Brazilian limeade recipe

The pink lemonade's cooler, sneakier cousin

Name: Cherry Brazilian Limeade
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 4 to 5 fresh limes (scrubbed and quartered); 1 cup fresh or frozen cherries (pitted); ½ to ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk (adjust to taste); 4 cups cold water (divided); 1 cup ice cubes

Whole blended limes, sweet cherries, and a can of condensed milk turn into the most refreshing thing you'll make with a blender all summer.

Dowell CooksAugust 4, 20265 min read Print this post

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A frothy, bright pink Cherry Brazilian Limeade served over ice.

Whole limes, sweet cherries, one can of condensed milk, and a blender. That's it.

Hey, welcome back to Dowell Cooks! I've got a drink for you that looks way fancier than it is: this Cherry Brazilian Limeade. It's just whole limes, sweet cherries, and a can of condensed milk, all thrown in a blender until it turns this gorgeous frothy pink. Ten minutes, zero stove time, and it tastes like something you'd order at a beach bar.

Overhead view of Fresh Limes, Fresh Or Frozen Cherries, Sweetened Condensed Milk, Cold Water and Ice Cubes arranged on a table — Quartered limes, pitted cherries, condensed milk, and ice ready to blend.

Since lime is doing most of the heavy lifting in that balance act, it's worth knowing what else it plays well with.

Pairs for Lime

LimeSweetened Condensed Milk

Score 88

Shared aroma compounds and complementary structure.

LimeIce

Score 78

Shared aroma compounds and complementary structure.

LimeWater

Score 64

Shared aroma compounds and complementary structure.

This is a hangout drink, not a sipping-alone drink. I love it next to something salty and fried, like empanadas or crispy chicken, because the sweet-tart pink drink cuts right through the grease. It's also great on its own with a bowl of salty chips if you just want to sit outside and drink something cold.

Grab limes that feel heavy for their size and give a little when you squeeze them. Those are juicier than the hard, bright green ones. For cherries, fresh is great in season, but frozen work just as well here since they're getting blended anyway, so don't stress if fresh cherries aren't around.

Chopping fresh limes while preparing Cherry Brazilian Limeade — Straining the blended lime mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher.

In the winter I'll swap the cherries for frozen mango or pineapple, which keeps that fruity bridge but leans tropical instead of tart-sweet. If you want it a little lighter, cut the condensed milk down and add a touch of honey. You still get the creamy texture without going quite as rich.

Smart swaps

Substitutions that still taste like the recipe.

Missing something in the fridge? Here's what actually works instead.

lime

lemon
Shares terpene compounds with lime
grapefruit↓ sour
Shares terpene compounds with lime — less sour

cherry

plum
Shares phenolic compounds with cherry
nectarine↓ sour
Shares fruity ester compounds with cherry — less sour

sweetened condensed milk

vanilla pudding mix
Shares lactone compounds with sweetened condensed milk
vanilla ice cream↓ sweet
Shares lactone compounds with sweetened condensed milk — less sweet

Common questions

Can I make this without a fine-mesh strainer?

You really want one here, or a cheesecloth-lined regular strainer at minimum. Without it you'll get bitter peel bits and gritty pulp in every sip, which undoes the whole point of blending whole limes.

Why does my limeade taste bitter?

You probably ran the blender too long on the first lime step. Pulse it for 20 to 30 seconds max, no more, and strain it well before adding anything else.

Can I make this ahead for a party?

It's best fresh since the froth settles and the drink separates a bit as it sits. If you need to prep ahead, do the first lime blend and strain, then refrigerate that liquid and do the final blend with cherries, condensed milk, and ice right before serving.

Is this drink very sweet?

Yes, it leans dessert-sweet thanks to the condensed milk and cherries. Start with a half cup of condensed milk and taste before adding more if you want it less rich.

This is one of those recipes you'll make once for yourself and then keep making for everyone who walks through your door all summer. It takes ten minutes, one blender, and a strainer, and the payoff is way bigger than the effort. Give it a try and go browse the rest of the recipes while you're at it.

The recipe

Cherry Brazilian Limeade

Serves 410 minBrazilian

The Quarterly

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