Cherry Limeade Recipe

This homemade Cherry Limeade is the perfect refreshing beverage for summertime. Hitting the local drive-thru for a Cherry Limeade may seem like the thing to do. That is until you make your own right at home.

I’m nothing if not a fan of lime. When the weather warms up all things lime seem to taken over my taste buds. I’ve shared more than a few lime-inspired recipes right here over the years. Let’s see, there’s been Lime Sherbet, lime cookies, Key Lime Cupcakes, Grapefruit and Lime Cake, Limeade Cake (whoa!), Key Lime Pie, Lime Pie Dip, and even Mint Lime Grilled Chicken, just to name a few. I never, well, hardly ever, go to Sonic, but when I do, the Lime Slush is what I want. It’s what I need.

Enter the Cherry Limeade.

Yep, Sonic has those too, but when I can, I like to make real, homemade versions of my favorite foods, like a homemade Cherry Limeade that I can feel ever so slightly better about because I know what is in it. A Cherry Limeade that would make angels sing. A Cherry Limeade that would bring worldwide peace. A Cherry Limeade that would have cars lining up in my driveway to place an order.

That’s a lot to ask of a summery beverage. A girl can dream.

So drive on past that drive-thru, pick up a few ingredients at the grocery store so you can make your own batch at home with pure cherry juice and fresh squeezed lime juice. Homemade Cherry Limeades are hard to beat, and so easy to make too. And since you’re making it at home, you can make a large batch to share with your friends and family. It would be a great sweet drink for serving at a pool party or to pack along for a summer picnic or cookout. It’s a sweet combination of lime and cherry, with a little fizz, and no artificial flavors or colorings. A party in a cup is what it is!

How to Make Homemade Cherry Limeade

You’ll need a few ingredients to get started: sugar, water, limes, pure cherry juice (no sweeteners added), and club soda.

The process is simple. Begin by dissolving the sugar in the water over medium heat to create a simple syrup. Let the simple syrup cool completely while you’re juicing the limes. Once the simple syrup has cooled add it, the lime juice, cherry juice to a large pitcher and stir it all up. Finish it off with the club soda. If you’re not going to be serving for some time, wait to add the club soda until just before serving so it’s nice and fizzy.

A couple of Cherry Limeade recipe notes:

• Since this Cherry Limeade recipe calls for pure cherry juice, I don’t have to worry about artificial sweeteners or colors. No junk. Just cherry juice. Yes, pure cherry juice is a bit more expensive, but Cherry Limeades aren’t something you will be making all the time, so I think it’s worth spending a little more or good and healthier ingredients for this special drink. I try to keep my eyes open for it to go on sale, as I also like to use it in smoothies.
• As far as the lime juice, go ahead and take the time to juice limes. The lime juice you can find in stores already bottled just isn’t the same. I’m not sure what’s added to it, but it never tastes as good as fresh squeezed lime juice. If you’ve got kids on hand, teach them how to squeeze citrus with a simple lime juicer and they can help out with this one. It’s a simple kitchen skill they can learn and practice. Just be sure to cut the limes for them and let them do the squeezing.
• If you’re not going to be serving for some time, wait to add the club soda until just before serving so it’s nice and fizzy.

Cherry Limeade Recipe

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Cherry Limeade

Yield: 4

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

A refreshing summery drink made with fresh lime juice and real cherry juice.

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Ingredients

• 2/3 cup sugar
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup lime juice (approximately 4 1/2 limes; use the remainder of limes for garnish)
• 1 1/2 cups pure cherry juice (no sweeteners added)
• 2 cups club soda

Instructions

1. Begin by dissolving the sugar in the water over medium heat to create a simple syrup. Set aside when done to let cool completely.
2. While the simple syrup is cooling, juice the limes.
3. When the simple syrup has cooled pour that in a pitcher, add the lime juice, cherry juice and club soda. (Do not add the club soda until ready to serve.)
4. Stir all together to combine well and serve immediately over crushed ice or cover and refrigerate.

Did you make this recipe?

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Originally posted July 12, 2010.

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