Header image of glasses of cherry limeade on a red and white enamelware tray.

Refreshing Cherry Limeade

I’ve always had a soft spot for the cherry limeade at Sonic Drive-In. Generally speaking, I’m not much of a fast food person. Since we could only get Sonic on trips to visit my grandparents in Kansas, however, it felt like a very special treat. I don’t recall their food being particularly good. Their cherry limeade, however, was truly a summer delight. It had that good ice (y’know, the crushed kind that’s wonderfully satisfying to chomp on) and was bright pink. Honestly, I would bet that if I revisited the cherry limeade at Sonic I would be less than pleased. But nostalgia is a helluva drug, and this version that I made is downright delicious so it’s all good.

Do I need anything special to make this cherry limeade?

Well, not exactly. You do need to make a cherry simple syrup. If you happened to have made my cherry manhattans, you can use the leftover syrup for this. It’s the same one. I’m sorry for the extra work, but it’s super easy to make and a great way to savor the taste of summer cherries once they’re gone. It also gives this cherry limeade the most fantastic color without an ounce of food coloring. Oh, and it’ll keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.

Print

Refreshing Cherry Limeade

Course Drinks
Keyword beverage, cherries, cherry limeade, drink, lime, mocktail, non-alcoholic, summer drink
Servings 1 pitcher

Ingredients

Cherry Simple Syrup

  • 2 cups Cherries (Pitted and quaretered)
  • 2 cups Water
  • 2 cups Granulated sugar

Cherry Limeade

  • 3/4 cup Cherry simple syrup (Or more to taste)
  • 1 cup Lime juice (Freshly squeezed)
  • 4 cups Water

Optional

  • Crushed ice (or cubes, but I prefer crushed)
  • Lime wedges or slices to garnish
  • Fresh cherries to garnish

Instructions

  • Make the cherry simple syrup. To do this, combine all the ingredients in a medium sized saucepan. Bring to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer for about 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove from heat and set aside to cool. Once it's about room temperature, strain and store the liquid in an airtight container in the fridge.
  • Add 3/4 cup cherry simple syrup (or more if you prefer a sweeter drink), 1 cup lime juice, and 4 cups water in a pitcher and stir to combine. Serve with crushed (or cubed) ice and garnish with lime and/or cherries if you'd like!

And that’s it! I know how we all feel about needlessly long winded blog posts, so I’ll keep this short. This recipe makes a pitcher of cherry limeade and will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks (I know from experience). If you make it, let me know in the comments or on Instagram! I always love hearing from you.

Oh, and if you’re in the market for more booze-free drinks, check out my recipes for lychee rose lemonade and raspberry elderflower lemonade (can you tell I’m a sucker for citrus?!). They’re both delightful summer drinks that can be enjoyed by adults and kids alike!

Leave a Comment

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

Recipe Rating