• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Polish Housewife

Polish recipes served up with tidbits of folklore, customs, and history

  • Home
  • Polish Recipes
    • Polish Breads
    • Polish Soups
    • Polish Mains & Sides
    • Polish Desserts
    • Polish Pantry
    • Polish Beverages & Liqueurs
  • Recipes
    • Appetizer
    • Beverage
    • Salad Dressing
    • Salads
    • Soup
    • Stew
    • Main
    • Vegetables
    • Dessert
  • About
  • Expat Life
    • Art
    • Concerts
    • Crime
    • Current Events
    • Daily life
    • Dining Out
    • Euro 2012
    • Events
    • Holidays
    • Museums
    • People
    • Pets
    • Sightseeing
    • Sports
    • Travel
  • New? Start Here
  • Store
  • Polish Cookbook

Wisniak (Polish Sweet Cherry Liqueur)

July 7, 2011 by Lois Britton 64 Comments

Polska piątek (Polish Friday) #1
cherry liqueur, Wisniak, wiesniak, fresh cherries

Popular all over Eastern Europe, I’ve been served this liqueur as an after dinner drink in Polish restaurants.  That happened recently on a trip to Lodz, on the very day that I had just purchased cherries from a vendor in the pedestrian underpass.  At 6.5 zl per kilogram (about $1.10 per pound) I couldn’t pass them by.  We ate the first kilogram, so I bought a second one to bring home and turn into Wisniak. I’m sure Ed could see the “I can make this” light bulb appear over my head as we sipped our cordials.

Similar in taste to our Cherry La La (which is ready in a week rather than months), Wisniak is fruity and very smooth – an ideal way to end a meal.  I’ve been told that if you make Wisniak when cherries first come into season, it reaches perfection in time for the holidays and should be served with a honey cake.  I don’t know if I’ll be able to wait that long.

This can be made with sweet or sour cherries, although officially with sour cherries this is called wisniowka. In either case, you may want to adjust the sugar according to your taste and the sweetness of your fruit.

Na zdrowie!

Lois

PS – Can I convince you to give this a try.  It’s now December; I left my jars of Wisniak undisturbed for months and months.  My patience has been rewarded!  I just now strained out the cherries; the cherry liqueur left behind is dark, fruity, sweet, and smooth.  I will make much more next summer when cherries are in season.  It’s so wonderful, that I want to share it with everyone I know!

(Amazon pays me a few cents for purchases via these links)
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
cherry liqueur, Wisniak, wiesniak

Wisniak (Polish Sweet Cherry Liqueur)

★★★★★ 4.8 from 5 reviews
  • Author: polishhousewife
  • Prep Time: 90 min active, months passive
  • Total Time: 27 minute
  • Yield: 5 cups 1x
  • Category: Liqueur
  • Method: Infused
  • Cuisine: Polish
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

Description

Homemade cherry infused vodka = heaven on earth


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/4 pounds  pitted cherries
  • 1  cup sugar (I used superfine sugar because I had some on hand)
  • l liter vodka (4 – 5 cups, enough to fill container(s)

Instructions

  • Combine all of the ingredients in sterile containers. (I submerged the jars and lids in boiling water for 10 minutes.) The total volume of your container(s) should be half a gallon
  • Shake or swirl daily until sugar has dissolved, it takes a few days
  • Store the containers (in pantry or basement) for  4 to 6 weeks, strain and re-bottle
  • Allow to age 2 to 4 months

Notes

I sometimes substitute brandy for a small portion of the vodka, maybe 1 cup. I just think brandy and cherries go so well together.

If you this with sour cherries, you have wisniowka!

Keywords: infused vodka, cherry vodka, Polish cherry vodka

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @PolishHousewife on Instagram and hashtag it #polishhousewife

 

cherry liqueur wisniowka wisniak
Within hours, osmosis has begun

 

Lois Britton

An accountant by trade and a food blogger since 2009, Lois Britton fell in love with Polish cuisine during the years she lived in Poznań, Poland. As the creator of PolishHousewife.com,  she loves connecting readers with traditional Polish recipes. Lois has a graduate certificate in Food Writing and Photography from the University of South Florida. She is the author of The Polish Housewife Cookbook, available on Amazon and on her website.

Share this...
  • email
  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Linkedin
  • Reddit

Filed Under: Beverage, Polish, Polish Beverages & Liqueurs, Polish Pantry, Summer Tagged With: brandy, cherries, cherry, cordial, liqueur, vodka, wisniak, wisniowka

Previous Post: « My Neighbors’ Patios
Next Post: Hegetova Cihelna, Prague, Czech Republic »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Laura [Novelbite]

    July 9, 2011 at 2:50 am

    Yay for Polish Fridday! Double yay for BOOZY Polish Friday!

