The pink lemonade's cooler, sneakier cousin

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.

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

Dowell Cooks

The pink lemonade's cooler, sneakier cousin

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.

No fuss. All flavor. Every single time.
Dowell Cooks

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.

Brazilian limeade (limonada suíça) is normally just whole blended limes, water, sugar, and a splash of condensed milk for creaminess. I started throwing cherries in one summer when I had a bowl going soft on the counter and didn't want to waste them, and honestly it made the whole drink better. The cherries round out the sharp lime instead of just sitting on top of it. The color shifts from pale green to bubblegum pink.

how it comes together

You blend the whole limes, peel and all, with water first, just a quick pulse, then strain that out before you do anything else. That first blend is only pulling flavor and oil out of the peel, not making the drink itself. Once it's strained clean, you go back to the blender with that lime liquid, the cherries, the condensed milk, more water, and ice, and blend on high until it's frothy and fully pink. Two blends, one strainer, done.

The one thing that'll ruin this drink is over-blending the limes in that first step. Go past 30 seconds or so and you start tearing up the white pith and peel oils, and suddenly your limeade tastes bitter instead of bright. Pulse it, don't let it run, and strain well through a fine mesh so no pulp or peel bits sneak into the pitcher.

Here's how sharp and sweet actually stack up once it's all blended together.

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

lime

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.

If you're short on time, skip pitting fresh cherries by grabbing a bag of frozen pitted cherries. No knife, no mess, and they blend up just as smooth. It shaves a good five minutes off your prep and you'd never know the difference in the glass.

Start with a half cup of condensed milk and taste before you add more. Everyone's limes are different levels of tart, and it's way easier to blend in a little extra sweetness than to fix a drink that's gone too sweet.

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.

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Curious where this gets blended up in the first place?

In the kitchen

Kitchen: Studio

This drink is exactly the kind of thing I keep making all summer.

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Per serving

Questions from the kitchen

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.