Fresh Cherry Margarita Recipe with Real Cherries the Easy Summer Cocktail!

I just LOVE cherries and wanted to combine my love of margaritas with cherries in a refreshing and delicious drink to carry me through the summer!

If you’re lucky enough to have fresh cherries in season, this Fresh Cherry Margarita is one of the best ways to enjoy them. Instead of using bottled mixers or artificial cherry flavoring, this margarita gets its beautiful color and fresh fruit flavor from real sweet cherries, fresh lime juice, and tequila.

Fresh Cherry Margarita Recipe @createdbydiane

The combination of juicy cherries and tart lime creates a cocktail that’s bright, refreshing, and perfect for warm summer evenings. Whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue, celebrating Cinco de Mayo, relaxing on the patio, or serving drinks for the Fourth of July, this homemade cherry margarita always disappears quickly.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that you can customize it depending on how sweet your cherries are. If they’re extra ripe and juicy, simply muddle them directly into the cocktail shaker. If you’ve already made my homemade cherry syrup, this drink comes together in just minutes with an even richer cherry flavor.

Unlike many cherry margarita recipes that rely on grenadine or bottled syrups, this recipe lets the natural flavor of fresh cherries shine. The result is a vibrant cocktail that’s sweet, tart, citrusy, and perfectly balanced.

If you’re entertaining, you can even make a larger batch ahead of time and pour it over ice just before serving. Garnish each glass with fresh cherries and a salted rim for a cocktail that looks as beautiful as it tastes.

Fresh cherry season doesn’t last long, which is why I make this recipe every summer while cherries are at their peak.

I buy LOTS of cherries, and wow do I enjoy eating them. I can hardly get the bag in the fridge without devouring half of it! Sometimes that just means I need to buy two bags really. When I stock up on cherries I always make a batch of Cherry Syrup…I just love it.

You can make cherry syrup for these or you can muddle the cherries, the choice is yours.

pitting-cherries-with-Cherry-Pitter-@creeatedbydiane

A cherry pitter is invaluable to a cherry lover!

Do you have a favorite recipe with fresh cherries, I’d love to hear about it. Let me know in the comments.

I love this Cherry Lime Curd
I’ve made Fresh Cherry Scones
and this Cherry Guacamole

If you love cherries you’ll have to give those a try too!

FAQ

Can I use frozen cherries?

Yes. Let them thaw before muddling.

Can I make these ahead?

Yes. Mix everything except the ice several hours ahead.

What tequila is best?

Blanco tequila keeps the cherry flavor bright, while reposado offers a slightly richer taste.

Can I make these sweeter?

Absolutely. Add additional homemade cherry syrup or simple syrup to taste.

You can either muddle the cherries for the drinks or you can use the cherry syrup I recommended making. Either way, you will have a fresh delicious flavor. No artificial flavors going on here and how can you resist that gorgeous color!!

If you love fresh drinks but often fruit sweetness can vary, that is why it’s great to make some simple syrup to have on hand to be able to adjust the sweetness in drinks.

I’ve infused it with fresh lavender too and it’s great in so many drinks even iced tea or lemonade. To make those drinks “boozy” I just add some vodka.

As soon as I see cherries in the store I make cherry syrup… but until then I just sit back and dream of enjoying some Cherry Margaritas!

Cherry Margarita Variations

Frozen Cherry Margarita- freeze the cherries
Spicy Cherry Margarita with jalapeño slices
Sparkling Cherry Mocktail, use seltzer instead of tequila
Skinny Cherry Margarita using fresh muddled cherries

More summer recipes:

Grilling Recipes
Mexican Recipes– for taco Tuesday, cinco de mayo and every day in between!

Take a look at my other fresh syrup recipes here.

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Fresh Cherry Margarita

Servings: drinks

Author: Diane Schmidt – createdbydiane.com

Ingredients

5 oz tequila
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup cherry syrup recipe here https://www.createdby-diane.com/2014/07/how-to-make-cherry-syrup.html
fresh cherries for muddling and garnish

Instructions

In a drink shaker add tequila lime juice, water, cherry syrup and shake with ice to get the drink ICY cold.
If you cherries are really ripe the syrup will be flavorful and sweet, if they aren’t super flavorful muddle 6 cherries in the drink shake and strain as you pour the drink into the glasses. (alternatively you can muddle 10 or so cherries per drink and you will want to adjust the sweetness with simple syrup then)
Pour over a rimmed glass with lime and salt and half full of ice.
Garnish with a cherry.

Notes

alternative: You can muddle fresh cherries and add additional sweetener if you don’t want to make the cherry syrup. But trust me, once you make the syrup you fill find lots of things to enjoy it on.