Refreshing Frozen Cherry Limeade

Cool off with this zesty frozen cherry lime drink. It’s sweet, tangy, and has a creamy hint from a bit of half-and-half. Super satisfying when it’s hot out and you want something lively and cold.

Ingredients

• Ice Cubes: 2 ½ cups, pile them in to get that slushy feel.
• Half-and-Half (Optional): 2 tablespoons, it’ll make everything super creamy if you want that.
• Tart Cherry Juice: ¼ cup, punches up the color and the tangy cherry flavor.
• Lime Juice: ¼ cup, squeeze two limes for sharp, tangy goodness.
• Lime Zest: From one big lime (or two small), gives an extra citrus vibe.
• Water: ½ cup, mix it with sugar for a basic sweetener.
• Sugar: ½ cup, helps create that classic sweetness with the syrup.

Instructions

Step 6:

Pour the blended cherry lime mix into four small glasses, hand them out right away. You can plop a lime slice or cherry on top if you wanna be fancy.

Step 5:

Let your blender do its thing until everything’s icy and smooth and it looks like a slushie.

Step 4:

Dump 1/2 cup of the lime syrup, the fresh lime juice, cherry juice, optional half-and-half, and all the ice into the blender.

Step 3:

Strain out all the lime zest and keep the syrup. Store any extras in the fridge for up to a week so you have it ready for next time.

Step 2:

Toss in your lime zest, then take the pan off the stove. Leave it covered and let all those lime oils soak in for an hour.

Step 1:

Heat up sugar and water over medium on the stove, don’t forget to stir now and then. Let the mix simmer until the sugar totally disappears, around three to five minutes.

Serving and Storage Tips

Enjoy this frozen cherry lime drink right after you blend it for a super cool, slushy texture. Pop on a lime round or fresh cherry if you’re feeling extra. It’s best enjoyed same day, but you can stash extra lime syrup in the fridge in a sealed container for up to a week—use it in other drinks whenever you want a citrus kick.

Helpful Notes

Want it richer? Just splash in another tablespoon of half-and-half before blending. If you’d rather keep things lighter, skip the half-and-half and let those cherry and lime flavors shine.

Tips from Well-Known Chefs

Ina Garten likes adding a splash of club soda at the end for some bubbly lift. Bobby Flay loves tossing in real tart cherries when they’re easy to find since they give a killer bright flavor boost.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

This one’s got punchy lime and zingy cherry—a tasty pick when the sun’s blasting. The creamy bit makes it silky, not too heavy. You’ll have it mixed up super fast and you can tweak the flavors or swap out ingredients to make it yours.

Variations

Go dairy-free by using coconut cream for a bit of island flair. Want to make it boozy? Pour in some vodka or rum for a fun twist on a hot day. Or shake things up with other juices like pomegranate or raspberry for a totally new drink.