    Reply
  2. Laura [Novelbite]

    July 9, 2011 at 2:51 am

    Err, Friday, one d. I swear, I m not drinking Wisniak… (yet!).

    Reply
  3. Jean

    July 9, 2014 at 1:31 pm

    I’m putting cherries on the grocery list and making this tomorrow! It sounds wonderful.

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      July 10, 2014 at 2:01 am

      It’s so much fun to pull this out of the cupboard and share it with friends. I think guests always feel honored when when you share homemade liqueurs. Come fall, I always wish I had made more! 😀

      Reply
  4. Barbara

    July 21, 2014 at 5:46 pm

    I have everything mixed. Do I store in dark cool place until Christmas?

    Reply
  5. Diane

    August 21, 2015 at 10:02 pm

    I’m so happy I came across this! My mom used to make this year’s back and I can’t wait to make some! I’m going to search for some great cherries tomorrow! I know I’m a little late but it doesn’t have to be ready for the Holidays!
    Mom also made something weaker though too. I don’t think she used anything with alcohol in it, I’m assuming she just used water. It’s too late for me to ask her because she passed away (at almost 92) in March, almost 6 months ago. She called it “sok” and we would use it in our tea sometimes. Do you think you could help me with this?

    Reply
    • Diane

      August 21, 2015 at 10:05 pm

      You can delete this one and above. I didn’t get a chance to mark the box to notify me if there’s another comment!
      Thanks!

      Reply
    • polishhousewife

      August 22, 2015 at 8:23 pm

      Hi Diane, sok means juice, but I wonder if what your mom made was kompot? It’s very popular. I’ve never made it, but this post from another blog talks about it. http://www.thekitchn.com/kompot-the-fruit-punch-of-eastern-europe-175659

      Thanks for commenting. I’m glad we’ve connected!

      Reply
  6. Diane

    August 21, 2015 at 10:03 pm

    I’m so happy I came across this! My mom used to make this year’s back and I can’t wait to make some! I’m going to search for some great cherries tomorrow! I know I’m a little late but it doesn’t have to be ready for the Holidays!
    Mom also made something weaker though too. I don’t think she used anything with alcohol in it, I’m assuming she just used water. It’s too late for me to ask her because she passed away (at almost 92) in March, almost 6 months ago. She called it “sok” and we would use it in our tea sometimes. Do you think you could help me with this?

    Reply
  7. Kathy Alexander

    April 17, 2016 at 11:45 am

    Question, do you use the sweet cherries or the tart cherries to make this? Thanks

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      April 18, 2016 at 1:42 pm

      Hi Kathy,

      I have used sweet cherries because that’s what I’ve found. I’ve been told to make true wisniowka, one must use sour cherries. If you adjust the sugar a bit, after months steeping in vodka, I don’t know that anyone could tell. Thanks for asking!

      Reply
  8. Carol Dombrowski Krieg

    May 26, 2016 at 2:35 pm

    I first tasted Wisniowka in Warsaw a few years ago and fell in love with it. Tried but can’t find it here in North Carolina. Today Sweet cherries went on sale for Memorial Weekend and I bought a pound. So this weekend I will be making my first batch. I am so excited! How much vodka should I use for one pound of cherries? I saw a comment that said 3:1. Is that 3 cups vodka to one cup of cherries. So glad I found this post a while back. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      May 26, 2016 at 4:39 pm

      Hi Carol,

      I am so excited for you too! It’s not an exact science. You want all of your cherries to be covered in vodka. The first time I made this, I added some brandy with the vodka. That’s the 3:1 reference I was making 3 parts vodka, 1 part brandy. With a pound of cherries, I think a 750 ml bottle of vodka should be enough. Have fun; I’d love to hear how it turns out. All the best!

      Reply
  9. Susan McQuade

    June 8, 2016 at 2:15 pm

    Hi from Illinois…Just made a batch (4 jars) using your recipe above with just vodka. My first attempt! How do you store? In the refrigerator or just on the shelf in the basement? Thank you!
    Sue McQuade

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      June 10, 2016 at 1:25 pm

      Hi Susan!

      On a shelf in the basement would be perfect until you’re ready to drink it. You’ll want to serve it chilled, so move it to the fridge or freezer when you’re ready to enjoy. Na zdrowie!

