine flavor.

Cherry Mead Equipment

1 gallon carboy (Amazon Affiliate Link), or glass jar with fermenting airlock lid (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Siphon (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Funnel (Amazon Affiliate Link)
Cherry pitter (Amazon Affiliate Link), not a necessary tool, but very helpful
Flip top bottles (Amazon Affiliate Link), not needed until after 5-6 weeks of fermenting

Cherry Moonshine Ingredients:

Makes 1 gallon of cherry moonshine, or use the 5x multiplier for the 5 gallon cherry moonshine recipe.

1.5 pounds of pitted cherries (about 3 cups)
1.5 pounds of honey (about 2 cups)
0.5 pounds of raisins (about 1.5 cups)
1 gallon of water

How to Make Cherry Moonshine

Sanitize everything that will be used in the brewing process.
Heat about 1/2 gallon of water in the pot on low heat. Once it’s starting to steam (not boiling), add the honey and stir it so it dissolves. Let the diluted honey cool to less than 90 degrees Fahrenheit (so that natural yeast is not killed by hot water).
De-pit the cherries (the pits will create a bitter almond flavor).
Add cherries and raisins into the one-gallon jug.
Use the funnel and carefully pour the cool diluted honey mixture into the jug.
Top off the jug with cold water, leaving at least 2 inches of head space on top. Put the lid on the jug and gently mix everything around a bit.
Add water to the airlock, and put it with the rubber stopper into the end of the carboy. Store in a cool dark place. It should start bubbling within 12-24 hours.
After about 4-6 weeks of fermenting, and once all bubbles have stopped rising in the jug and airlock, the mead can be bottled and aged. The cherry moonshine is drinkable 2 months after bottling, and tastes best about 1 year later.
If making Boozy Cherries, infuse pitted cherries for at least 24 hours. They will last in the refrigerator for 2-4 months.

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