Cherry limeade {from scratch}
This is my recipe for a quick and easy homemade cherry limeade drink, it’s made with fresh cherries, limes, water, and sugar (or honey).
Cherries were a rare treat when I was a kid in Ecuador. They weren’t common, so as it is with most things that you can’t have on-demand, I really looked forward to the occasions when we did get them. It’s funny because now I see them in most markets in Ecuador, but growing up, they were very scarce.
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However, we did have a variation of cherries called Surinam cherries (acerola in Spanish) that grew on our farm. They have a very different flavor than traditional cherries – delicious, but different: tangier with a slight hint of bitterness and a larger pit. Last summer while hiking in the French Alps, we found a tree full of ripe wild cherries, they were bright red, very sweet, and rounder/smaller than the cherries we are used to here.
I recently returned from an amazing trip to Ecuador. Even though I already miss Ecuador, I am happy to be back (and in my kitchen where I know where everything is). I usually miss the fruits and vegetables from Ecuador, however, I consider myself lucky that here in the PNW we have amazing farmers’ markets with a great variety of summer produce. Summer is the best time to be in Seattle and I’m lucky to get to enjoy it. Cherries are definitely a sign of summer here. In May, you can start to find cherries from California, but in this area, the cherries seem to be at their peak in August.
Whenever I buy cherries my kids tend to eat them until they are full of them. Then they ask me to make limeade (or lemonade) with the cherries that are left. This recipe for cherry limeade is very similar to the recipe for strawberry lemonade that I posted at the beginning of summer. The cherry limeade is made by blending pitted cherries with a couple of limes, water, and sugar. It’s a very quick way to make limeade since you don’t have to juice a bunch of limes. The only time-consuming part is removing the pits from the cherries.
Making cherry limeade with whole limes in the blender
As mentioned in the strawberry lemonade and limeade recipes, when you make limeade using the blender you need to drink it the same day as it does get bitter by the next day. Even the freshly made limeade has a hint of bitterness due to the fact that whole lime (peel, pith, seeds and all) are used. Based on the feedback I’ve received it seems like most people enjoy it, but for a few it’s just not their thing.
If you’re not sure try making the limeade first to test it, after all you’ll only be using a couple of limes or just one if you make a half-batch. For those that do like the limeade prepared this way, it’s usually consumed very quickly. For a cocktail version just add some vodka or tequila. There’s nothing more refreshing than a cold glass of homemade cherry limeade to enjoy the last days of summer!
Cherry limeade
Ingredients
- 3 cups of cherries pitted (can be fresh or frozen)
- 2 limes quartered (peel on – pith removed)
- 6 cups water
- ½ – ¾ cups of sugar you can also use honey or your favorite sweetener
- Ice
- Garnish: Cherries and lime slices
Instructions
- Combine the cherries and limes in the blender with the sugar and 2 cups of water. You can also add some ice if you want it extra cold.
- Blend until all the ingredients are pureed.
- Strain the juice and add the rest of the water through the strainer
- Serve cold or with ice garnished with cherries and lime slices.
Video
Step by step preparation photos for homemade cherry limeade:
Other refreshing drinks you might enjoy:
I just made this with a bowl of cherries that were sitting on the counter looking like they needed something to happen to them, and WOW this was perfect. Delicious. Super easy. Thank you
the third row down of pics, first picture on left – that doesn’t look like a cherry?!? Wow the caption says its a Surinam cherry from Ecuador. I had no idea cherries looked like that. They look yummy. Would never have thought that fruit could be a cherry it looks nothing like most cherries. I must have too much time on my hands….
This is FANTASTIC! Drinking one as a cocktail with vodka right now. Thanks so much for sharing your recipe!
Love this homemade recipe! The lime and cherry seasons are polar opposites of each other where I’m at. So I used about 8 key limes. I also dont have a conventional blender but the submergable one I do have worked fine with the right attachment blade.
Do you use sweet or sour cherries?
I used regular fresh (sweet) Bing cherries for this recipe
just wondering do you use the peel of the lime also?
Yes, the entire lime goes in the blender
You out do yourself all the time….
Hmmm – looks so incredibly refreshing and delicious of Course.
All of a sudden, I am thirsty. :-)
Cant wait to try it! Can we try frozen cherries? Here in northern Cali, the cherry season was sweet and i tried to just eat them whole every week; nothing like it and so good 4 u; the local stands are gone by now; thank you for your post; i love the pics and i am glad u enjoyed Ecuador this summer! :) Thank u so much …. Liz
Hi Liz – Frozen cherries will work fine!