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The bright red, neon-colored cherries found in sundae shops and dive bars are a far cry from the original Maraschino. These modern ‘cocktail cherries’ are often little more than bleached fruit soaked in corn syrup and red dye. However, the true Maraschino cherry is a dark, sophisticated delicacy with a history dating back to 19th-century Croatia. Ditching the chemical imitations and investing in a jar of authentic Luxardo original will not only elevate your cocktails, but also your ice cream sundaes and much more.
🍒 Quick Guide: Real vs. Imitation Maraschinos
Real Maraschino cherries are made by Luxardo, the makers of the famous “Luxardo Maraschino Originale,” a renowned liqueur using Marasca cherries made according to a recipe that dates back to 1821. You owe it to yourself to try some real Luxardo, and some real Luxardo cherries, featured in many great cocktails.
Marasca Cherries: The Real Maraschino Fruit
Marasca cherries (Prunus cerasus var. marasca) are a small, sour Morello cherry known for a dark color and unique flavor. Native to the Dalmatian coast, they have a tart and slightly bitter taste with a hint of almond and spice. Unlike the common sweet cherries used in American canning, the Marasca is smaller, firmer, and famously acidic, traits that allow it to hold its shape during the long, natural candying process
The Marasca cherry is popular for making liqueurs and flavoring spirits. It is considered a great delicacy in its native Coastal Croatia, especially in Dalmatia. While there are other maraschino liqueurs, Luxardo Maraschino Originale is the most famous liquor that uses these cherries. This versatile liquor is featured in classic cocktails like the Aviation and The Last Word. It is often considered essential in fruit-forward cocktails like the Old Fashioned and The Manhattan.
🍸You will find everything you need to know about liqueurs on the pages of CulinaryLore. However, if you need one guide to rule them, all, I’ve got that too, so you can outfit your home bar with confidence. Read: Liqueur Guide: Definitions, History, and Popular Brands
Luxardo was originally responsible for bringing Maraschino cherries to the U.S. The marasca cherries are candied in a syrup made from the same Marasca cherry juice that is used to make their Sangue Morlacco, a cherry liqueur made by a different process than the Luxardo Originale Maraschino liqueur.
How Maraschino Cherries Are Made
- Imitation Cherries: Bleached in calcium chloride and sulfur dioxide, then dyed with Red 40.
- Authentic Luxardo: Candied in a syrup of Marasca cherry juice. No artificial colors, no chemical brine, and no preservatives.
- The Alcohol Myth: While they are a byproduct of the liqueur industry, the cherries themselves are typically jarred in syrup, not alcohol.
The Prohibition Transformation: From Liqueur to Lab
Before the 1920s, American “Maraschino” cherries were often just domestic sweet cherries preserved in imported Maraschino liqueur. However, when Prohibition went into effect, the alcohol-soaked variety was suddenly illegal. This created a massive problem for the Oregon cherry growers who were trying to compete with European imports.
To keep the cherries shelf-stable and non-alcoholic, manufacturers turned to a process perfected by Oregon State University professor Ernest Wiegand. His method replaced the liqueur with a chemical brine that changed the cherry forever:
- The Bleach: A solution of sulfur dioxide was used to strip the fruit of its natural color and flavor, turning it into a blank “yellow” canvas.
- The Firming: Because the bleaching process made the cherries soft and mushy, Wiegand discovered that adding calcium salts (like calcium chloride) to the brine would react with the fruit’s pectin to keep them plump and firm.
- The Dye: To make the ghost-white cherries look edible again, they were pumped full of Red Dye No. 40 and almond extract to mimic the “nutty” flavor of the original Marasca pits.
By the time Prohibition was repealed in 1933, the FDA was lobbied to redefine “Maraschino Cherries” to include these chemically-treated domestic fruits. Most Americans grew up with this version, never realizing it was a “emergency substitute” that just never went away.
🏷️ Brand Spotlight: Who is Using What?
- Filthy: A newer favorite in upscale bars, they offer both a bright red “Film Noir” version (using Michigan cherries) and a dark Black Amarena version.
- Luxardo (The Gold Standard): They use their own proprietary Marasca cherries, cultivated from over 30,000 trees in the Veneto region of Italy. These are the only cherries that can technically claim the “original” Maraschino title.
- Tillen Farms (The Clean Alternative): Known for avoiding corn syrup and Red 40, they typically use Morello cherries grown in the Pacific Northwest. These provide a much better “snap” and a deeper, more natural flavor than the imitation versions.
- Oregon Specialty Fruit: This is where the Royal Ann heritage is strongest. Based in the Willamette Valley (the birthplace of the modern process), they use the firm, light-skinned varieties that Professor Wiegand first experimented with.
- Fabbri: While often grouped with Maraschinos, these are actually Amarena cherries. They are a wild variety from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy and are famously dark and tart.
Maraschino Cherries Frequently Asked Questions
Are maraschino cherries real cherries? Yes, both authentic and imitation maraschino cherries start as real fruit. However, the definition of “real” depends on the processing. Authentic Luxardo cherries are Marasca cherries that remain chemically “whole”, they are simply candied in their own natural juices.
In contrast, the bright red “cocktail” cherries found in grocery stores are so heavily processed they are often described as a “meatless hot dog” of the fruit world. They are bleached of their natural color and flavor in a chemical brine before being infused with artificial dyes and sweeteners. While they are still botanically cherries, very little of the original fruit’s characteristics remains.
What’s the difference between maraschino and Luxardo cherries? Luxardo Cherries ARE Maraschino cherries. The bright red, candied ‘cocktail cherries’ most are familiar with are imitations of these original Marasca cherries preserved in their own syrup.
Instead of being preserved in a syrup of their own juice and sugar, imitation maraschino cherries are preserved with a chemical brine solution, which bleaches them and turns them a pale yellow. They are then dyed with red food color, producing the bright-red color familiar from ice cream shops and dive bars. Real Maraschino cherries have a deep, rich cherry flavor and a very dark red color that can appear almost black.
Why are maraschino cherries so expensive? Real Luxardo cherries are an investment in quality. Because they are candied in a natural, concentrated syrup of Marasca cherry juice, the flavor is incredibly intense. You don’t need a handful to make an impact, just one or two cherries and a small spoonful of that excellent syrup are enough to transform a drink or a bowl of ice cream.
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