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Sonic Drive-In Cherry Limeade Recipe
Sonic Drive-In Cherry Limeade
By Todd Wilbur

Recipe Type: Drink
Calories: 143
Cook Time: 2 minutes
Recipe Rating: 4.7 (16 reviews)
 
Here's the signature drink from the chain that's reviving the drive-up burger joint, just like a scene out of American Graffiti or Happy Days. It was in 1953 that Troy Smith obtained the parcel of land in Shawnee, Oklahoma that was big enough to fit the new steakhouse and root beer stand that was his dream. Troy thought he'd make he steakhouse his primary operation, but as it turned out folks preferred the hot dogs and cold drinks over at the root beer stand. So Troy did the smart thing and ditched the steakhouse to focus all his efforts on the other joint. At first he called the root beer stand "Top Hat," but when Troy found out later that name was already being used, he came up "Sonic" to signify "service at the speed of sound." Today the chain is the sixth largest hamburger outlet in the country. 

This recipe makes a simple, old-fashioned drink by combining Sprite with cherry juice and some lime wedges. Use cherry juice made by Libby under the brand-name Juicy Juice for the best home clone.
 
12 ounces Sprite (1 can)
3 lime wedges (1/8 of a lime each)
1/4 cup cherry juice (Libby's Juicy Juice is best)

1. Fill a 16-ounce glass 2/3 full with ice.

2. Pour Sprite over the ice.

3. Add the juice of three lime wedges and drop them into the drink.

4. Add the cherry juice and serve with a straw.

Makes one 16-ounce drink (medium size).
        
Vanessa  
Submitted on 01/29/13
This is a perfect drink for a hot day! Tastes like one from Sonic. I couldn't find the brand Juicy Juice and bought Ocean Spray Cherry. I have seen other recipes that use the maraschino juice, but I think the cherry juice gives it such a better flavor. A great clone!!
Teresa in TN  
Submitted on 08/06/08
Husband loved it. He didn't know what hit him. His exact words were "Oh my goodness. What is this?" He thought I poured it into one of our glasses. Recipe is good the way it is. I will try the maraschino cherry syrup next time to see if there is a difference either DaVinci or Toriani. Thanks!
Allyssa  
Submitted on 03/20/08
This recipe uses too much cherry juice. At Sonic, a 20-ounce drink only uses 2 ounces of cherry syrup, and two lime wedges.
Jana  
Submitted on 02/10/08
Great recipe! I love this stuff and go get the Route 44 size every chance I get. The mix as in the recipe was almost, but not quite right. I added about 3 maraschino cherries, and a bit more than the called for 1/4 cup of cherry juicy juice. The amount of lime was perfect though! THANKS! Keep up the awesome work.
Tiffany  
Submitted on 06/26/07
Very nice!!! hehe. I worked at a Sonic for a long time, and all I did was the drinks...very accurate. The only way to make it better is using fountain soda, crushed ice, and putting a huge amount of cherries in it!!!
Adrienne  
Submitted on 04/08/07
This recipe is awesome. When I moved up north, no sonic. My mom tried forever to duplicate, she finally found that cherry 7 up with marachino cherry syrup and lime juice produces good results, however this recipe has got Sonics down to an exact replica.
Erin  
Submitted on 03/31/07
I used 7-up and instead of Cherry juice I used fresh strawberries to make their strawberry limeaid. It was great and a lot cheaper than going to sonic! Thank you for a great receipe!
chimmy  
Submitted on 09/12/06
I used 7up or sprite which ever is on sale. I used Rose's Cherry Grenadine instead of Libby's and juice from a jar of maraschino cherries, too
Bob Hill  
Submitted on 07/08/06
I really wasn't much of a Sonic customer, but my daughter was. After tasting the Cherry Limeade drink, I am now. I like to add "Grey Goose" Vodka to the drink...WOW!
Mike  
Submitted on 04/15/06
taste better than sonic I used the bacardi lime mix instead the limes
casey  
Submitted on 09/30/05
i am addicited to cherry limeades and this recipe has got to be cheaper than going to sonic almost twice a day and ordering the biggest one on the menu!!!
Tonyalaya  
Submitted on 09/24/05
I tried this with Sprite Zero, just like I order it from Sonic, but it wasn't quited the same. Still good though. I'm going to try to find some cherry sno-cone syrup or something, the cherry was just not exact.
Samantha Noel Hill  
Submitted on 09/24/05
You can use Roses Cherry Grenadine, and Roses Lime Grenadine, and Sprite of course, and get the exact Sonic flavor. You can find all of these ingredients at Wal-Mart.
Swan  
Submitted on 08/04/05
in a pinch, juice from a jar of maraschino cherries work very well.
cUTIEpIE5  
Submitted on 07/25/05
Really Yummy! very refreshing and easy to make!I added a little more cherry juice and i used Rose's Cherry Grenadine instead of Libby's. I also cut a lime in half and squeezed the juice into the drink. Highly reccomended!
*sparklediva*  
Submitted on 07/18/05
Hubby worked at Sonic while in HS and this is pretty close to what he would bring home...I think this recipe is better *Ü*