Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce

If you're looking for a Southern-inspired sauce for grilling season, this cherry cola bbq sauce is such a fun one to keep in your summer rotation. It's sweet, smoky, a little tangy, and bold enough to make grilled chicken, ribs, burgers, wings, and pulled pork taste like they came straight from a backyard cookout.

Fresh cherries make this sauce feel extra seasonal, especially when cherry season rolls around and you want to use them in something beyond dessert. The sauce simmers down with just a few simple ingredients until it tastes sweet, savory, and just a little unexpected.

As a Southern dietitian, I love recipes like this because they bring fun flavor to real-life meals. It works whether you're hosting friends, packing up for a picnic, or just making weeknight grilled chicken more exciting.

If you love making your own homemade sauces, try my smoky peach BBQ sauce, apple BBQ sauce, blueberry chipotle, or cranberry BBQ sauce next for more sweet and tangy sauce ideas.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Uses fresh summer cherries: Fresh cherries give this cherry cola bbq sauce a seasonal flavor that feels perfect for cookouts, picnics, and warm-weather meals.
• Works on so many foods: This cherry bbq sauce is delicious brushed on grilled chicken, spooned over pork tenderloin bites, served with ribs, or used as a dipping sauce for fries or meatballs.
• Make-ahead friendly: The flavor gets even better after it chills, which makes it a great sauce to prep before a party or weekend BBQ.

Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce Ingredients

This cherry cola bbq sauce uses simple pantry staples plus fresh cherries for a sauce that tastes bold, summery, and cookout-ready.

• Fresh cherries: Fresh sweet cherries give the sauce natural fruit flavor and a beautiful deep color. Look for cherries that are firm, glossy, and dark red for the best flavor.
• Cherry cola: Cherry cola adds sweetness and helps build that sticky BBQ sauce texture as it simmers down. Use a cherry cola you already like because the flavor becomes more concentrated as it cooks.
• Ketchup: Ketchup gives the sauce its classic tomato base and helps it thicken without needing extra tomato paste.
• Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds warm sweetness and helps balance the tangy vinegar and cherries.
• Apple cider vinegar: Apple cider vinegar keeps the sauce from tasting too sweet and adds that bright BBQ-style tang.
• Worcestershire sauce: Worcestershire sauce adds savory depth so the sauce tastes more rounded and less like a sweet cherry glaze.
• Molasses: Molasses brings that dark, rich, slightly smoky flavor you expect in a good homemade BBQ sauce.
• BBQ dry rub blend: A BBQ dry rub adds smoky, savory flavor and makes the sauce taste like it belongs on grilled meats. I like using my sweet and smoky rub for this recipe.

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and measurements.

Substitutions & Variations

This sauce is easy to adjust depending on what you have on hand and how sweet, smoky, or spicy you want it.

• You can use frozen cherries when fresh cherries are not in season, but thaw them first and add the juices for extra cherry flavor.
• Add cayenne pepper, chipotle chili powder, hot sauce, or a spicy BBQ rub if you want spicy cherry bbq sauce with a little more kick.
• Leave a little texture in the sauce if you like chunky cherry bbq sauce with small pieces of cherry in each bite.
• Add a little extra brown sugar if your cherries taste tart and you want sweeter cherry cola bbq sauce for glazing ribs or chicken.

How to Make Cherry Cola Barbecue Sauce

This cherry bbq sauce simmers until thick, sticky, and ready for brushing or dipping.

Step 1: Add all the ingredients to a medium saucepan and stir until everything is combined.

Step 2: Bring the sauce to a gentle boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring often, until the cherries soften and the sauce thickens slightly.

Step 3: Carefully blend the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth, or let it cool slightly and blend it in a regular blender.

Step 4: Taste the sauce and adjust with extra vinegar for tang, brown sugar for sweetness, or dry rub for more BBQ flavor.

Step 5: Let the sauce cool slightly, then use it right away or transfer it to a jar and store it in the refrigerator.

Tips for Best Cherry Cola BBQ Sauce

These quick tips help your homemade BBQ sauce turn out thick, balanced, and full of flavor.

• Choose ripe fruit because fresh cherries give this cherry cola bbq sauce the best color and richest summer flavor.
• Keep the heat low and steady to help prevent the ketchup, cola, and sugar from sticking to the pan.
• Allow the sauce to cool slightly if blending with a regular blender so you don't create too much pressure. 

What to Serve with Cherry Coke BBQ Sauce

This cherry bbq sauce is sweet, tangy, and smoky enough to use anywhere you would normally reach for your favorite BBQ sauce.

• Brush this sauce over grilled chicken during the last few minutes of cooking for a sweet and tangy summer dinner.
• Toss shredded pork with cherry bbq sauce for pulled pork sandwiches and pile it onto slider buns for an easy party meal.
• Spoon this sticky sauce over ribs to balance smoky pork with sweet, tangy BBQ flavor.
• Use this sauce on burgers instead of ketchup or bottled barbecue sauce for a fun cookout twist.
• Spoon it over pulled pork bowls with fries, slaw, pickles, and extra sauce.
• Warm frozen or homemade meatballs with this sauce in a slow cooker, or try my cranberry BBQ meatballs for another easy crockpot appetizer.
• Toss crispy chicken wings in bbq sauce for a sticky, sweet wing option that works for summer parties or tailgates.
• Spoon this sauce over Southern pulled pork nachos for a fun game day or party appetizer.
• Drizzle it over loaded BBQ baked potatoes for an easy cookout-style dinner.

Storage

This cherry cola bbq sauce is easy to make ahead for grilling, hosting, or meal prep.

• Refrigerator: Store the cooled sauce in an airtight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Freezer: Freeze the sauce in a freezer-safe container or silicone cube tray for up to 3 months.
• Reheating: Warm the sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until smooth and heated through.
• Make ahead: Make this sauce 1 to 2 days before serving if you can, because the flavors get even better after they have time to chill.