There's no denying the appeal of seasonal fruit. How about boosting their natural flavors with some booze? A drop or two of alcohol brings complexity to desserts and cocktails - cutting through to balance sweetness or richness, all while adding fun and novel twists to your favorite drink when mixed in or used as a garnish.

Picture pairings such as kirsch with cherries, or raspberries with Chambord; these combinations seem fit in the most natural way. On the other hand, some matches, like grapefruit with Malört, may initially strike you as unusual, but they’re definitely worth trying. Here are some fruit-and-booze combinations you can experiment with next time you feel like baking a cake or crafting a cocktail.

Take Normandy’s aged apple brandy, Calvados, for example. Any apple dessert stands to gain from its enhancing properties. Whether you're working it into the filling for apple pie, or using it to glaze an apple upside-down cake, or just adding a novelty hit to your classic hot spiced apple cider, Calvados has got you covered.

Then there's Kirsch. This clear cherry brandy brings a unique touch to traditional Black Forest Cake. Or try your hand at livening up your cherry pie filling or making a refreshing cherry spritz by adding this element to a blend of tart cherry juice and sparkling water.

Next up, enhance your homemade Raspberry Tart or Raspberry Preserves with sweet raspberry-based liqueur. Or, while it’s fresh from the oven, brush some onto some Molten Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Filling.

Southern peaches and Kentucky bourbon are another pair that make an incredible duo. Give your peach cobbler a dash of caramel and vanilla-forward bourbon or whip some into cream for an alcoholic twist on the classic peaches and cream. Try muddling some ripe peaches into bourbon classics like Mint Julep or Old Fashioned for an intriguing twist.

Aperol and orange are another classic combo. Use this citrusy, bittersweet liqueur in the glaze for any orange-scented cake to add a tantalizing twist, or flavor your homemade orange curd with a tablespoon or two.

And who can resist the royal touch of the sunny amalgamation of lemon and floral elderflower liqueur? Channel your inner William and Kate by adding some to a batch of buttercream, or use as a simple syrup to soak a lemon cake, or even spike your next pitcher of adult lemonade.

Though amaretto is often associated with almond flavor, it's primarily made from pits of stone fruits, including apricots. Mix these two in any dessert, from an apricot and almond tart to apricot-amaretto jam.

If you’re keen on a boozy twist on Strawberry Shortcake? Let your strawberries macerate with a couple of tablespoons of bitter and citrusy Campari for an exciting take on this dessert classic. Or try muddling a few strawberries for your next Negroni.

Blueberries mingle perfectly with the herbaceous notes of gin, enhancing its flavors. Muddle some blueberries into your next Gin & Tonic, or better yet, enhance the filling for a blueberry pie with a splash of gin.

And now, something truly unique – prunes and Armagnac. This combo is a classic French pairing. Try it in a classic, custardy Far Breton dessert, or spoon Armagnac-soaked prunes over vanilla ice cream.

Finally, challenge your palate with a pairing close to my heart - bitter Malört liquor and sweet-sour grapefruit. Iconic to Chicago, it’s a bracing merger that remarkably complements each other. Here’s a tip, swap tequila for Malört in your next Paloma.