3 Roasted Cherry Cocktails To Keep Your Summer Spirits High

Nothing says your cocktails can't be a bowl of cherries, too.

If you're like us, you're trying to figure out how to keep summer around for as long as possible. 

Gastronomista editor Elizabeth Arden Welles puts a fresh spin on classic cocktails that might help you do so, seeing as their kick comes from an unlikely summertime ingredient: roasted cherries.

In the video below, produced by Savuer magazine, Welles serves up a roasted cherry vodka old fashioned, a cherry shandy and a roasted cherry coconut-colada.

To roast cherries, you can grill them for 10 minutes, or cut them in half, pit them and roast them in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. 

Rather than being overtly sweet, Welles' cocktails are well-balanced and delicious -- and they might just help stave off those wintry blues.

Roasted Cherry Colada
Saveur Magazine

Get the Roasted Cherry Colada recipe from Saveur

Roasted Cherry Old Fashioned
Savuer Magazine
Cherry Shandy
Saveur Magazine

Get the Cherry Shandy recipe from Savuer

Also on HuffPost:

9 Spicy And Refreshing Summer Cocktails
The Hot Blooded(01 of09)
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2 parts tequila
1 part triple sec
1/2 part agave syrup
1/2 part sriracha hot sauce
2 strawberries

Muddle strawberries in a shaker. Add the other ingredients and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into a salt-rimmed martini glass.

(credit:Alex Kroke/Courtesy Sauza 901)
Little Devil 2.0(02 of09)
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1 3/4 parts vodka
3/4 part Ancho Reyes chili liqueur
2 parts mango juice
3/4 part lemon juice
3/4 part maple syrup

Combine all ingredients into a shaker and shake vigorously. Double strain into a collins glass and garnish with chile'd mango or lemon wedge.

(credit:Courtesy Reyka Vodka)
Spicy Pinata(03 of09)
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2 parts tequila
1 part pineapple juice
1 jalapeno, sliced

Combine all ingredients in a shaker and shake vigorously. Strain over ice into rocks glass and garnish with a pineapple spear and jalapeno slice. To kick up the heat, muddle jalapeno in the shaker before adding the other ingredients.

(credit:Alex Kroke/Courtesy Sauza 901)
Matcha Bee(04 of09)
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1 1/2 parts vodka
1 part matcha honey syrup (see below)
3/4 part lemon juice
Soda

Combine first three ingredients into a shaker and shake, strain into a flute glass and top with a splash of soda.

Matcha honey syrup: Boil 4 ounces of water, add 1 teaspoon of matcha powder and 4 ounces of honey and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool and bottle.

(credit:Courtesy Reyka Vodka)
Summer-tini(05 of09)
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1 1/2 parts vodka
2 parts watermelon juice
3/4 part black peppercorn syrup (see below)
1/2 part lemon juice
4 to 6 basil leaves

Combine all ingredients into a shaker and shake vigorously with ice. Strain into a martini or coupe glass.

Black peppercorn syrup: Grind an ounce of peppercorns into 32 ounces of boiling water. Add 32 ounces of sugar and let simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, strain and bottle.

(credit:Courtesy Reyka Vodka)
Shooting Star(06 of09)
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1 3/4 parts vodka
6 to 8 small pieces of cantaloupe
3/4 part lemon juice
3/4 part black peppercorn syrup
4 to 6 basil leaves

Muddle cantaloupe in a shaker and add the other ingredients. Shake and strain into a martini glass.

(credit:Courtesy Reyka Vodka)
Picante Verano(07 of09)
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2 parts tequila
2 parts coconut water
1/2 part triple sec
Splash of pineapple juice
Splash of grapefruit juice
Cayenne pepper

Combine everything but the cayenne pepper into a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a rocks glass rimmed with the pepper.

(credit:Alex Kroke/Courtesy Sauza 901)
Smoke & Flowers(08 of09)
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1 3/4 parts vodka
3/4 part mezcal
3/4 fresh lime juice
8 fresh raspberries
6 fresh thyme sprigs
3/4 part elderflower syrup, such as Monin's

Combine ingredients into a shaker and shake with ice, strain into a martini or coupe glass, and garnish with thyme.

(credit:Courtesy Reyka Vodka)
Strawberry Fields(09 of09)
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1 3/4 parts vodka
1/2 part Art Of The Age rhubarb liqueur
3/4 part black peppercorn syrup
3/4 part lime juice
1 1/2 parts fresh strawberry juice
4 to 6 mint leaves
Soda

Combine all the ingredients except for the soda into a shaker and shake with ice. Strain into a collins glass and top with soda.

(credit:Courtesy Reyka Vodka)

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