      Reply
  10. mikeee

    July 30, 2016 at 8:00 am

    No vodka just gin and brandy added a peach as well experimental so fingers crossed

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      July 30, 2016 at 4:54 pm

      Creative combination, Mikeee; I’d love to hear how it turns out!

      Reply
  11. Carol Dombrowski Krieg

    December 4, 2016 at 11:32 am

    I made my first batch back on Memorial Day weekend. On Thanksgiving night 2 weeks ago, we tasted it and were not disappointed. So smooth. I used bing cherries when they first were in the markets and one cup of sugar. It turned out a bit too sweet for our taste so we added more vodka. Today I am going to strain it and funnel it into a bottle with a cork so we can use it at Christmas. Now I need to find a decorated bottle for future attempts. I am so happy to have found this recipe last year. Thanks for posting it!

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      December 6, 2016 at 6:43 am

      I’m glad you enjoyed it, Carol! Na zdrowie!

      Reply
  12. Mich

    April 21, 2017 at 6:29 am

    I wonder what the non alcoholic version contains for liquid? Just water and sugar, perhaps boiled together to make a syrup first?

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      April 21, 2017 at 7:04 am

      Hi Mich, a basic recipe for kompot is a pound of fruit, 4 quarts of water and a cup of sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes. Some recipes add the sugar at the beginning, some after cooking.

      Reply
      • Mich

        April 21, 2017 at 7:58 am

        Thank you.

        Reply
  13. Joette Frankovic Clark

    May 17, 2017 at 6:45 am

    Hi from a second generation Polish/Slovak housewife in New Jersey. Your instructions say that after 4 to 6 weeks, strain, rebottle and age for 2 to 3 months. When rebottling, do you add the strained liquid OR fresh vodka OR just pack dry? Thank you for this recipe and all your others, which we enjoy so much.

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      May 17, 2017 at 7:30 am

      Hi Joette, thanks for your question and helping me clarify. I strain out the cherries and discard them. By this point, they’ve lost all of their cherry flavor. I know some people like to eat them, maybe on top of ice cream. It is like eating vodka. When you rebottle the cherry flavored vodka, you can taste it to see if you want it sweeter (add a little more sugar) or less sweet (add a little more vodka). As the wisniak ages in the next 2 to 3 months, the flavors meld and it becomes smoother. Thanks for your kind words!

      Reply
  14. Gary Wasserman

    August 9, 2017 at 1:38 pm

    I have been making sweet cherry liqueur for many years now and then extended the process to grapes to make port. I put cherries in a gallon bottle and fill with granulated sugar to fill the gaps between the cherries. I let the bottle rest til the sugar melts adding sugar to keep the fruit covered. After all the sugar is melted I put the bottle away for 6 months. I then add grain alcohol to get about 60 to 80 proof and age 1 or 2 years in bottle. I have some bottles over 20 years old but eventually the flavor goes from brandied to spoiled.
    As I said, this works with grapes like muscadine that grow here in Florida. I freeze the grapes to break the cell walls before sugaring, then defrost. Makes a fine port style desert wine.

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      August 9, 2017 at 5:15 pm

      Very interesting, thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    • polishhousewife

      August 10, 2017 at 3:27 pm

      I want to try this with grapes!

      Reply
  15. Gary Wasserman

    August 9, 2017 at 1:43 pm

    I forgot to say that I leave the cherries in bottle when done but I always remove the grapes and settle and then rebottle the wine in old screw top wine bottles.

    Reply
  16. Heather

    September 30, 2017 at 7:55 am

    I made this back in June using sour cherries, sugar, and a decent vodka. I think this is important because you can definetly taste the difference between a medium priced vodka and the cheap stuff. It’s been sitting ever since in a giant jar. I’m looking for some fun bottles or jars so I can distribute it around the holidays. I taste it every once in a while and it’s getting better and better. Although I’m anxious to bottle it up I think
    I will let it sit for at least one more month. I should also note that when preparing the cherries I put a slight slit in the fruit to better expose the pit. By leaving the pits in I am hoping that a bit of that nutty flavor will come through.

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      October 1, 2017 at 10:43 am

      You’ll be famous for this gift!

      Reply
  17. Roger Neumann

    October 15, 2017 at 4:05 pm

    I was very happy to find this site because years ago my Polish college roommate brought some back with him to our dorm room after being at home for the weekend in the Boston area. He brought a special set of two stainless steel shot glass sized containers in a red velvet lined wooden box. It was so good but he advised to take some in a small amount. Thanks.

