Lime Jarritos Recipe

Make simple lime syrup

Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves (about 3–4 minutes). Bring just to a gentle simmer, then remove from heat.

Let syrup cool for 5 minutes, then transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool further while you prepare the limes.

Zest and juice limes

Wash the limes. Using a microplane or fine grater, zest until you have about 1 tablespoon of zest (avoid the bitter white pith). Cut the limes in half and juice them. You should yield about 3/4 to 1 cup (180–240 ml) fresh lime juice from 6 limes depending on size.

Combine zest, juice and syrup

Strain the lime juice through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl to remove seeds and excess pulp if you prefer a clearer soda. Stir the fresh lime juice and the reserved lime zest into the cooled simple syrup until well combined. Taste and adjust: if you prefer tarter, add more lime juice; for sweeter, add up to 2 tablespoons more sugar dissolved into the mixture.

Allow the lime-sugar mixture to chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. The result is a concentrated lime syrup (jarritos-style base).

Prepare glasses

If rimming, rub a lime wedge around each glass rim and dip into a small plate of sea salt (optional). Fill 4 short glasses with about 1/2 cup ice each (total 2 cups).

Mix Jarritos-style lime soda

For each serving (makes 4 servings total): add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the chilled lime syrup concentrate to a glass with ice. Top with 1 cup (240 ml) cold club soda or sparkling water. Gently stir once to combine. Taste and adjust: increase syrup by 1 tablespoon for a sweeter/stronger lime flavor, or reduce syrup for a lighter soda.

Garnish each glass with a lime wedge on the rim. Serve immediately while carbonated.