The most perfect summer cocktail is a sour cherry gin limeade. Sour cherry season is short, so try to get your hands on as many as possible! And if you’re too late for sour cherry season, grab some tart cherry juice and you’re good to go!

A red cocktail with cherry and lime in a glass on a marble countertop.

Try the farmer’s market or a Middle Eastern grocery store for sour cherries. You can substitute for regular cherries for these sour cherries, but know that your cocktail will end up on the sweeter side! You can also grab some tart cherry juice as a substitute.

How to pit cherries with a straw

This is the fastest and easiest way to pit your cherries.

Three steps showing hands pitting cherries with a blue straw.

Step-by-Step Sour Cherry Gin Limeade

In a bowl, mix your cherries and sugar. Let sit for 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.

Hands using a pestle and mortar to muddle cherries with sugar.

Muddle your cherry and sugar mixture well. Try and get as much juice out as possible.

Mix 6 tbsp of cherry juice, water, lime juice, and gin together. Put ice in your 2 cocktail glasses. Pour the gin mixture over the ice, drop in 1-2 tbsp of the macerated cherry chunks, and add a slice of lime to serve.

Step by step photos showing a hand adding a red drink to two glasses of ice.

Want to see more sour cherry recipes?

Check out my sour cherry shrub (drinking vinegar) here. Sour cherry syrup here. And my sour cherry & honey galette here.

Two red cocktails with lime and cherry with shadows against a marble background.

More Sour Cherry Recipes

Sour Cherry Gin Limeade

5 from 7 votes
Print Recipe Save
The most perfect summer cocktail, a sour cherry gin limeade. The only bad news is sour cherry season is short, so try to get your hands on as many as possible!
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time0 minutes
Resting Time3 hours
Total Time5 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American, Persian
Servings: 2
Calories: 197kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups cherries stems removed and pitted
  • 1 tbsp turbinado sugar
  • 4 tbsp water
  • 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 3 fl. oz. gin

Instructions

  • In bowl, mix your cherries and sugar. Let sit for 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
  • Muddle your cherry and sugar mixture well. Try and get as much juice out as possible.
  • Mix 6 tbsp of cherry juice, the water, lime juice, and gin together. Put ice in your 2 cocktail glasses. Pour the gin mixture over the ice, drop in 1-2 tbsp of the macerated cherry chunks, and add a slice of lime to serve.

Notes

You can substitute for regular cherries for these sour cherries, but know that your cocktail will end up on the sweeter side! You can also grab some tart cherry juice as a substitute.

Nutrition

Calories: 197kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3mg | Potassium: 256mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 66IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.
5 from 7 votes (7 ratings without comment)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.