    Reply
  18. C A Sasinowski

    March 16, 2018 at 7:32 am

    I purchased a 30oz jar of Hungarian Sweet Cherries with a water/sugar syrup. Do you think I can use them to make a batch? If so,with or without the syrup? I’m anxious to try it out. TY

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      March 16, 2018 at 8:30 am

      I think I would use the syrup because it probably has some of the cherry flavor, so don’t add sugar right away. Let the cherries and syrup sit in the vodka for a while than add sugar if needed.

      Reply
  19. Gordon

    July 10, 2018 at 12:53 pm

    Thank you so much for the recipe! My Grandad was from Poland and after the war married my Nan and stayed in the UK (where I’m from) he used to make this every year and I’ve never tasted anything quite like it before, 1st time I was around 12yr’s old and loved it now I’m in my 40’s and been in to brewing myself for many yr’s a good mate on Facebook had a friend who’s Polish so asked him and I found out the proper name because my Grandad used to call it Cherry Soc/Sok… And he sent me two different way’s of spelling it (how I found your page) plus a few different recipes.. I’m 3 week’s in to making it.. 2 gallons 🙂 because I won’t be able to resist a few shot’s before racking and waiting even long. Thank you and happy brewing xx

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      July 11, 2018 at 5:02 am

      I’m so glad to be able to help you continue your Grandad’s tradition, Gordon. Na zdrowie!

      Reply
  20. Cindy B.

    October 13, 2018 at 8:48 am

    We just bottled our first batch of Wisniak. Making another batch with frozen (thawed) cherries. How well do the cherries keep in the refrigerator for use later? I have lots of cherries!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      October 13, 2018 at 2:30 pm

      I just bottled mine too! Just to be safe, I put my cherries in a gallon ziplock bag and popped them in the freezer. I think they’d be great in homemade ice cream. Na zdrowie!

      Reply
      • Cindy B.

        October 13, 2018 at 7:12 pm

        Wonderful idea! Thank you!

        ★★★★★

        Reply
        • Cindy B.

          October 14, 2018 at 3:39 pm

          I decided to make some chocolate covered cherries. I patted them dry before covering them. Husband loves them. Not for the kiddos though!

          ★★★★★

          Reply
          • polishhousewife

            October 14, 2018 at 6:22 pm

            That sounds fabulous!

  21. Kristopher Schuster

    November 22, 2018 at 7:05 am

    We made this, and just cracked it open after about 4 months. It tastes like cherry cough syrup! Any tips on how to save it at this point?

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      November 22, 2018 at 11:07 am

      I’m sorry to hear you’re dissappointed in the outcome. Are you sipping it chilled? It’s best cold. I guess my question would be what do you want to change?

      Is it too sweet, too strong, not sweet enough?
      If it’s too sweet, you can always add a little more vodka and cherry juice.
      Too strong, add a little cherry juice and sugar if needed.
      Not sweet enough, add a little sugar.

      I made one batch that was way too strong, an experiment gone wrong. I found a bottle of cherry juice at Whole Foods and kept adding small amounts with a little sugar until I got a balance that seemed right. My advice is to try small adjustments.

      It could be that you are just not a fan of wisniak or wisniowka. Maybe try it with a mixer, tonic water or Coke?

      Reply
      • Kristopher Schuster

        November 22, 2018 at 11:15 am

        Thanks for the tips. My mother used to make the stuff and I loved it, but mine went sideways, I blame it in the vodka I used. I’ll try to bugger it with cherry juice as you suggested. Udanych wakacji!

        Reply
        • polishhousewife

          November 22, 2018 at 12:14 pm

          Thanks, Happy Holidays to you to. Good luck with you recipe recuse.

          Reply
  22. Christine

    August 30, 2020 at 11:31 am

    Can I use frozen sweet cherries?

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      August 31, 2020 at 6:48 am

      I haven’t tried it with frozen, Christine, but I imagine it would work. Give it a shot, and let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  23. Angelina

    August 30, 2020 at 11:48 am

    Sok Czeresniowy is something which my parents and my aunts & uncles make for special celebrations and for holidays. They mix it with Sprytus. My Italian husband calls this drink “Polish Firewater”, and rightly so, since it’s incredibly potent, but delicious. You have to drink it right down in one shot out of a shotglass. For some reason you’re not advised to sip it. Thanks for posting this outstanding recipe for Wisniak, NA ZDROWJE!

    Reply
  24. Pearl race

    September 19, 2020 at 5:51 pm

    Would it be possible to use frozen cherries

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      September 22, 2020 at 6:10 pm

      I haven’t done this with frozen, but I think it would work. Why not try a small batch to test it? That way you haven’t invested too much. Thanks!

