Easy Cherry Lemonade Recipe
Now that the summer heat has arrived, cool things down with one of my favorite summer drinks, my cherry lemonade! It’s refreshing, easy to make, and non-alcoholic so the whole family can enjoy it!
It’s no secret that I share quite a few cocktail recipes around these parts, but every good hostess knows she needs several top notch refreshing, non-alcoholic beverage recipes in her stash too!
While I love a good old-fashioned lemonade recipe, there’s something extra special about cherry lemonade.
This family friendly cherry lemonade recipe is my absolute favorite for these hot summer days and nights. I love to keep a pitcher made up to enjoy. If guests are coming over, I just add some pizzazz with fresh sliced lemons and a cherry on top. It’s the little touches, y’all!
What I love most about this lemonade recipe is layering the cherry and the lemonade so it looks all pretty! These layers remind me of a sunset. Add a few fruit garnishes and ta-da! You can certainly stir your cherry lemonade for a solid light reddish hue if you prefer. Either way, it’s totally delicious!
If you plan to try your hand at a variety of lemonade drink recipes this summer, here are a few kitchen staples and essentials that might help you out!
Lemonade Essentials
- Fresh Lemons – This one is an obvious one but fresh-squeezed lemons make all the difference in lemonade.
- Hand-Held Lemon Squeezer or Juicer
- Sugar
- Saucepan – This is great for making flavored syrups (like the cherry syrup in this cherry lemonade) or other varieties.
- Pitcher
- Wooden Stirring Spoons
- Cute Glasses & Straws
If you’re hosting friends or family for a summer party, check out these related party ideas!
Cherry Lemonade
Ingredients
For the Cherry Syrup:
- 3 cups sweet cherries - pitted
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
For the Lemonade:
- 1 1/2 cups lemon juice
- 1/2 cup fine sugar
- 4 cups cold water
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, simmer cherries, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice. Once cherries are broken down and liquid is syrup-like, remove from heat. This is about 30 minutes.
- Strain cherry syrup and discard skins.
- Make lemonade by adding lemon juice, sugar, and cold water. Stir well.
- Pour cherry syrup into the bottom of each glass (about 1/4 cup) and finish with lemonade.
- Garnish with maraschino cherries and lemon slices.
Notes
With cherries in season, I hope you’ll find time to whip up a batch of this cherry lemonade! For year-round cherry lemonade, you can use frozen cherries or pre-made cherry juice for a similar cherry lemonade drink. You can even try your hand at fruity lemonade popsicles for a twist!
So fun! Love the layered ombre look!
Thanks Eden!
Hi Courtney, I loved your recipe and have included it in a lemonade round up on BuzzFeed. Do take a look and show some love :) https://www.buzzfeed.com/manjumahadevan/21-incredibly-refreshing-lemonades-you-need-to-dri-1ykl9
How many cups does this make?
Around 7 and a half depending on how long you cook the syrup.
Because this is absolutelly yummy, it was featured here: http://www.dreamingofbutterflies.co/10-yummy-lemonade-recipes-hydrated-summer/
WOW…Really Amazing. How much take time…? nd thnkx for this.
This cherry lemonade recipe sounds perfect for beating the summer heat! I totally agree, it’s great to have a refreshing non-alcoholic option for everyone to enjoy. The addition of fresh sliced lemons and a cherry on top is such a nice touch, and I can already picture myself sipping on this delicious drink at a summer gathering. Thanks for sharing this recipe!