Friday, March 26, 2010

Cherry Limeade

Hi, my name is Memoria, and I am addicted to Sonic's Cherry Limeade.
In fact, this drink is the only item I like there, so if I'm looking for a quick meal and a limeade, I have to either go to Sonic (for the limeade) plus another fast-food place (for the meal), just buy a drink and make something at home, or just settle for a Route 44oz drink with nothing else. Acquiring the drink is a bit of a hassle, but worth it.
So, in order to remedy my problem, I decided to look for a copycat recipe for this addicting drink, and I found two viable ones that came from former Sonic employees. I had every ingredient but the soda and the limes. It was weird to buy soda at the store since I haven't done that in a very long time, so I just bought a 2 liter since it was the cheapest out of the other options (Man! Soda has gotten really expensive!! I'm so glad I don't buy the stuff on a regular basis!)
I started assembling the drink and decided to move all the ingredients to my "photo studio" (hah! I laugh at that. I so don't have a studio. If you all only knew...) to make some decent process photos. As I picked up the grenadine (a syrup made from pomegranate) to transport it to the living room, I dropped it on the kitchen floor, and the thick, red, liquid splattered everywhere! I cleaned up quickly and proceeded with the photo-taking.
I love how this recipe requires only a few ingredients to become something great. Make sure you stir the mixture for the full effect. Also, you may need to adjust the amount of lime juice or cherry syrup or grenadine to get the right ratio. When I used the amounts on the original recipes (the slightly modified version is below), I was pleased with the taste of the drink, but it wasn't quite spot on. I added more lime juice and grenadine, stirred the mixture again, and it tasted almost exactly like Sonic's limeade.
The flavor is definitely close enough to the real thing and will definitely assuage any cravings. Since it contains soda (which I didn't know it had until I found the recipes), I still won't be able to make it whenever because I promised myself that I wouldn't buy soda for the house (I broke the rule this time hehe). If you're not opposed to soda and are addicted to Cherry Limeade (or you could make other flavors like strawberry limeade!) or are just curious as to how this drink tastes, I highly suggest making it. If you have children, they would have fun making this on their own, too. It is a lovely-looking drink. I love the two shades of colors.
Unstirred (left); stirred (right)

Cherry Limeade

adapted by the comment on copykat.com and aldenteblog
Yield: medium-sized Cherry Limeade (20 oz.)

1- 1 1/2 cup(s) ice
2-4 tbsp of flavored syrup (use cherry snow cone syrup or grenadine)
1 lime, squeezed
1 maraschino cherry (or as many as you like!! I love cherries!)

Crush the ice, and place it in the glass. Add 2 Tbsp of syrup or grenadine. Squeeze an entire lime (if you like a more tart taste) on top of the grenadine. Pour in about 12-16 ounces of Sprite until the glass has been filled.

For a more cherry taste, add more syrup and for a more tart taste, add more lime. Play around with the ingredients to suit your personal taste.

SUGAR-FREE: You can also make this drink sugar-free with a sugar-free cherry syrup (if you can find it) and Diet Sprite.

AMOUNTS FOR OTHER SIZED DRINKS:
  • 20 oz gets 2 limes and 1/2 oz syrup or grenadine
  • 32oz gets 3 limes and 3/4 oz syrup or grenadine
  • 44oz gets 4 limes and 1 oz syrup or grenadine
Want a sip?

41 comments:

  1. This look cool and refreshing, especially suitable in hot weather here.

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  2. I'll have a glass yes please. Great pictures. A cherry limeade is just what I need for this tropic heat right now.

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  3. Yes, I'd love a sip! There are no Sonics around me, but I do see an occasional commercial and the drinks sound so fun. Thanks for sharing this. I may just pick me up some of these things and try it out.

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  4. This looks SO good, especially now that Spring/Summer is starting to set in...I wish I had a blender so I could try this *A*

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  5. This makes me so ready for summer. :) Beautiful pictures!!

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  6. This looks delicious! I used to live in Arizona (where Sonics were aplenty) and there aren't any here in New York. I think I might have to mix some gin into this for when I have people over!

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  7. They look and sound so refreshing and delicious. My kids would love these drinks.

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  8. Lucky me, I've made cherry limeades the last two nights at home. How ironic is that?

    I don't use the grenadine though. Just Sprite (which is caffeine free!) and limes and cherries. I actually prefer them without the cherries and extra lime but Mr. H is all about the cherries. ha ha!

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  9. So refreshing, Memoria! Now, I can add this specialty to my repertoire of iced summer drinks, and yes, I would love a sip from your lovely glass :o) How could anyone refuse such a delightful gift?

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  10. What a fun drink. Love the limes too!

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  11. Holy refreshing. I love lime! I can't wait to make this. As always beautifully photographed.

