{"id":1892312,"date":"2022-10-14T14:35:05","date_gmt":"2022-10-14T19:35:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/?p=1892312"},"modified":"2025-01-22T07:31:11","modified_gmt":"2025-01-22T13:31:11","slug":"luxardo-cherries-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tasteofhome.com\/article\/luxardo-cherries-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Luxardo Cherries: We Tried This Gourmet Ingredient and Now There’s No Going Back"},"content":{"rendered":"As a\u00a0Wisconsinite<\/a>, there are few drinks I enjoy more than an old-fashioned\u2014and not just any old-fashioned, a brandy<\/em> old-fashioned<\/a>. And while cheery, bright-red maraschino cherries are often the go-to at bars and my own fridge, I've learned over the years that switching up these sweets can really make my favorite cocktail sing. I'm talking about using Luxardo cherries<\/a>.\r\n

What are Luxardo Cherries?<\/h2>\r\nNot familiar with Luxardo cherries? These jarred cherries are actually the original<\/em> maraschino cherries. Yep, they predate the neon red ones we know (and still love, especially in desserts like this chocolate-cherry Bundt cake<\/a>). Luxardo has produced these next-level cherries since 1905, while our vibrant American versions came on the scene in the 1920s.\r\n\r\nLuxardo cherries are made in Italy. Each jar is packed with Italian-grown sour marasca cherries that are candied<\/a> and soaked in sweet syrup. Luxardos are on a different level than the ice cream shop maraschinos of your childhood. Each fruit is dark and sticky with a satisfying bite.\r\n\r\nPlus, there are no artificial ingredients in Luxardos. You won\u2019t find corn syrup or red dyes on the ingredient list, so the cherries actually taste like, well, cherries. They are also gluten-free, non-GMO, kosher and vegan. Each jar includes roughly 50% cherries and 50% syrup.\r\n\r\n[SINGLE_AFFILIATE_PRODUCT superlative=\"We Tried It\" product_name=\"Luxardo Cherries\" short_description=\"Looking to level up your favorite cocktail or dessert? Luxardo cherries offer a gourmet upgrade to bright red maraschinos.\" image=\"2084063\" pr_name=\"Amazon\" pr_url=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/dp\/B00AQB146W?tag=tohmke-20\" pr_display_text=\"Shop on Amazon\" retailers_2_name=\"Williams Sonoma\" retailers_2_url=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=131817X1598243&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.williams-sonoma.com%2Fproducts%2Fluxardo-maraschino-cherries%2F&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.williams-sonoma.com%2Fproducts%2Fluxardo-maraschino-cherries%2F\" retailers_2_display_text=\"Shop on Williams Sonoma\" retailers_3_name=\"Walmart\" retailers_3_url=\"https:\/\/go.skimresources.com?id=131817X1598243&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2FLuxardo-Gourmet-Maraschino-Cocktail-Cherries-400g-Jar%2F189307231&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.walmart.com%2Fip%2F189307231\" retailers_3_display_text=\"Shop on Walmart\" \/]\r\n

How We Tested Luxardo Cherries<\/strong><\/h2>\r\nI ordered a jar of Luxardo cherries from Amazon to determine whether this garnish deserves a permanent spot on my bar cart<\/a>.\r\n\r\nWhen the box arrived on a rainy Sunday, I was eager to dig in. After all, what tastes better on a chilly fall day than a warming\u00a0cocktail<\/a>? I was happy to see the jar wrapped in a thick layer of packing insulation to protect the glass from any shipping accidents.\r\n

On Their Own<\/h3>\r\nFor my first test, I wanted to try a cherry on its own. I opened the jar and was immediately awed by the dark, almost-black color of the cherries and their juice. They look\u00a0nothing<\/em> like traditional maraschino cherries. And to my joy, they taste nothing like them, either. At first bite, I was hit with the earthy, juicy flavor of a fresh cherry. These are truly next level. There\u2019s no broken-down texture and no sickly-sweet aftertaste.\r\n

In a Cocktail<\/h3>\r\n\"Toh\r\n\r\nNext, I made my aforementioned favorite drink: a sweet brandy old-fashioned. When made sweet, this\u00a0supper club<\/a>\u00a0cocktail relies on both a maraschino cherry for garnish and a small amount of cherry juice muddled with an orange slice and bitters.\r\n\r\nFrom my previous test, I knew the garnish would be delicious (especially once it soaks up some of the brandy\u2026yum!). But the marasca cherry syrup really kicked my homemade drink up a notch. It tasted akin to what I\u2019d order at a bar\u2014but without the $12 price tag. Could these cherries actually\u00a0save<\/em>\u00a0me money?! They\u2019re also a delicious addition to a\u00a0cocktail kit<\/a>.\r\n

In Cookies<\/h3>\r\n\"a\r\n\r\nFor my last test, I texted my parents for a copy of a beloved\u00a0family recipe<\/a>: maraschino cherry cookies. We\u2019ve been making (and eating!) these gems for as long as I can remember, and they\u2019re always a fan favorite. The recipe is a simple butter cookie rolled into balls and dipped in sugar. Then, just before baking, you add a halved maraschino cherry to each mound.\r\n\r\nNow, my family has always used the standard grocery store cherries for this recipe. But I was excited to see how they\u2019d turn out with Luxardo cherries. I whipped up a batch, and my first impression was, \u201cWow, these look different!\u201d As previously mentioned, Luxardo cherries have a dark burgundy, almost-black hue that sets them apart from red-dyed maraschinos.\r\n\r\nAt first bite, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia\u2014then something new. This cookie had the same light, buttery taste I know and love, but the cherry was a brand-new experience. It yielded a richer, more luxurious bite, and the cookie as a whole was more satisfying. I didn\u2019t have to eat five to get my \u201ccherry fix.\u201d One or two did the trick. And in my opinion, the improved taste of these treats more than made up for the lack of red color.\r\n\r\nLike most cocktail ingredients, Luxardo cherries last for a long time when properly stored. The back of the jar recommends stashing at room temperature in a cool, dark place.\r\n\r\nIf you\u2019re thinking, \u201cWell, what\u2019s the catch? These cherries sound too good to be true!\u201d\u2014here it comes. There\u2019s one notable downside to Luxardo cherries. A 14-ounce jar costs upwards of $20\u2014roughly 10 times more expensive than a standard jar of maraschinos from the grocery store. Ouch.\r\n

Pros<\/h3>\r\n