The most perfect summer cocktail, a sour cherry gin limeade. The only bad news is sour cherry season is short, so try to get your hands on as many as possible! And if you're too late for sour cherry season, grab some tart cherry juice and you're good to go!

How to pit cherries with a straw

Can you use regular cherries for this cherry cocktail?
You can substitute for regular cherries for these sour cherries, but know that your cocktail will end up on the sweeter side! You can also grab some tart cherry juice as a substitute.
Where do you find sour cherries? Try the farmers market or a middle eastern grocery store.
Step by step cherry juice cocktail
In bowl, mix your cherries and sugar. Let sit for 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.

Muddle your cherry and sugar mixture well. Try and get as much juice out as possible.
Mix 6 tablespoon of cherry juice, the water, lime juice, and gin together. Put ice in your 2 cocktail glasses. Pour the gin mixture over the ice, drop in 1-2 tablespoon of the macerated cherry chunks, and add a slice of lime to serve.

Want to see more sour cherry recipes?
Check out my sour cherry shrub (drinking vinegar) here. Sour cherry syrup here. And my sour cherry & honey galette here.

Equipment used in this cherry cocktail
Contains affiliate links where I might receive a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Shop my favorite mortar and pestle to muddle the cherries here!
Sour Cherry Gin Limeade
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups cherries stems removed and pitted
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
- 4 tablespoon water
- 3 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 3 fl. oz. gin
Instructions
- In bowl, mix your cherries and sugar. Let sit for 2 hours or in the refrigerator overnight.
- Muddle your cherry and sugar mixture well. Try and get as much juice out as possible.
- Mix 6 tablespoon of cherry juice, the water, lime juice, and gin together. Put ice in your 2 cocktail glasses. Pour the gin mixture over the ice, drop in 1-2 tablespoon of the macerated cherry chunks, and add a slice of lime to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in August of 2018, but was republished with new photos, step by step instructions, tips, and a video August of 2019.
Leave a comment & rate the recipe