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  12. A beautiful drink and wonderful photos... so bright and full of Spring!

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  13. i'm fairly addicted to sonic's strawberry limeades, and i don't plan to give them up any time soon. :)
    lovely images!

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  14. Great photos! I can literally see the frostiness on the glass. Sorry you had to clean up a big mess, but good think you had this drink as a reward.

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  15. This sounds so refreshing right now!

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  16. Thanks, everyone for the kind comments!! Every time I look at this drink, I want more haha. I already used up all the Sprite hehe and am craving more limeade.

    Grace - I love the strawberry limeades, too!!! I have strawberries in my fridge. I should make that very soon.

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  17. Love the artsy zesting on that lime! What a classy remake of one of my not-so-classy guilty indulgences... yum.

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  18. I love to visit Sonic occasionally.It is so nostalgic! Love your limeade, I'll have a sip please! Beautiful pictures.

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  19. Yes, thank you... I would LOVE a sip! Who could resist? You have presented and photographed it so beautifully.

    I will certainly remember to make this on one of our hot, sweltering days. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.

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  20. Looks delicious! I'm a big fan of Sonic Cokes (it's totally their ice) and (I'm ashamed to admit) their BLT sandwiches.

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  21. YES!!! I WANT A SIP!! It's gorgeous, especially with those lovely limes. They are beautifully "carved"! Brilliant! And believe me, when you see my "studio", you'll laugh too.

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  22. oh no, i thought those limeades had carbonated water in them, not soda! no wonder they're so good. I'll have to try making them at home,and love the pic with the straw, yes I want a sip!

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  23. I never even heard of this drink but I can now see why you are totally addicted to it! So refreshing! :)

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  24. Oi querida, tudo bem? Adorei o blog, vou passar a ser uma visitante assidua. Gostaria de saber de onde és. Beijão

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  25. Kalani - muito obrigada pelo commentário. Eu sou dos Estados Unidos e você?

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  26. Sonic's Cherry Limeade. I love it too! But we live in Canada, so I only get to have it on vacation. Can't wait to give this recipe a try... my hubby will be so impressed.

    Thanks

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  27. I can hardly wait until I settle into my house and can actually really start cooking again! This looks like a nice summer cooler.

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  28. this looks so refreshing! i can do with a drink like this now as our weather is really hot.

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  29. Good Memoria! How nice to meet you! I have spent a few minutes perusing several of your posts and enjoyed each one and the delicious looking foods you have created.

    This beverage looks and sounds so refreshing ~ such a pretty combination of colors.

    I also enjoyed reading your "about" page :)
    One of my daughters has returned to school (while being a wife and mom) to pursue becoming a Spanish teacher.

    Thank you for stopping by my place and leaving your comment.

    Kindly, ldh

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  30. Oi!!! Eu sou africana, de Angola, vivo em Portugal há 15 anos. Adorei o teu blog, de vez enquanto vou passando por aqui para "roubar" umas receitas. Bj

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  31. What beautiful photos! The only thing that I've ever purchased at Sonic was one of their Blasts and I was sooooooooooo disappointed with it (especially since I worked at DQ at the time and couldn't help but compare it to a Blizzard!). I heard their drinks were amazing, but I just couldn't figure out what to order. I wish I had seen this on the menu!

    But I'm sure theirs wouldn't be as pretty as yours! I love the lime you used as a garnish. Very pretty!

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  32. yum. I love Sonic too... only the drinks. There is something about the ice that is addicting.

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  33. My relationship with limemade is totally unhealthy. I went to a restaurant the other night and had three glasses of the stuff. I love it so much...and I love your cherry limemade idea even more!

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  34. I love these also. A beautiful photograph!

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  35. Your beautiful pictures have made me incredibly thirsty. Not only do I love Sonic drinks, I am addicted to their ice. I will actually go Sonic just for the ice!

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  36. Have you ever tried the slush form of this?! I used to drink them all summer, every summer while visiting grandparents in Oklahoma.

    Recently stumbled across your blog - love it!

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  37. Memoria, this is a really beautiful beverage and you taken gorgeous pictures of it. I found your blog by chance but I'll be back often to see what you've been fixing in your kitchen. I hope you are having a wonderful day. Blessings...Mary.

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  38. I have to tell you that I can't go into Target anymore without pausing at the sno-cone display to look at all the syrups. One of these days I'm gonna just break down and buy a bottle of cherry syrup and make this!

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  39. Thanks for this idea! I just got an ice cream maker and decided to try a version of this for my bf who LOVES strawberry limeades from Sonic. :) I let some sliced strawberries sit with sugar in the fridge for a few hours before I blended them up and added them to the machine with some fresh lime juice and sugar water. He loved it! Yum!

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