Nightshade Free Cherry Lime Soda

Total time30 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

4.5

(14)

Bright, tangy, and deeply refreshing, this cherry lime soda is the kind of drink that looks like it came from a fancy café but comes together in your own kitchen with just a handful of real ingredients. The homemade cherry syrup is the star — sweet cherries, a little honey, and water are simmered down into a gorgeous ruby concentrate that tastes nothing like the artificial stuff. Squeezing in fresh lime juice adds a zippy citrus edge that balances the sweetness perfectly. For anyone navigating a nightshade-free lifestyle, fizzy drinks and flavored sodas can be a minefield of hidden tomato-derived acids or pepper-based colorings, but every single ingredient here is clean and straightforward. The sparkling water gets poured slowly down the side of the glass to keep that satisfying fizz intact, so the whole experience feels a little celebratory. Garnish with a few fresh cherries and a lime wedge and it's genuinely stunning to serve to guests. This one is going to become a warm-weather staple.

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the cherry syrup

1 cup fresh or frozen sweet cherries, pitted
¼ cup water
2 tbsp honey

For serving

3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
1 ½ cups sparkling water, chilled
1 cup ice cubes
2 lime wedges (optional)
4 fresh cherries, for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1
Combine the pitted cherries, water, and honey in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally and pressing the cherries gently with a spoon, until the cherries have softened and released their juice and the liquid is a deep ruby color, about 5 minutes.
2
Pour the cherry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl or measuring cup, pressing the solids firmly to extract as much syrup as possible. Discard the solids. Let the cherry syrup cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.

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