Sweet, tart, and delightfully refreshing, my Cherry Limeade Margaritas are the stuff of summertime dreams. Made with real cherries and fresh limes, these tasty adult beverages are a long cry from pre-made versions that are loaded with artificial colors and flavors.

Whizz up a batch in your blender using just five simple ingredients in five minutes. Your guests will surely thank you!

Mason jar mugs filled with Cherry Limeade Margaritas on a cutting board with line slices and bowl of cherries.

This is genius, if I do say so myself. There are days I crave a large cup of cherry limeade filled with crushed ice from Sonic to quench my thirst, especially after a day on the ball field watching my kiddos games.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

After a day of watching Blake play baseball in the sun, there’s rarely anything I crave more than a large cup of Sonic cherry limeade over crushed ice to quench my thirst. While I still adore my takeout staple, I don’t love filling my body with artificial ingredients. Luckily, I’ve discovered the secret to making this brightly colored libation at home using only four ingredients!

I got the inspiration from this cherry limeade recipe – I loved that her recipe was so rustic and simple compared to others I had seen online. Most recipes are made with maraschino cherry juice and limeade concentrate, but this one is all fresh, made with real cherries and limes.

While the healthy-ish sparkling soda is delicious all on its own, spiking it with a shot of tequila has become my newest obsession. These cherry limeade margaritas have all the sweet-tart flavor I crave, plus just enough booze to give me a little buzz. They’re the ultimate way to unwind after a long, hot day.

You don’t need a cherry pitter, but if you have one, this lovely concoction comes together in mere minutes. Throw in pitted cherries, lime wedges (skin and all), water, sugar, blend, and strain — that’s it. Place cherry limeade in a pitcher and refrigerate. Best of all, it makes enough to share. So, what are you waiting for? Let’s get to Happy Hour already!

bowl of fresh cherries on a table with cherry limeade margaritas in mason jars in the background.

Ingredients & Substitutions

As promised, you don’t need much to make real, honest-to-goodness cherry limeade margaritas. Here’s your shopping list:

  • Cherries – I used sweet red cherries, but feel free to swap in fan-favorite Ranier cherries instead. If you don’t have a cherry pitter on hand, you have a few options: grab a bag from the frozen aisle, or try one of these 5 methods.
  • Limes – You’ll be blending up the rind and all for superior lime flavor. Be sure to give them a good wash before quartering them!
  • Water – Use filtered water for the best flavor. If you are making plain ol’ cherry limeade sans tequila, consider using only 2 cups of still water in step 1 and using sparkling for the rest.
  • Granulated Sugar – Feel free to swap in agave nectar instead.
  • Ice – If you want the real Sonic-style experience, you can invest in a countertop nugget ice machine. Otherwise, I find that crushing regular ice cubes does a good enough job. Just be sure to use filtered water for the best flavor.
  • Tequila Blanco – I like the light, citrusy flavor of tequila blanco for these limeade margaritas. Feel free to swap in vodka if you prefer!
  • Sparkling Water – I love the big bubbles of naturally sparkling mineral water like Mountain Valley Spring Water or Topo Chico, but feel free to use club soda if that’s what you have on hand.

How To Make Cherry Limeade Margaritas

Step 1: Blend. Combine the cherries and limes in a blender with sugar and 2 cups of water. Blend until the ingredients are pureed.

fresh pitted cherries and quartered limes in a blender pitcher.

Step 2: Strain the juice and add the rest of the water through a strainer.

Step 3: Spike & Serve. Add cherry limeade to cocktail glasses filled with ice, stir in tequila, top with a splash of sparkling water, and garnish with cherries and lime slices. Salud!

Pouring mountain valley water to a big glass of cherry limeade.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make cherry limeade ahead of time?

Sure thing! If I’ve planned well, I like to blend up the limeade in the morning before going to all the games so that it has plenty of time to chill in the fridge. Once blended, it should last for about 5 days in the fridge. You can also freeze it into ice cubes or paletas if you want to make it last even longer!

Can I make a cherry limeade mocktail?

Absolutely! I suggest following the recipe through step 1, then using sparkling water to complete the batch after straining. A little extra effervescence goes a long way! If you want to gussy it up further, consider using a lemon-lime soda like 7UP or Sprite.

What are the best cherries to use for this recipe?

While most cherry limeade recipes call for preserved, syrupy-sweet maraschino cherries and frozen limeade concentrate, this pretty thirst-quencher is made with real, sweet cherries and fresh limes. I suggest using either Bing, Ranier, or sweet Black cherries here. If you opt for a more tart variety like Montmorency or Morello, you may want to up the sugar content a bit to compensate.

More Summertime Swigs

Did you try this recipe for my ultra-refreshing Cherry Limeade Margaritas? Let me know how it turned out by rating and reviewing it below, or by tagging me in your social posts so I can cheer you on!

Exotico tequila bottle with two glasses of Cherry Limeade Margaritas and a bowl of cherries.
Mason jar mugs filled with Cherry Limeade Margaritas on a cutting board with line slices and bowl of cherries

Cherry Limeade Margaritas

5 (5 ratings)
Cherry limeade and tequila is a match made in summer heaven. I have a feeling that once you try these Cherry Limeade Margaritas, you will be making them all summer long. It’s perfect for a crowd and so refreshing.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cherries, pitted
  • 2 limes, quartered (skin on)
  • 5 cups water
  • ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ice
  • 1 ounce tequila blanco, per serving
  • sparkling water

Instructions 

  • Combine the cherries and limes in a blender with sugar and 2 cups of water. Blend until the ingredients are pureed.
  • Strain the juice and add the rest of the water through a strainer.
  • Serve in cocktail glasses filled with ice, stir in tequila, top with a splash of sparking water, and garnish with cherries and lime slices.

Notes

  • Once blended, cherry limeade should last for about 5 days in the fridge. You can freeze any leftovers into ice cubes or paletas to make it last even longer!
  • I suggest using tequila blanco for the brightest flavor. You can also feel free to spike your cherry limeade with vodka if you prefer.
  • MOCKTAIL: Follow the recipe through step 1, then using sparkling water to complete the batch after straining. A little extra effervescence goes a long way! If you want to gussy it up further, consider using a lemon-lime soda like 7UP or Sprite.
Calories: 237.49kcal, Carbohydrates: 45.09g, Protein: 1.33g, Fat: 0.28g, Saturated Fat: 0.05g, Sodium: 16.83mg, Potassium: 263.94mg, Fiber: 3.11g, Sugar: 38.78g, Vitamin A: 82.99IU, Vitamin C: 16.99mg, Calcium: 33.88mg, Iron: 0.57mg

Photography by Jenna Sparks.