Easy Refreshing Cherry Limeade Recipe

Have you ever been to a Sonic drive through? If you have, then you probably know all about their incredible drinks. That Sonic cherry limeade just can’t be beaten!

When we discover delicious drinks like that, we have to try to make them on our own. So we headed to the kitchen to make our own version of that delicious fast food cherry limeade. We have to admit, our recipe came out pretty darn good! You are going to love it.

Ingredients in Cherry Limeade

Cherry limeade is actually quite easy to make. Just a few simple ingredients mix together super quickly and give you a tasty drink. You can make it faster than you could drive to a nearby Sonic!

Here is what we use to make our cherry limeade.

• Sprite- Sprite gives our limeade a nice bubbly fizz. It also adds a touch of sweetness and lemon lime flavor. Choose Diet Sprite or Sprite Zero for a lower calorie drink. You can also use different types of soda which we will talk about in a little bit. 
• Whole Cherries- Whole maraschino cherries add flavor to the drink. They also look super pretty, just floating around in the glass. You can use fresh cherries if you want to make your cherry limeade a little more classy. But we like just buying a jar of maraschino cherries and using the whole cherries and the cherry syrup to make our drink. One convenient jar is the way to go!
• Lime- Fresh lime juice is necessary for limeade. Sure, the Sprite has a lime taste but adding that fresh lime juice really makes this drink pop.
• Maraschino Syrup- Maraschino cherry syrup is sweet, bright red and oh so flavorful. Maraschino cherry syrup is basically the juice that is in the maraschino cherry jar. It is super syrupy and sugary and delicious. A few tablespoons of that yummy juice will make your cherry limeade completely irresistible.
• Ice- You need ice to make a cool refreshing drink! If you are trying to make a Sonic cherry limeade, be sure to get Sonic style ice. This type of ice has a hole in the center of the cube, making the drink super cold right away. It is also fun to crunch these fun shaped ice cubes.

It’s pretty incredible that four simple ingredients can make something so good. Okay, five ingredients if you are counting the ice. But everyone has ice in their house already. Right? So it doesn’t really count as an ingredient…

How to Make Cherry Limeade

Everyone can make cherry limeade. Seriously. Everyone! Even a kid can make this easy drink. So tell your son or daughter to grab a glass and start making you a homemade cherry limeade! Kids love to help.

Here is what you need to do to make your own Sonic style cherry limeade.

1. Fill a tall glass with ice (sonic ice, if you have it)
2. Add the lime juice, cherries and maraschino syrup. Just pour it right over the ice.
3. Pour in the Sprite, letting it fizz all over the ice.
4. Stir the drink with a spoon just a little bit. You don’t want to knock the bubble out of the Sprite with too much stirring but you do want to mix everything together a little bit.
5. Drink your cherry limeade while it’s nice and cold. Ahhhhh. Now that is delicious. 

See how simple it is to make our copycat Sonic cherry limeade? You could probably make it with your eyes closed.

Cherry Limeade Substitutions and Variations

Now that you have mastered the standard cherry limeade recipe, it’s time to switch it up. We have a few substitutions and variations to make our cherry limeade even better. Let us tell you all about what to do.

• Use lemon juice in place of lime juice for a more lemonade style drink.
• Replace Sprite with 7Up, lime seltzer or even lime club soda. Each soda variation will give you a whole new style drink.
• Use fresh, pitted cherries in place of maraschino cherries. They will add a juicy, natural taste to your cherry limeade.
• If you don’t have maraschino cherry juice, use Torani cherry syrup. It will give you the same sweet, cherry taste.
• Add all the ingredients to a blender, including the ice, and puree until super smooth. This is a great way to make a cherry limeade slushy.
• Make a virgin cherry limeade martini. Add all the ingredients to a cocktail shaker and shake gently. Rim a martini glass with a little lime juice and dip it in sugar. Strain the limeade into the glass and enjoy. Such an easy, fancy drink!

Of course, we know you will come up with your own great ideas about how to make an interesting cherry limeade. If you have a new genius ingredient or creative way to make this drink, let us know! Leave your ideas in the comment section below.

Are you ready to make your own homemade cherry limeade? Are you ready to make it even better than Sonic? We think you are. This cherry limeade recipe will help and give you a refreshing, amazing drink that you will make again and again. Enjoy!

You Asked, We’re Answering

We get lots of questions about our non alcoholic drink recipes. Maybe you have one. If you do, leave in the comment section below. You can also take a look at these FAQs below and maybe we will answer your question here!

Is cherry limeade healthy?

Our cherry limeade may not be the healthiest drink but it is yummy! It does contain quite a bit of sugar so you will want to drink it in moderation. Try making it with diet Sprite to cut back on the sugar and calories.

Does Sonic cherry limeade have soda?

Yes. Sonic cherry limeade has lemon lime soda added into the mix.

Does cherry limeade have caffeine?

Cherry limeade does have caffeine from the soda it is made with. You can find caffeine free Sprite if you’d like to make a decaf version of this tasty drink.