Ginjinha de Obidos (Portuguese Sour Cherry Liqueur)

The walled town of Obidos, north of Lisbon, has turned a simple cherry liqueur into a full civic identity. You cannot walk its cobblestone streets without being handed a tiny chocolate cup of ginjinha, and once you understand how little effort it takes to make at home, you start to understand why it took over an entire town rather than staying a farmhouse secret.

Ginjinha is nothing more than sour cherries, sugar, and aguardente or vodka, left to sit for weeks until the spirit turns a deep garnet red and tastes like concentrated cherry with a warm, slightly bitter edge from the pits and cinnamon. It requires patience more than skill, which makes it a perfect project to start now and forget about on a shelf for a couple of months.

I like to have a bottle ready by the time the weather cools, to serve in tiny glasses after dinner alongside my Traditional Portuguese Sangria and Portuguese White Sangria (both recipes on the site) for guests who want something a little stronger and a lot more Portuguese.

My husband, who is not Portuguese and had never heard of ginjinha before he met me, now requests it specifically at holiday parties, usually poured into a small chocolate cup if I have made those too. It is one of the few things in my kitchen the kids are strictly not allowed to taste, which of course makes Lucas ask about it constantly.

Ginjinha de Obidos (Portuguese Sour Cherry Liqueur) Recipe

Prep time: 15 minutes active, plus 6 to 8 weeks infusing · Cook time: 0 minutes · Total: 6 to 8 weeks · Servings: about 20 small glasses (750ml) · Calories: ~95 per serving

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh or frozen sour cherries (ginja or Morello cherries), rinsed, stems removed
• 1 (750ml) bottle vodka or aguardente (Portuguese grape brandy)
• 1 cup granulated sugar, or to taste
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• A few strips of lemon peel (optional)

Instructions

1. Prick each cherry a few times with a needle or toothpick, or lightly crush them, so the spirit can penetrate the fruit. Leave the pits in, they contribute to the classic bitter almond note.
2. Layer the cherries, sugar, cinnamon stick, cloves, and lemon peel (if using) into a large clean glass jar.
3. Pour the vodka or aguardente over the top, making sure the cherries are fully submerged. Seal tightly.
4. Store in a cool, dark place for 6 to 8 weeks, gently shaking or inverting the jar once a week to help the sugar dissolve.
5. After 6 to 8 weeks, strain the liquid through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bottle, pressing gently on the cherries to extract the flavor. Discard the solids or save them as a boozy topping for vanilla ice cream.
6. Serve chilled or at room temperature in small glasses, traditionally with a cherry dropped into each pour.

Recipe Notes

• Sourcing tip: fresh sour cherries have a short season in early summer. Frozen sour cherries (often labeled Morello or tart cherries) work just as well and are available year-round at most US grocery stores.
• A note on safety: leaving pits in is traditional, but do not blend or crush the cherries into a puree, since cherry pits contain compounds that can release small amounts of cyanide-related compounds when broken open and left steeping for long periods in large quantities. Whole, lightly pricked cherries steeped whole are the traditional and safer method.
• This is an alcoholic beverage; enjoy responsibly and only if you are of legal drinking age in your state.
• The longer it sits, up to a few months, the smoother and more complex it gets, so do not rush to drink it the moment the 6 weeks are up if you can wait longer.