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Cherry Lemonade

cherry lemonade in glass with two straws and cherry garnishes.
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This cherry lemonade is easy to make with only 4 basic ingredients. You can use either fresh or frozen cherries, but, if you have the patience to pit the fresh cherries, the bright and vibrant fresh cherry flavor is worth it!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12 ounces (340 g) fresh (or frozen) pitted cherries* (about 2 1/2 cups)
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups (591 ml) cold water, divided (plus more if needed)
  • 1 cup (237 ml) freshly-squeezed lemon juice (from about 4 - 6 lemons)

Instructions

  1. Place the pitted cherries, sugar, and 1/2 cup water into a tall jar. Blend with an immersion blender until smooth (or, blend in a regular blender).
  2. Pour the cherry mixture into a fine mesh sieve set over a large bowl. Use a spoon to press the cherry mixture into the mesh to help it strain faster. Stop once most of the liquid has been removed - you should be left with something similar to the texture of apple butter.
  3. Pour the cherry juice, 1 cup lemon juice, and remaining 2 cups cold water into a pitcher. Stir well to combine. Taste the lemonade, and add more water, 1/2 cup at a time, if the lemonade tastes too strong (I added an extra 1/2 cup water in total). Keep in mind - if you are planning on serving the lemonade over ice, you may want to keep the lemonade strong so the ice doesn't dilute it too much.
  4. Place the lemonade in the fridge until chilled. The lemonade will keep well in the fridge, covered, for 3 - 4 days.

Notes

  • *While I prefer to make the cherry lemonade with fresh cherries, you can also use frozen cherries that have been thawed overnight in the fridge. Or, for a quicker thaw, microwave them in a microwave-safe bowl for 1 minute on high. Stir, and microwave again for 30 second increments on high, stirring in between, until thawed.
  • To pit the fresh cherries, you can use a cherry pitter. Or, you can use my quick "smashing" method! I explain how to do this in the body of the blog post, or watch my cherry lemonade how-to video.
  • You can use sweet or tart cherries to make the lemonade. I've tested the recipe with both and they both taste good. If you make the recipe with tart cherries and find it a little too sour, you can stir in a bit more sugar at the end.
  • The recipe makes about 5 cups lemonade. If you need a bigger batch, the recipe is easily doubled!
  • The nutrition information below is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator; the nutrition counts of your dish will vary based on the brand and exact amounts of ingredients used. This nutrition estimate should not be considered a substitute for professional medical, health, or nutritional advice. See our full disclosure policy.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://nibbleanddine.com/cherry-lemonade/