Cherry Bomb Lemonade Recipe

Cook cherries

Combine 2 cups pitted cherries, 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Bring mixture to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cherries are soft and sugar is dissolved and slightly thickened.

Use a fork or potato masher to lightly mash the cherries in the pan to release more juice and flavor (leave some texture if you like).

Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon lemon juice if using (brightens flavor). Let cool 5 minutes.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or pitcher, pressing on solids to extract syrup. Discard or reserve solids for another use. You should have about 3/4 to 1 cup of cherry syrup.

If you prefer a smoother, sweeter syrup, return strained liquid to the pan and simmer 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly; cool to room temperature.

In a pitcher, combine 1 cup fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (or the equivalent simple syrup). Stir until sugar dissolves. Taste and adjust sweetness to preference.

Add 3 cups cold water to the lemon-sugar mixture and stir to combine. This yields a balanced base lemonade. Chill briefly if desired.

Fill 4 glasses with ice (about 1/2 cup ice per glass).

For each glass, pour about 1/4 cup cherry syrup over the ice (approximate — adjust for color/sweetness preference), then add 1/2 cup lemonade.

Top each glass with 1/4 cup cold water or, for a fizzy Cherry Bomb Lemonade, replace the top 1/4 cup with club soda to add sparkle.

Gently stir each glass once or twice to combine layers partially — you want a pretty 'bomb' of cherry color but not fully blended unless you prefer.

Garnish each glass with a lemon slice, two fresh or maraschino cherries, and a mint sprig if using.

Serve immediately. Stir before drinking to fully integrate the cherry syrup with the lemonade.