      Reply
  25. Joan

    November 1, 2020 at 12:13 pm

    Hi! Thank you for your recipe. Would it be ok to use frozen cherries I picked over the summer, or use fresh next season?

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      November 1, 2020 at 1:46 pm

      I think your frozen cherries would be fine. 🙂

      Reply
  26. TinaNM

    November 27, 2020 at 7:09 am

    Made this with sour cherries. Waited a full 4 months. Delicious!!! I serve with a cherry in small cordial glass. Will definitely make this again, but next time will double the recipe. Great for holiday gifts!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  27. Gerard

    June 7, 2021 at 10:06 am

    Hi, I just stumbled upon this recipe and will try to make it as soon as possible. If I have a jar large enough, can I mix everything in it, or should I just use smaller jars?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • polishhousewife

      June 17, 2021 at 8:53 pm

      A large jar will be just fine! Na zdrowie!

      Reply
  28. Ron

    July 18, 2021 at 12:21 pm

    I was taught that you take one cup of sugar one cup of pitted cherries and put it in a mason jar one quart size and fill it to the top with vodka and put it out in the sun 6 weeks. Will this work? It’s how I remember that my grandfather said he made it.

    Reply
  29. Karen

    July 15, 2022 at 12:27 pm

    Making it for the 2nd time. First batch was delicious but a tad too sweet for my liking. This time I decreased the sugar by 1/4c. I use Bing cherries which are pretty sweet on their own. The cordial will be ready to taste in time for the holidays. Can’t wait!

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Homemade liqueurs - Polish Housewife says:
    May 17, 2015 at 11:57 am

    […] made my own cherry liqueur when we lived in Poland, I was inspired by local chefs who are turning out housemade flavored […]

    Reply
  2. Trufle Czekoladowe Chocolate Truffles - Polish Housewife says:
    December 22, 2017 at 1:37 pm

    […] flavored my truffles with brandy, but you could use rum, or a flavored liqueur. I think a homemade cherry vodka would be […]

    Reply
  3. Polish Cake with Fruit (Ciasto z Owocami) - Polish Housewife says:
    July 17, 2018 at 4:04 am

    […] Polish Cake with Fruit (Ciasto z Owocami) can be made with most any stone fruit or berry, even rhubarb. (For larger fruits, dice them into small pieces.) In this case, I’ve used the delicious cherries that I’m picking up for less than a buck a pound. If you’ve been reading my blog very long, you know that some of those cherries are also steeping in vodka. […]

    Reply
  4. 5 Polish Flavored Liqueurs (Nalewki) - Polish Housewife says:
    October 28, 2018 at 6:27 pm

    […] Cherry liqueur – Wisniak or Wisniowka, depending on whether it’s made with sweet or sour cherries according to some, but I find Wisniowka the more commonly used term, and to be honest, it’s just fun to say. […]

    Reply
  5. Polish Hazelnut Liqueur (Nalewkę z Orzechów Laskowych) - Polish Housewife says:
    December 28, 2018 at 3:31 am

    […] my own because I have a fascination with the Polish art of tincture making. So far I’ve made, cherry, raspberry, plum, honey/spice, mandarin orange, lemon, pineapple, orange/spice, and now […]

    Reply
  6. Herbata Góralska Polish Highlander Tea - Polish Housewife says:
    January 11, 2019 at 7:51 pm

    […] – you may want to take the shortcut suggested by a reader and just add a shot of cherry liqueur to your […]

    Reply
  7. Polish Cooking Class & a Giveaway - Polish Housewife says:
    January 18, 2019 at 3:00 am

    […] we enjoyed our coffee and tea, Magda served us a shot of wisniowka or cherry vodka and had us pair up, up one of the students partnering with her. We moved to the […]

    Reply
  8. Idaho: Prunus avium – Roaming Roots says:
    August 19, 2022 at 6:35 pm

    […] used The Polish Housewife’s recipe but adjusted the quantities for the amount of fruit we harvested. I wish I could tell you how it […]

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Let’s Connect!

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Use the code POLISH15 for a 15% discount!

Welcome – Witam!

Hi, I'm Lois; welcome to Polish Housewife! Here you'll find my culinary and cultural adventures in Poland and in the USA.
Zapraszamy! Click here…

Polish recipes sent to your inbox!

* = required field

Looking for something special?

The Polish Housewife Cookbook – order your autographed copy here!

Footer

  • Privacy Policy
my photos on tastespotting
Living in Poland
my foodgawker gallery
Poland Blogs

Copyright © 2023 · Foodie Pro & The Genesis Framework