Name: Cherry Lime Margarita
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: Salt for rim (optional); 2 Tbsp simple syrup (plus more for glass rims (recipe below or store-bought)); 1 1/2 cupa pitted cherries ((about 30 cherries)); 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice; 3 oz. tequila; 2 oz. triple sec or cointreau; 2 cups ice; 1 cup water; 1 cup granulated sugar

This Cherry Margarita mixes fresh cherries and lime for a very summery combo... Just add tequila and blend to enjoy a refreshing frosty summer drink!

Overhead view of a cherry margarita with lime wedge garnish and salted rim with plate of salt, cherries, and lime in background and recipe title at top.

If you're like me, you want to consume cherries any and every way you can during the short season.

And that includes in blended with tequila in margarita form!

🍒 How to make cherry lime margaritas

I am obsessed with cherries and have been wanting to make a nice icy drink with them for a while. Limes are an obvious match for the fruit, so I combined the two into a frosty Cherry Lime Margarita.

It takes about 2 seconds to whip up… Once you're done pitting the cherries!

Overhead view of chopped fresh cherries in a blender.

All you do is put everything into the blender: About 30 pitted cherries, ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 tablespoon simple syrup, 3 oz. tequila, and 2 oz. triple sec, plus 2 cups of ice. And blend away!

Head-on view of cherries pureed in a blender.

I highly recommend you also salt the rims of your glasses. Because that's what you do for margaritas!

If you aren't a fan of the salt, you can always drink it with a straw… Or use sugar. It's just too pretty to resist!

Head-on closeup view of a cherry margarita with lime wedge garish, salted rim and red and white straw.

If you're making your own simple syrup for this drink (and you should! It's so easy!), all you need to do is combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a medium-sized saucepan at high heat.

Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the heat and let simmer for about 10 minutes, until syrup thickens.

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Remove syrup to jar or bowl and let cool to room temperature. My personal recommendation is to always have a mason jar or two of simple syrup in your fridge ready to go for times like these!

And by "times like these," I mean Cocktail Fridays. Happy Cocktail Friday, by the way!

Overhead view of a cherry margarita with lime wedge garnish and salted rim with plate of salt, cherries, and lime in background.

If you're a New Englander like me, it's likely you spent many years seeing commercials for the fast food place, Sonic, despite the fact that there wasn't one even semi-close to us. I always thought it must be the best place in the world, in part due to the cherry limeade everyone was obsessed with.

Well, we finally got Sonics in New England and I live super close to one now. I've only been twice and the food definitely didn't live up to the commercial hype… But that Cherry Limeade is pretty delicious. And these Cherry Lime Margaritas remind me of that a little bit. But frostier (which obviously means better). Oh, and WITH tequila! So, this one most definitely wins.

Landscape view of two cherry margaritas with lime wedge garnishes and salted rims with plate with cherries, salt, and limes in foreground and mason jar of simple syrup in background.

Of course, you could make a cherry margarita without tequila for the kids, but right now, it's Friday, you've had a long week, and I'm sure you need to relax. So go ahead and add the tequila!

Overhead view of two cherry margaritas with lime wedge garnishes and salted rims with yellow plate with salt, cherries, and limes in foreground.

This plate is making me think this margarita should be re-created into some kind of cherry margarita tequila shot. Shot of tequila, bite of cherry, squeeze of lime, and lick of salt? I'm way too old for that.

Overhead closeup view of yellow plate with sea salt, fresh cherries, and lime wedges

This is the way summer should be. Cherry Margaritas on Fridays. Preferably because you have the day off and you're sitting on the beach. But after work will suffice, too.

Happy Cocktail Friday and happy weekend!

What will you be sipping on this weekend?

If you like this cherry lime margarita, you may also love my recipe for Cherry Rum and Coke! If you want to put those fresh cherries in a dessert, try my Cherry Clafoutis. I also really want to try this Cherry Sorbet from Chef not Required!

📖 Recipe