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Cherry Limeade is a sweet, tangy and refreshing taste of summer. Made with Lemon-Lime soda, fresh lime juice and maraschino cherry juice, this super simple drink recipe is easy-to-follow and perfect for any occasion.
This Sonic Copycat Cherry Limeade recipe is an easy and refreshing beverage, the perfect blend of sweet cherries and sour limes, balanced with just the right amount of sweetness. It’s a great way to cool down on a hot summer day, or any day when you need a refreshing treat.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Simple Ingredients – You can find all of these ingredients at your local grocery store, and you might even have them in your kitchen right now.
- Make a Lot or a Little – This recipe is for a large batch, perfect for a party. But you can easily scale it down to make just one glass.
- Sonic Copycat – Do you love Sonic? Skip the drive-thru and make one of their most popular
Ingredients
- Fresh lime juice
- Maraschino cherry juice
- Maraschino cherries
- Sprite – or any lemon-lime soda
- Ice – Pick up some sonic nugget ice if you have it nearby.
- Garnishes – Lime slices and additional maraschino cherries
How to Make Cherry Limeade
See recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Fill a pitcher or a glass with ice. Add limes and lime juice.
Add cherries and cherry juice.
Pour in Sprite and stir.
Pour over ice and garnish with cherries, limes and a straw.
FAQs
It’s best to make this cherry limeade recipe fresh for the best flavor and fizziness. However, you can prepare the cherry limeade mixture in advance and keep it refrigerated, but add the Sprite and ice just before serving to maintain the carbonation and freshness.
No, you can use any lemon-lime soda available to you, like 7Up, or a low-calorie option.
Homemade Cherry Lime drink can last in the refrigerator for up to a week, however the carbonation will not last more than a day.
Can I use bottled lime juice instead of fresh lime juice?
Fresh lime juice is recommended for the best flavor in this recipe. However, if fresh limes are not available, you can use bottled lime juice. Just make sure it is 100% lime juice without any added sweeteners or preservatives.
Can I use frozen cherries instead of maraschino cherries?
Maraschino cherries are used in this recipe for their distinct flavor and bright red color. If you prefer to use frozen cherries, you can thaw them and use them as a substitute, but the flavor may be different than maraschino cherries.
Can I adjust the sweetness of the cherry limeade?
Yes, you can adjust the sweetness to your preference. If you like a sweeter drink, you can add more maraschino cherry juice or cherries. For a less sweet option, you can reduce the amount of maraschino cherry juice or cherries. You could also opt for a Diet soda.
Expert Tips
- Always chill before serving to enhance the refreshing taste.
- You can add fresh mint leaves for an extra pop of freshness.
- For a lower sugar version, try using a diet soda.
- Make sure to wash the limes thoroughly before use.
- For a grown-up version, add a splash of your favorite spirit like vodka or gin for an adult twist. Please drink responsibly and only if you are of legal drinking age.
More Drink Recipes
- Homemade Limeade
- Watermelon Smoothie
- Easy Cherry Smoothie
- Homemade Iced Coffee
- Homemade Hawaiian Punch
Homemade Cherry Limeade Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup maraschino cherry juice
- 1 cup maraschino cherries drained
- 4 cups Sprite or any lemon-lime soda
- Ice cubes
- Lime slices and additional maraschino cherries for garnish optional
Instructions
- Fill a large pitcher half full of ice.
- Add the lime juice, and lime wedges to the pitcher.
- Add the cherry juice and cherries to the pitcher.
- Pour the sprite over the lime juice, cherry juice and cherries and stir until evenly distributed.
- Pour over ice and garnish with additional lime wedges and cherries if desired.
Notes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4
Kristin- This looks great! the first thing I thought of was this would be a great day for those nasty summer colds or sore throats that follow finals week! Would you link this to Friday Favorites going on now! So pretty in the jar too! laura
Kristin, this looks AMAZING!! I grew up in Mesa, AZ where there were Sonic’s everywhere and then I moved to LA and there are NO Sonic’s in my area (crying!) so this is perfect! I can’t wait to try it! Pinned!
Bring on the dog days of summer… this is the answer!