This Fresh Cherry Limeade Cocktail recipe is the official cocktail of summer, at least it is over here on our patio! Sweet, juicy Brook's cherries, chunky lime wedges, coconut rum, and a splash of simple syrup make for an incredibly nostalgic flavor combination that is dangerously easy to sip!
{{ The recipe for this Fresh Cherry Limeade Cocktail and the post that goes with it was made in partnership with California Grown! We received compensation and product in exchange for it. Opinions are always our own. If we don’t love it, you don’t hear about it. Thanks for your continued support! }}
In our house, now more than ever, we are taking a closer look at our food system and want to ensure that we are supporting hard working American farmers and business owners with our purchases whenever we can!
Karen Ross, Secretary of California’s Department of Food and Agriculture recently wrote a letter addressing the hardships that the Corona virus pandemic has had on agriculture in the state of California and as a consumer who has been terribly worried about our food system during the crisis I found her opening comments about how is it is for US as consumers can help support California farmers so comforting.
“After all that we’ve been through these past few months, Californians are long overdue for a reason to break bread in celebration. Now, we have one. By simply enjoying the delicious foods made from the world’s best ingredients (which are obviously grown right here in California) – we can help support the 1.2 million jobs and $263 billion in state revenue that California farming generates each year.” You can read the rest of Secretary Ross’ letter by clicking here.
I believe that being an educated consumer will never steer you wrong. We should be putting as much, if not more effort into understanding our food and the food system as we do the other purchases we make in our daily lives like clothes and cars.
In fact, we geek out on fun food factoids around here! So here are a few facts about California Grown farmers and cherries that we thought you should know…
- There are over 400 crops grown in the state of California.
- Farms in the state of California produce ⅓ of the vegetables and two thirds of the fruits and nuts in the U.S.
- Fresh cherry season usually runs from April-June.
- There are about 850 cherry farmers in California.
- California grows 6 main varieties of cherries: Bing , Brooks, Chelan, Coral, Rainier, and Tulare.
- YOU have the power to request that your local grocery store chain carry California Grown produce instead of imported options. Click here for a shopping guide that shows you how to tell if an item in your store is California Grown or not.
This is one of the most refreshing cocktail recipes we've ever whipped up, but there are a few things you should know....
Fresh cherries are best! || The flavor is just out of this world, but you can use frozen, thawed cherries in a pinch, or you know when a cherry limeade craving strikes and cherries aren't in season anymore!!
Customizable sweetness level || I like a much sweeter cherry limeade cocktail than my husband does so I always keep a basic simple syrup on hand in the fridge for making custom drinks a cinch. He pours in a little, I pour in a lot - we're both happy and the drinks still come out of the kitchen quicker than a pitcher of blender margaritas! Below I've included my recipe for a basic simple syrup, once you know how to make this basic version you can flavor your simple syrup all sorts of ways!
To make a basic simple syrup : In a small saucepan combine equal amounts granulated sugar and water. Heat over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved. Cool completely then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 weeks.
There are a few bar tools required for making these cocktails at home, but don't be discouraged if you don't have a stash of mixology tools laying around, you can improvise!
Muddler || Both the intense flavor and the vibrant color of this cocktail come from mashing and macerating simple syrup, pitted cherries, and the lime wedges together in a cocktail shaker with either a bar tool called a muddler or if you don't have one of those you can use the handle of a wooden spoon.
Cocktail shaker || The muddling and mixing of this cocktail happens in a cocktail shaker and it is pretty essential. Don't have a traditional cocktail shaker? No problem, a large mason jar with a tight fitting lid will do the trick in a pinch too!
Cherry pitter || While I love fresh cherries, I do not enjoy the mess it makes to remove their pits! I love my cherry pitter, it's fast, efficient, and it has a cool shield attached to it, so that the cherry juice doesn't spray out everywhere and stain everything from my hands to my counters! If you don't have one you can simply use a pairing knife and a plastic cutting board to cut around the pit.
Hungry for even more cherry recipes? We’ve got ya covered!
Gluten Free Fresh Cherry Pretzel Tart || This tart has mega crunch from the gluten free salted pretzel and walnut studded crust, a heavenly cheesecake-esque schemer that is scented with brown sugar and vanilla, a heaping helping of juicy Brooks cherries, all coated in a sweet slather of honey and basil leaves. It's summertime magic for the tastebuds which means this tart definitely deserves a place at your kitchen table soon!
Cherry Basil Tabbouleh with Quinoa and Basil || This new spin on traditional tabbouleh is perfect for summer with fresh cherries and loads of fresh basil!
Gluten Free Cherry Oat Bars || These bars are perfect for lunch boxes, a treat with coffee, or an after dinner dessert with a scoop of ice cream. They are rich and decadent with a crisp, buttery crumb that we just cannot get enough of around here.
If you’ve made this Fresh Cherry Limeade Cocktail I would be so grateful if you would rate the recipe and let me know what you think in the comments below!
I just love hearing from you and your reviews and comments really help others that visit This Mess is Ours. Want to be a part of our online community outside of the blog? It’s easy!! All you have to do is follow @THISMESSISOURS on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, or PINTEREST to see cooking demos, and peeks into our day to day life.
PrintFresh Cherry Limeade Cocktail
Want to make a non-alcoholic version of this cocktail?
Simply leave out the coconut rum, shake the other ingredients in the cocktail shaker as directed in the recipe below, add them all to a large glass, and top with lemon lime flavored soda!
- Prep Time: 2
- Total Time: 2 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Category: Sips
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
¾ ounce simple syrup, recipe follows
4 fresh California cherries, pitted and halved
½ a lime, cut into quarters
2 ounces coconut rum or white rum
Instructions
In a cocktail shaker, press and mix the simple syrup, cherries, and lime quarters with a muddler or the handle of a wooden spoon to extract all of the juices from the fruit. Add the rum and 6 ice cubes. Shake hard until the cocktail shaker is cold and icy on the outside, about 10-15 hard shakes. Pour everything into a rocks glass and add more ice if necessary.
Notes
To make a basic simple syrup:
In a small saucepan combine equal amounts granulated sugar and water. Heat over medium low heat, stirring frequently, until the sugar has dissolved. Cool completely then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3-4 weeks.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 rocks glass
- Calories: 589
- Sugar: 94 g
- Sodium: 3.2 mg
- Fat: 1.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 119.8 g
- Protein: 6.4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: cherry, fresh cherry, rum, lime, cocktail
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