Cherry Limeade Recipe – A Beautiful Mess

Today, I’m excited to share my copycat recipe for a Sonic Cherry Limeade. I make these as a special treat for my children. They are so easy to make! Just like Sonic, this can be a very sweet drink, and I will also teach you a less sweet variation that hits the spot.

More sodas and mocktail recipes: Roy Rogers Drink, Virgin Mojito Recipe, Shirley Temple Recipe, Virgin Mojito, and Easy Homemade Grenadine.

Ingredients in a Cherry Limeade

• Lemon Lime Soda – 7Up or Sprite. You can use any lemon-lime soda. Alternatively, you can use club soda for a less sweet option.
• Lime Juice – Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor.
• Maraschino Syrup – You can use the syrup directly from the cherries bottle or purchase a maraschino syrup. Alternatively, you can use grenadine if it’s easier to locate.
• Lime Wedges – For garnish.
• Maraschino Cherries – For garnish.
• Pebble Ice – While you can use any ice, pebble ice makes the drink most like the Sonic version.

I used these mason jars with handles for glassware. They are my favorite glasses for serving fun drinks to my kiddos.

How to Make a Cherry Limeade

Fill a glass with ice. Pour maraschino syrup over the ice. Squeeze lemon juice over the ice. Top off with a mini can of lemon-lime soda. Garnish with a cherry and lime wedge. Serve with a straw and enjoy!

Tips for Making

• To create a less sweet version, use club soda instead of sweetened lemon-lime soda. Or if you want to be even more sneaky, use half and half—this is what I typically do for my children’s drinks.
• Bright red maraschino cherries are a must!
• Pebble ice (also called nugget ice) is the best ice for this drink. I get mine in a bag from Sonic and keep it in my freezer for up to a week at a time.
• Mason jars with handles are a great option to serve this drink in.

Other cherry recipes you may like:

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