The ULTIMATE summer drink is here: cherry limeade! This super refreshing, Sonic-inspired “soda” tastes as good as the classic, but it’s naturally sweetened and made with just 4 ingredients!
Packed with fresh cherries, perfectly tart-sweet, and ready in just 10 minutes, this bubbly beverage will be quenching your cherry soda craving in no time. Let us show you how it’s done!
This cherry limeade is SO easy to make, friends! We’re talking probably easier than driving to Sonic (okay, unless you live next door!).
We start with blending up fresh cherries, lime juice, and maple syrup to make a cherry lime concentrate.
The concentrate keeps for a few days, so you can store it in the refrigerator, and whenever you’re in the cherry limeade mood, you can make it in seconds.
Simply add the concentrate to a glass with ice and sparkling water and you’ve got sparkling cherry limeade. Now that’s definitely faster than driving to Sonic, even if do you live next door!
We can’t wait for you to try this cherry limeade! It’s:
Refreshing
Tart-sweet
Fizzy
Easy to make
Made with fresh cherries
& (dare we say) As delicious as Sonic’s!
It’s perfect for hot days, picnics, summer, and celebrating fresh cherry season! For bigger groups or making in advance, we recommend making more of the cherry lime concentrate and mixing with sparkling water just before serving.
And if you’re hungry, may we suggest some chips and guac, too?
More Recipes for Cherry Season
- Cherry Limeade Smoothie
- Roasted Beet & Cherry Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Cherry Pie Ice Cream
- Vegan Cherry Dark Chocolate Chip Muffins
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Sparkling Cherry Limeade (Naturally Sweetened)
Ingredients
CHERRY LIME CONCENTRATE
- 2 cups fresh bing cherries, halved and pitted (plus more for garnish)
- 1/2 cup lime juice
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
TO MAKE CHERRY LIMEADE
- Ice cubes
- 1/4 cup cherry lime concentrate
- 1/4 cup sparkling water
- 1 slice of lime
Instructions
- Remove the pits from your cherries by slicing them down the middle and twisting the two halves apart. The pits should come loose pretty easily if your cherries are ripe. Alternatively, use a cherry pitter.
- CHERRY LIME CONCENTRATE: To a high-speed blender, add pitted cherries, lime juice, and maple syrup. Blend on high until all ingredients are well puréed.
- TO MAKE ONE DRINK: Fill a glass with ice and add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the cherry concentrate. Then add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of sparkling water. You can add more sparkling water if you prefer a more subtle flavor or more cherry lime concentrate for a more intense flavor. Garnish with a cherry and a slice of lime. Enjoy!
- The cherry lime concentrate without sparkling water can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Toni says
So, this is awesome stuff!
Since I was asked to bring 2-1/2 GALLONS of it to a Tea Party for two dozen friends, I decided to compare fresh and frozen cherries side by side. (Pitting 12 cups of cherries, yeah, + the cost! Lol.)
Happy to report that while the frozen cherries gave a slightly different flavor when compared sip-to-sip, the drink was AMAZING with both fresh and frozen. (I had a bag of organic ones, Cascadian Farm brand.) IMHO, if cost, availability and ease of preparation are a big factor, frozen work nicely here! I ran a little warm water over them pre-blending, but did not fully defrost.
Thx for the amazing recipe! 💕
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing your experience, Toni! Appreciate your kind words and lovely review! xo
Toni says
The drink was a huge hit at the party! So good! Multiple requests for the recipe, so if you notice a spike in hits on this post…😂😂🔥 Your blog is a contributing factor to my reputation as a cook/baker. ❤️
Whoop! We’re so happy to be able to help, Toni. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe with fellow party guests! xoxo
desiree says
made this with honey + some rainier cherries since we were short on bing and it was amazing! me and my partner are going to try this blended with some ice for a slushy vibe :)
We’re so glad you both enjoyed it, Desiree! Thank you for the lovely review! A slushie is a great idea. We also have a cherry limeade smoothie if you’re interested 🙂 It might be good inspo!
Rae Aflatooni says
Soooooo good!
xoxo!
Mo says
Would Rainier cherries work?
Yes! The color will just be different.
Elaine says
Do u think this will work w frozen cherries?
Hi Elaine, we haven’t tried it with frozen, but we think it might work. Let us know if you give it a try!
Lynn says
Can you use frozen cherries?
Hi Lynn, we haven’t tested with frozen, but we think it might work. Let us know if you try it!
seizesmeals says
Love this recipe very much. Thanks for posting.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing! xo
Elena says
Looks delicious! Any suggestions for making it boozy?
Hi Elena, we think vodka would be the easiest, and gin would be another great option!
Anna W says
Can frozen cherries be used instead? Fresh are pretty expensive where I live.
We haven’t tested with frozen, but we think it should work! Let us know if you try it out.
SMR says
Will this freeze well as a popsicle?
Hi, The popsicles will be rather icy, but it should work if you’re okay with that! We’d recommend using plain water vs. sparkling if freezing.
Katie says
I bet adding coconut milk would make a great pop!
That’s a great idea, Katie!