Food and Recipes Drinks Cold Cherry Limeade Be the first to rate & review! Cherry limeade is lemonade's sweetest competition. Plus, it's a drink the whole family can enjoy. By Craig Ruff Craig Ruff Craig Ruff is a dedicated cook and lover of food science. His culinary background comes from culinary school and his time working in restaurants. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on July 14, 2024 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Active Time: 5 mins Total Time: 5 mins Servings: 10 Sweet, tart, and super refreshing, cherry limeade is the nonalcoholic drink you'll reach for all summer long. (Fans of Sonic might notice our version tastes just like the chain’s cherry limeade, a happy hour favorite.) With a stunning color for a festive presentation, this drink is sure to be a hit at parties—and it’s easily scalable as a batch recipe for potlucks, picnics, and barbecues. Bonus: It's also friendly for guests of all ages, and those abstaining from alcohol, but can be made boozy for any adults who wish to enjoy it that way. Learn how to make cherry limeade, a drink the whole family will love. 28 Cool And Refreshing Drink Recipes To Make All Summer Long Cherry Limeade Ingredients Make cherry limeade with just four ingredients, each widely available at grocery stores: Maraschino cherries: Find them in a jar with stems, and chill before using. (For a next-level result, go for Luxardo cherries.)Lemon-lime soft drink: A bottle of Sprite, 7UP, or Starry would work, but use any variety of soda you like. Just make sure it's chilled first. Limes: Fresh-squeeze lime juice is required for a limeade. Don't use the bottle kind; it simply won't taste as good.Tart cherry juice: While many cherry limeade recipes do not include cherry juice, ours does, and it imparts more of a real cherry flavor compared with the generic sweetness that comes from maraschino cherry liquid. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel How To Make Cherry Limeade Make a batch of 10 servings of cherry limeade in just four easy steps with about five minutes of prep time. Step 1: Separate the cherries from the syrup. Drain the maraschino cherries, reserving the syrup. Set the cherries aside.Step 2: Squeeze limes. Juice four limes, and thinly slice the remaining two. Step 3. Mix ingredients: In a large pitcher, stir together the maraschino cherry syrup, lemon-lime soft drink, lime juice, and tart cherry juice. Add the lime slices. Step 4: Add any garnishes and serve: Serve the drink over ice garnished with the reserved maraschino cherries. What Is Cherry Limeade Made Of? Cherry limeade is made from lemon-lime soda, lime juice, and maraschino cherries. In this recipe, we add cherry juice to make it taste a bit more like real cherries. Why Is Cherry Limeade So Good? You’ll like cherry limeades if you like a sweet-and-sour fruity flavor combo. These are super refreshing, especially when served ice on a hot day. Is Cherry Limeade Alcoholic? This version of the recipe is alcohol-free, making it a perfect mocktail for an all-ages crowd, much like Shirley Temples. But you could easily turn it into an adults-only alcoholic version by adding vodka or rum. Or go with gin if you want to make it a bit floral. Our Tips for the Best Cherry Limeade It is unlikely you'll mess up a cherry limeade, but a few tips might make your batch extra tasty: So cold: Be sure to chill all ingredients before stirring together and serving; otherwise, the drink may melt the ice and dilute the limeade. Using everything already cold keeps the drink icy for longer.So fresh: Fresh lime juice is delightful in this recipe, but you could also buy the lime juice to save some prep instead. The flavor won't be quite as bright and nuanced, but it'll do in a hurry. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Can You Make Cherry Limeade Ahead? Because the soda is carbonated, you won’t want to make this full recipe ahead of time; the soda will go flat. If needed, you could mix the other ingredients together and add the soda when ready to serve. (That said, there really isn’t much need to make ahead as this recipe comes together in just minutes.) More Great Mocktail Recipes Add to your list of delicious summer sippers with these favorites: Blackberry Lime Porch Punch Rosemary and Ginger Mule Non-Alcoholic Margarita Mocktail Strawberry Spritzers Ginger-Orange Mocktails Black-Eyed Susan Slushies Editorial contributions by Alesandra Dubin. Ingredients 1 (10-oz.) jar whole red maraschino cherries with stems, chilled 1 (2-liter) bottle lemon-lime soft drink (such as Sprite), chilled 6 limes, divided 1/2 cup tart cherry juice, chilled Directions Drain cherries: Drain maraschino cherries, reserving syrup. Set cherries aside. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Juice limes: Juice 4 limes to yield 1/2 cup fresh juice; thinly slice remaining 2 limes. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Mix drink: Stir together maraschino cherry syrup, lemon-lime soft drink, lime juice, and tart cherry juice in a large pitcher. Add lime slices. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Pour over ice: Serve over ice garnished with reserved maraschino cherries. Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel Rate It Print Additional reporting by Alesandra Dubin