There’s nothing like a big glass of thirst-quenching Cherry Lemonade on a hot summer’s day. Easy to make and so refreshing. It's so good, you’ll want to drink it all year long!
My kids go crazy over this Cherry Lemonade. It’s all natural and looks so pretty with its bright pink color. But the best part is it tastes amazing.
If you love cooling off with fruity, refreshing drinks, try my Hawaiian Pog juice, fresh strawberry juice, or peach iced tea. For something even colder, a frozen mangonada or banana milkshake will really hit the spot.
I’d say it’s restaurant quality, but it’s way better. I’ve had pink lemonade before, but it doesn’t come close to this Cherry Lemonade made with fresh cherries and lemons. It’s the perfect combination of sweet and tart.
Cherry Lemonade is a big hit at summer parties and get-togethers! Dress it up with lemon slices and few fresh cherries and it’s sure to impress your guests.
This Cherry Lemonade is super easy to make and takes less than five minutes once the cherries are pitted. No cooking, no boiling, and no sugar syrup necessary. You don’t even have to strain it if you don’t want to.
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How to make Cherry Lemonade
To make the Cherry Lemonade syrup, pitted cherries are blended with fresh lemon juice and sugar. That’s it! You can strain it to remove the bits of skin if you like, but it’s not necessary.
You can make this Cherry Lemonade with still or sparkling water. When ready to serve, just pour over ice and add still or sparkling water. I like a 2 to 3 ratio (2 cups syrup to 3 cups water) of Cherry Lemonade syrup to water (especially if I’m serving it with lots of ice), but make it according to your own taste.
You can make it by the pitcher or by the glass. I like to make it by the glass if I’m using sparkling water to keep the most fizz.
My husband always manages to one-up me in the kitchen. He makes it with lime juice instead of lemon and then blitzes up the Cherry syrup in the blender with ice cubes and for a Cherry Limeade slushie. It's so good!
How long does Cherry Lemonade syrup last in the fridge?
Cherry Lemonade is great for making in advance because it can keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. I love having a jar of the syrup in the fridge to make up a quick glass whenever I need a pick-me-up or the kids come in for a play break on a hot summer’s day.
Can the syrup be frozen?
Cherry Lemonade syrup can definitely be frozen. It will keep in the freezer for several months. It’s a great way to use up fresh cherries before they go bad.
Recipe
Easy Cherry Lemonade
Ingredients
For the Cherry Lemonade syrup:
- 1 lb fresh or frozen cherries pitted (3 cups, 454g)
- 1 cup sugar (7oz, 198g)
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (8oz, 227g)
For the Cherry Lemonade:
- 5 - 6 cups still or sparkling water or to taste
- Glasses of ice
Instructions
- Combine the pitted cherries, sugar, and lemon juice in a blender and blend until smooth and there are no bits of cherries left. Strain if desired, but it’s not really necessary.
- Combine the Cherry Lemonade syrup with still or sparkling water in a 2 to 3 ratio (2 parts syrup for 3 parts water), or to taste.
- Serve over ice.
Notes
- I like my lemonade full-flavored and served over lots of ice. Since it gets a bit diluted from the ice, I use a 2 to 3 ratio of syrup to water. If you want it less strong, use a 1 to 3 ratio of syrup to water.
- Makes 3 ½ cups of Cherry Lemonade syrup.
- For Cherry Limeade, substitute lime juice for the lemon juice.
- For a Cherry Lemonade or Limeade Slushie, blend the cherry syrup with ice in a blender.
Nutrition
Enjoy, friends!
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Balvinder says
This is such a brilliant idea and I am literally drooling over that intense color. Simply stunning!
Kelly says
It's so pretty and so delicious! Thank you very much, Balvinder!
Kim Lange says
Stunning all the way around. Summer never looked so good, just sayin'. Pinning for later. Love it's easy and all the options to change it up. Seriously, yum!
Kelly says
I love the lime version! Thanks so much, Kim!
Haylie / Our Balanced Bowl says
Kelly, wow! Those colors are popping off the screen and suddenly I'm SO thirsty! I love that you use so much fresh cherries in this recipe! I bet the sweetness of the lemonade goes perfectly with the tartness of the cherries! YUM!
Kelly says
The cherry flavor in this is amazing! It tastes like a sweet, tart cherry! Thanks so much, Haylie!
John / Kitchen Riffs says
Gosh, that's gorgeous! Love the color. And I'll bet the flavor is awesome. Thanks!
Kelly says
It's so delicious! Thanks so much, John!
Adina says
I haven't made lemonade in ages, this looks wonderful. I could make it with frozen cherries I suppose, the fresh ones are long gone around here...
Kelly says
It works perfectly with frozen cherries! Thanks so much, Adina!
Susan says
Wow, that looks SOOOO refreshing and the color is just gorgeous! What a great combination of sweet and tart. I have to make some for the family when they come over next weekend ♥
Kelly says
We can't get enough of it! I made some batches of the cherry syrup for the freezer and it's almost finished! Thanks so much, Susan!
Easyfoodsmith says
The cherry lemonade looks so refreshing and gorgeous
Kelly says
It tastes amazing! Thanks so much, Taruna!
David Scott Allen says
Kelly - That sounds so wonderful, especially in these excessively hot August days in the desert! Will have to try it this weekend!
Kelly says
I feel you, David! I'm in the desert of Dubai this month and it is HOT! We had a heat index the other day of 133. It's insane! Hope you love it as much as we do. Stay cool! Thanks so much!
David @ Spiced says
Wow! First off, the color. That's an awesome drink to serve at summer parties! Second, the taste. I fully expected you to say I needed to go buy a bottle of cherry juice. (And I was thinking, now where will I find that!?) I love that this is made from fresh cherries. If cherries go on sale here again, then I'm totally snagging a bag to make this fun lemonade. Cheers, Kelly!
Kelly says
It works perfectly with frozen cherries, too. I can't seem to keep up with how fast this disappears in my house! Thanks so much, David!
Laura says
Kelly, I love this idea! So easy, so much flavor! And, I think the syrup would also make a brilliant adult beverage, too!
Kelly says
The flavor is amazing! Thanks so much, Laura!
2pots2cook says
So beautiful and refreshing ! Needless to say: vibrant and beautiful photos ! Pinned! xo
Kelly says
And it's so delicious! Thanks so much, Davorka!
Mimi says
This is fabulous. I make a quick glass of limeade or lemonade occasionally, but I want to make gallons of this! need to go on a hunt for cherries!
Kelly says
The cherry flavor in this lemonade is amazing! We've been drinking so much of it that I bought a big box of cherries and froze the cherry syrup so I always have it on hand. Thanks so much, Mimi!
Kankana Saxena says
I just made cheery compote for cake filling and definitely making lemonade with the rest of the cherries! The color is so pretty.
Kelly says
That's how I got started, Kankana! Using the leftover cherries for lemonade. Now we're hooked and I have to buy tons just for the Cherry Lemonade! Thanks so much!
Cookie Monster says
One of my favorite summer drinks. It looks and taste fantastic. Excellent for pool parties.
Kelly says
It's delicious! And a pool party would be amazing! Thanks so much, Cookie Monster!
angiesrecipes says
What gorgeous summer colour! I feel instantly happy when I see this :-))
Kelly says
It's so beautiful, isn't it?! Thanks so much, Angie!