Everyone loves Sonic’s iconic Cherry Limeade recipe. But what if there’s no Sonic nearby, or the drive-thru is too far to make a quick stop? No worries! You can actually recreate this fan favorite right in your own home.
This big batch summer drink is perfect for summer parties, backyard BBQs, Sunday brunch or any occasion when you want to treat the family to something special. So skip the drive thru and get ready to enjoy this homemade version of your favorite sweet treat!
Why you’ll love cherry limeade
- It’s simple to make with ingredients you can find at many grocery stores.
- It’s sweet and tangy, with a plenty of cherry and lime flavors.
- The kids love the bright color and fruity flavor.
What you’ll need:
Ingredients:
- Lemon lime soda
- Frozen limeade concentrate
- Maraschino cherries
- Fresh lime wedges for garnish
Supplies:
- Gallon-size pitcher
- Glasses to serve
- Strainer
- Wooden spoon or long handled drink stirrer
How to Make Cherry Limeade (Step-by-step instructions):
To make things even easier for you, I created a simple photo guide below. For all measurements and a more detailed guide, check out the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
Step 1 – Add the frozen limeade concentrate to your gallon-size pitcher.
Step 2 – Drain both of the maraschino cherry jars. This is so you can collect the juice as well. Then remove the cherry stems from one of the jars and add those cherries to the maraschino cherry juice you have collected.
Step 3 – Now pour the juice and the cherries over the top of the limeade. Then add the sprite to fill up the rest of the pitcher.
Step 4 – When you are ready to serve, pour into your chosen glass with ice or crushed ice and garnish with a lime slice or wedge and a cherry. Read to enjoy on a hot summer day.
Essential tips:
Don’t skip these tips – read them before starting to avoid any potential mistakes.
- Use a strainer or sieve to separate the cherries from the juice when it comes to a jar of maraschino cherries. Make sure you have a cup underneath to catch that cherry juice as you will need it for the drink.
- Create an adults-only version of this delicious drink by adding vodka or a splash of rum. Perfect for summer parties.
- Turn it into a slushy! Simply blend with ice in a blender until you get the right consistency.
- If this cherry limeade recipe is too sweet for you, simply add a liter of club soda to reduce the sweetness.
Frequently asked questions:
Sure! The best way to do this is to make it by the glass. Mix together the maraschino cherry juice and limeade concentrate in a bottle to create a syrup.
When you want to make a glass of cherry limeade, pour 2-3 tablespoons of the cherry limeade syrup over ice, top with lemon lime soda, then garnish with 2-3 maraschino cherries and a slice of lime.
You can keep the cherry limeade syrup in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This recipe is best enjoyed immediately after mixing. If you want to make it in advance, you might want to consider the small batch directions above.
Frozen limeade concentrate is usually available at stores like Safeway, Wegmans, Giant Food, Harris Teeter, Shoppers, and Food Lion, but there are times it can still be a little tricky to find.
You will usually find it in the frozen aisle of your local grocery store near the orange juice concentrate. If it’s not available anywhere near you, simply grab a bottle of pre-made limeade and you can use a 2 cups of that instead.
How to Store Cherry Limeade
This is a drink that is best enjoyed immediately after mixing, as the carbonation from the soda will quickly dissipate.
Store any leftover limeade in a closed pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You’ll want to give it a quick stir before serving and may want to top it off with a bit of club soda to refresh the fizz.
If you liked my cherry limeade recipe, you’re going to love my Cherry Ginger Mock Margarita recipe. A perfect holiday mocktail that the whole family can enjoy and has amazing cherry flavor.
Or you can check out all my drinks recipes here.
Cherry Limeade Recipe
Tart limeade concentrate, sweet maraschino cherry juice, and lemon lime soda come together to make this refreshing cherry limeade recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 liters Lemon lime soda
- 12 ounces frozen limeade concentrate
- 2, 10 ounce jars maraschino cherries
- Fresh limes for garnish
Instructions
- To a gallon size pitcher, add frozen limeade concentrate.
- Drain maraschino cherries, reserving the juice in a measuring cup. Remove the stems from half the cherries and add the stemless cherries back to the juice. Set the remaining cherries aside for garnish.
- Pour the juice and cherries over top of the limeade. Stir to combine.
- Add the lemon lime soda to the pitcher.
- To serve, pour over a glass of ice, and garnish with a fresh lime slice or wedge, and a reserved maraschino cherry.
Notes
Remember, the step-by-step photos and FAQ in the recipe post are there to help you if you feel stuck at any point.
- Use a strainer or sieve to separate the cherries from the juice when it comes to a jar of maraschino cherries. Make sure you have a cup underneath to catch that cherry juice as you will need it for the drink.
- Create an adults-only version of this delicious drink by adding vodka or a splash of rum. Perfect for summer parties.
- Turn it into a slushy! Simply blend with ice in a blender until you get the right consistency.
- If this cherry limeade recipe is too sweet for you, simply add a liter of club soda to reduce the sweetness.
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Jennifer Wise says
I love cherry limeade! I never even thought about making it myself. This is such a simple idea–I love it. Gotta try it. 🙂 Pinning. Visiting from The Happy Now Blog Linkup.