Sonic Diet Cherry Limeade Recipe

What's more refreshing than Sonic's cherry limeade on a hot summer's day? Not much! So I'm bringing you a diet cherry limeade recipe for you to enjoy on a low-carb diet. Equal parts sweet and tart, you'll be making this copycat recipe all summer long!

Why you'll love this sugar-free cherry limeade

Sonic's cherry limeade is a fan favorite – and for good reason!

Sweet cherry is the perfect pairing to tart lime juice. And when they're combined over classic Sonic nugget ice, the results are incredibly refreshing.

Every time I go to keto at Sonic, I am always tempted to grab a delicious cherry limeade...

But is Sonic diet cherry limeade sugar-free?

Nope!

While the diet limeade is lower in sugar and carbohydrates than its original recipe, there are still some added sugars.

If you want total control over your carbs and calories, you can make a copycat version of this Sonic classic at home with my sugar-free diet cherry limeade recipe!

In this post, I’m sharing tips for this perfect summer beverage, with serving suggestions, options to customize, and more. 

Note: And, if you're interested in a strawberry version of this tasty drink, check out my recipe for Sugar-Free Strawberry Limeade.

Ingredients needed

This diet cherry limeade is incredibly simple to make. Here are all the ingredients that go into this sweet, sugar-free drink recipe:

Diet lemon-lime soda

The base of this recipe is Sprite Zero soda. You can use any diet lemon-lime soda of your choice; just make sure it's free of added sugars and low in carbohydrates.

Beware – frozen limeade concentrate is FILLED with sugar content that is definitely not keto-approved.

You can also use your favorite lime sparkling water!

Lime juice

This recipe calls for juice from one lime; it compliments the diet lemon-lime soda while adding a fresh, tart flavor.

Lime juice is a great keto fruit addition because it's so low in net carbs.

I highly recommend using fresh limes and not concentrated lime juice. It just tastes better!

For a real Sonic cherry limeade, slice up some of the lime wedges and add them to your drink to really infuse that lime flavor.

Sugar-free cherry syrup

For the tasty maraschino cherry syrup flavor, I use a sugar-free cherry syrup as a keto substitution.

This gives you all the cherry taste you need without the added sugar!

Ice

When I say that ice is the most important part of this recipe, you may think I'm joking. But real Sonic fans know that the ice is the most crucial part of any beverage.

The classic Sonic diet cherry limeade recipe calls for "Sonic ice," also known as nugget ice or pebble ice.

This small form of ice adds a satisfying crunch to your summer drink!

I promise- I am NOT crazy! But any ice will work!

Maraschino cherries

For an optional garnish, I include two maraschino cherries in this recipe. While this would definitely be a "dirty keto" addition, I won't tell!

If you want this fun garnish without the added sugars, try this keto maraschino cherry recipe.

These cherries are so close to the original; they taste like they're straight from a maraschino cherry jar!

Drink tips

Here are a few tips for making the perfect Sonic cherry limeade recipe:

• Opt for fresh lime juice over bottled for a fresher taste.
• Use pebble ice for the true Sonic experience.
• Chill your diet soda before serving it for the best results.

How to make cherry limeade at home

Learn how to make this cherry limeade recipe with just three easy steps!

Prep your base

First, combine your Sprite diet lemon-lime soda with your sugar-free cherry syrup.

You can customize your drink by how much syrup you add; I use 3 tablespoons as a good baseline, though you can change this depending on how sweet and cherry-forward you want the drink to be.

Add fresh lime

Next, juice a whole lime and add it to your mixture; stir to combine.

This is going to add a boost of flavor that regular soda just can’t provide!

Pour over ice

Finally, fill two glasses with ice.

Pour your cherry lime mixture, serve, and enjoy!

How to enjoy your diet cherry limeade

Cherry limeade pairs really well with a variety of summer-inspired meals, both lunch and dinner!

This cherry limeade Sonic copycat recipe is perfect for sipping along with a fresh summer salad like my spinach strawberry salad with vinaigrette, keto cobb salad with chicken, baby kale salad with avocado, or cranberry walnut chicken salad in lettuce wraps.

And, for a heartier meal option, pair cherry limeade with a low-carb sandwich like my cucumber sandwiches with cream cheese or keto grilled cheese.

I would also love to serve this beverage at a summer barbeque with grilled shrimp kabobs, keto macaroni salad, and bbq pulled chicken sandwiches.

Finally, you could serve a boozy version of this cherry limeade accompanying a summer night dinner spread. My serving suggestions include keto fish tacos, garden-fresh cucumber and tomato salad with vinegar, and cilantro lime cauliflower rice!

Variations

If you want to take this diet cherry limeade recipe to the next level, here are some ways to switch things up:

• Add sliced strawberries and a lime wedge to the rim for a colorful display.
• Include a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for more variety in flavor.
• Blend your drink for a diet cherry limeade slushie!
• Include low-carb alcohol like vodka or gin for a boozy addition.

FAQs

Here are a couple of answers to the most frequently asked questions about my sugar-free cherry limeade recipe. If you don't see your question in this list, please leave it for me in the comments.

If You Like This Recipe, Try These!

Looking for more refreshing drinks to try this summer? I have several other drink recipes for you to quench your thirst without breaking your keto meal plan:

• Keto Mimosa is a sweet and bubbly addition to your low-carb brunch table – dry champagne and sparkling water combine with sugar-free orange flavoring for a delicious concoction.
• Keto Pink Drink is an amazing Starbucks copycat recipe made with passion fruit tea, sliced strawberries, and heavy whipping cream; it looks almost too good to drink!
• Raspberry Avocado Smoothie is dairy-free, filled with healthy fats, and just darn delicious; simply combine frozen raspberries, lemon juice, and avocado for your new favorite smoothie recipe.
• Sugar-Free Lemonade takes a summer classic and makes it keto-friendly, made with a sugar-free sweetener that you (and your daily carb count) will adore.
• Keto Iced Coffee is the best way to start your day, in my humble opinion - customize your iced brew with heavy cream and the sugar-free flavored syrup of your choice.

Follow us on FACEBOOK, PINTEREST, and INSTAGRAM for even more tasty keto-friendly recipes!

Recipe