Tag: Cocktail cherries

Before Prohibition, maraschino cherries were famously made by soaking sour marasca cherries in a special liqueur. But after the alcohol ban, the process was completely changed, meaning the vast majority of bright red, mass-produced maraschino cherries today contain zero alcohol. Specialty cocktail cherries, however, often contain alcohol.

Maraschino cherries, the most common type of cocktail cherry, are created by bleaching light-colored sweet cherries and soaking them in a heavily sweetened syrup. So, are cocktail cherries healthy to eat, or are they just a heavily processed and sugary garnish designed for appearance? The answer lies in understanding their manufacturing process and ingredients.