I love a good shortcut, and this cherry lemonade is the perfect mix of easy and homemade. I start with store-bought lemonade and mix it with a simple cherry syrup made from simmering cherries and sugar. The result? A perfectly sweet, slightly tart, and super refreshing drink that tastes like summer in a glass. Pour it over ice, garnish with lemon sugar and a candied lemon, and enjoy!
1/2cupcherriesYou can buy frozen pitted or fresh that you will have to pit yourself
1/2cupsugar
1/2cupwater
Lemon Sugar
1Lemon Zest
1/4cupsugar
Candied Lemon
1Lemon
1/3cupsugar
1/3 cupwater
Instructions
Cherry Syrup
To make the cherry syrup place the cherries, sugar, and water in a sauce pan
Smash the cherries with a spatula and bring the mixture to a boil
Once the mixture is boiling, turn the heat to low and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes
Once cool store the syrup in a glass container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks
Cherry Lemonade
Fill a glass with ice
Pour in 3 tbsp of cherry syrup
Top off the glass with lemonade
Garnish with a candied lemon and lemon sugar
Lemon Sugar
In a small bowl pour 1/3 cup sugar
Zest a lemon over the sugar, it is okay if a little lemon juice sneaks in as it allows the zest to cling to the sugar better
Mix together and sprinkle on your lemonade
Candied Lemons
Slice your lemons really thin
In a pan combine sugar and water
Once the sugar dissolves add the lemon slices
Allow the lemon slices to sit in the sugar mixture on low heat until the lemon looks transparent and most of the sugar water has disappeared
Remove the lemons from the pan and allow them to dry overnight
Use as a garnish for your lemonade
Notes
Don't let the garnishes keep you from making this drink. They were a fun way for me to be creative but they don't make or break this drink. But this cherry lemonade will make your summer! PROMISE