Nitrate & Nitrite Free Cherry Lime Soda

Total time30 min

Prep time10 min

Cook time5 min

4.5

(14)

Bright, tart, and deeply refreshing, this cherry lime soda is the kind of drink that makes you wonder why you ever reached for a can in the first place. The homemade cherry syrup is the real star — fresh or frozen cherries simmered with honey and water until they release a gorgeous, deep ruby juice that tastes nothing like artificial flavoring. Squeezing in real lime juice adds a zippy citrus edge that balances the sweetness perfectly. Many store-bought sodas and flavored drinks sneak in preservatives you'd rather avoid, but every ingredient here is clean and straightforward — fruit, honey, citrus, and bubbles. Pouring the sparkling water slowly down the side of the glass keeps it beautifully fizzy all the way to the last sip. Garnish with a few fresh cherries and a lime wedge and it looks just as good as it tastes, whether you're serving it at a summer cookout or just treating yourself on a Tuesday afternoon.

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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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