Experience the Holidays: Ole Smoky Cherry Drops! For those who think this is a strange name for something sweet, allow me to explain. The Great Smoky Mountains form one of the most beautiful mountain ranges along the Tennessee-North Carolina border. Nestled in “The Holler” is a distillery made famous by its 100-year-old recipe base for signature flavors of moonshine. Can you see where this is going? Stick with me. From the fermenting grains of the moonshine stills come the most extraordinary combinations you can ever imagine. Bottled in quart jars are what appear to be a dozen or more moonshine variations that go by names like Apple Pie, Hunch Punch, Blue Flame, Lemon Drop, Dill Pickles, and Moonshine Cherries. Since I found a jar in my pantry, I thought going into the holidays, this might present an interesting dessert opportunity. It definitely passed the “flame test” in my house.
OLE SMOKY CHERRY DROPS
Ingredients:
1 quart jar Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries*
12-ounce bag white chocolate chips
4.6-ounce jar rainbow sprinkles
5.2-ounce jar sanding sugar
14-ounce bag sweetened coconut flakes
Party Picks
Instructions:
Several steps are necessary to prepare your workspace. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove maraschino cherries from jar. Reserve moonshine for another use. Gently pat dry each cherry and set aside. This is important before coating them in white chocolate. Place each topping (rainbow sprinkles, sanding sugar, and coconut flakes) in a separate dish. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Set aside. To melt white chocolate, place half a bag of chips in a microwave-proof bowl. Warm at 30-second intervals, stirring after each interval. Repeat until the white chocolate is smooth and no lumps remain. Working quickly, pierce a cherry with a cake tester. Coat it halfway in the white chocolate, then dip it in one of the toppings. Place decorated cherry on the waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all cherries are decorated. Chill to set. Two things: As the white chocolate cools, gently warm and stir. When it becomes necessary to use the remaining white chocolate chips, begin with a clean bowl. This will eliminate waste. Cherry Drops should be stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Serve with party picks.
*I receive no recompense for mentioning Ole Smoky Moonshine Cherries.
Wow! Amazing, Gail! But you have ingredients in the USA we only can dream about. 😉 These sweetened coconut flakes are very rare here. 😉 But i think in the much more metropolitan oriented Czech city Prague i will get. Thank you for sharing, and enjoy your day! Michael
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I keep forgetting that fact. Only last week I was interested in a recipe that used A spice common in India. Lo, and behold, I went to my spice cabinet and was able to combine the blend of ground spices to make a jar of it. 🍂
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Yeah, thats the USA,!
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Fun recipe with many ingredients I can’t get. Not to worry.
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If only I could snap my fingers…🎶🍃🍒
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Hmm, I make brandied cherries every year, I bet I could dip those in chocolate…
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Most definitely! I also use these wonderful moonshine cherries in a Manhattan cocktail. 🍃🍒🥃
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I can get all the ingredients…but I just want to watch Netflix. 😉 Still I love looking at your lovely recipes and imagining.
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What are you watching? My husband and I are currently on Season 3 of The Crown. 👑
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I watched the first series but didn’t like Olivia Coleman in the role but I like her in everything else. The new film Rebecca on Netflix is really good and I am enjoying pretty little dancers.
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A color and taste explosion!
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Small, but they pack-a-punch! 🍃🍒😜
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I bet!!
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Oh my god those are absolutely stunning! Almost too beautiful to eat 🙂
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Pretty enough to admire, and yet small enough to taste. 🍃🍒🌲
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Beautiful, 👍.
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Good things come in small packages, they say. 🍃🍒🌲
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😋
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🙂☀️🎄🏖🌴🎄✨🙂
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Cheers! Merry, merry. ✨🍒🌲
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Being from Franklin County, VA I have a few distilleries close by. I’m saving this recipe so I can try it after Christmas! I hope next year is safer because i really want to visit Sugarlands in TN!!
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Great idea! 🍃🍒
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Moonshine Cherries? Who knew? On the way to the store now!!!
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I was delighted to see I didn’t have to drive all the way to Tennessee to restock. 👏😍🍃🍒
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