Minty Cherry Limeade Smash
Nostalgic, bubbly, and just sweet enough, this is the most wonderfully refreshing cocktail to enjoy all spring and summer long. Plus, you can use almost any liquor you like or have – it works great with any. I use bourbon, but have also made with vodka and rum, and tequila or gin would be fine as well. It’s flexible. Also, you can top with plain sparkling water if you prefer, I just love using a slightly fruit-flavored one, as it adds to the fruity nature of the drink. But that’s up to you!
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Ingredients
- 2 ounces liquor of choice (I use bourbon, but vodka, rum, tequila, or gin also work great)
- 1.5 ounces cherry vanilla syrup (or to taste; see below)
- 5 sprigs of fresh mint
- The juice of 1/2 lime
- 3 or 4 fresh or frozen cherries, halved
- Fruity sparkling water, for topping (I use Spindrift – any flavor)
- Granulated sugar: for rimming (optional; see note)
For the Cherry Vanilla Syrup:
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cherry jam
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
To make one drink: Add some ice to a cocktail shaker along with the liquor, cherry-vanilla syrup (see below), mint, lime juice, and cherries. Shake shake shake! Strain into an ice-filled glass, top with some sparkling water, and add the smashed cherries into the glass. Add a slice of fresh lime, if desired.Â
 To make the cherry-vanilla simple syrup
In a small saucepan over medium heat, add the sugar, 3/4 cup water, and the cherry jam. Simmer until the sugar is dissolved, and stir frequently to help break up the jam. Remove from the heat, add the vanilla, and allow to cool to room temp before using. (I usually transfer to a different container and pop it in the fridge).
Notes
To rim your glasses. Put some sugar on a plate and run a cut lime around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim into the sugar, coating it all the way around.Â
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