Sometimes, when I ask my husband to pick up “a bunch limes” from the store on his way home, he picks up thirty-four. THIRTY-FOUR, y’all. On those days, if it’s too early in the season to make watermelon limeades and I’m already stocked up on chicken tortilla soup, I make this super easy cherry limeade recipe. Here’s how:
Step 1: Explain to kids that we’re going to make a cherry limeade like the ones at Sonic, only with real food ingredients.
Step 2: Explain what Sonic is.
Step 3. Throw all the ingredients into a blender (I use this one) and serve up this sweet and tangy limeade over ice.
One quick note: Most limeade recipes call for blending the cherries and then straining the liquid. I prefer not to do that because I want my kids to get the benefit of the whole fruit, and fortunately in this recipe there aren’t any weird texture issues with leaving the cherries in. This recipe creates a smooth, thick syrup consistency that you can adjust by adding water (or ice) to your preference.
Cherry Limeade Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups cherries (pitted)
- ¾ cup lime juice
- ¼ cup maple syrup (or raw honey)
- water (to dilute if desired. I prefer to pour mine undiluted over ice and sip slowly. The ice melts a little and mixes with the limeade, which makes it just right for me.)
- extra cherries or limes (optional - for garnish)
Instructions
- Place the cherries, lime juice, and maple syrup/honey in a blender (I use a high-powered Vitamix) and blend until very smooth. Taste and see if it is the concentration you prefer - my husband prefers his diluted with a bit of water and I like mine straight. Pour over ice, garnish with cherries/lime if desired, and serve.