There is something so refreshing about a big glass of lemonade on a hot day. If you are looking for the perfect fun spin on lemonade, this Cherry Limeade does the trick. It is a great summer day project with the kids. Reminiscent of Sonic’s Cherry Limeade, but made easily at home with real cherries, your family will love this delicious treat! This recipe is a fun twist on our Strawberry Lemonade, another great summer recipe.
How to Make Cherry Limeade
All Natural Cherry Limeade
A lot of cherry limeade recipes are made with maraschino cherry juice as the cherry flavor. While this might be a slightly easier way to make this drink, it doesn’t have quite the cherry punch that this recipe has. Additionally, if you have some in your home with an intolerance to food dye, like we do, that drink will leave them feeling terribly ill. Our recipe for cherry limeade gets all of it’s cherry flavor from fresh or frozen cherries. Couple that with some fresh lime juice and a little simple syrup and you have the perfect kid friendly summer drink.
Fresh vs. Bottled Lime Juice
While bottled lime juice is a very handy ingredient to keep in your refrigerator, I urge you to use freshly squeezed lime juice for this recipe. The difference between the two is somewhat subtle when it comes to marinades, but when we are making drinks and cocktails, it is quite noticeable. The bottled lime juice tends to be more sour, and it also separates, while the fresh lime juice has a smoother taste in drinks.
Making it a Cocktail
Naturally, whenever I post kid friendly drinks like this I get comments from my lovely followers on social media about making it into a cocktail. I’ve got you covered with this Cherry Lime Vodka Tonic!
What to Serve with Cherry Limeade
If you are hosting a backyard summer BBQ, here are some great recipes that will go perfectly with this amazing drink.
Can we use fresh cherries?
You can use fresh cherries, just keep in mind that they will need to be pitted and will need to simmer a little longer to get nice and soft.
Does it have to be strained?
Yes, I recommend that you strain the cherry limeade with a mesh strainer for a more enjoyable beverage.
Grilled Chicken Sandwiches: These are easy to make, and taste like your favorite take out, but better!Steak Kabobs: The marinade for this recipe makes the meat melt in your mouth tender.Grilled Corn: This is one of our favorites all summer long!Watermelon Salad: We love this fresh and fun salad.
If you make this Cherry Limeade recipe or any of my other recipes, please be sure to leave me a comment and let me know what you think!
