Nothing says summer in Michigan quite like fresh cherries, and this Michigan Cherry Lemonade is one of our favorite ways to enjoy them. Made with fresh Michigan cherries, freshly squeezed lemons, and just the right amount of sugar, this refreshing drink is sweet, tart, and perfect for hot summer days.

One of my favorite things about this recipe is that my daughter wanted to make it from scratch. She had so much fun pitting the cherries (with a little help from our cherry pitter!) and watching the bright red cherry juice come together. It’s one of those simple recipes that turns into a special summer memory, and the finished lemonade was worth every minute.

The fresh cherry flavor really shines in this homemade lemonade. You can make the cherry juice using a juicer, or simply blend the pitted cherries and strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer to remove the skins and pulp. Either method works beautifully and gives the lemonade its gorgeous ruby-red color.

Whether you’re serving it at a backyard barbecue, sipping it on the patio, or looking for a fun way to use Michigan cherry season’s fresh fruit, this fresh cherry lemonade is always a crowd-pleaser. It’s easy to make with just a handful of simple ingredients and tastes so much better than anything you’ll find at the store.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Made with fresh Michigan cherries and real lemons.
A refreshing homemade drink that’s perfect for summer.
Easy to make with only three simple ingredients.
Great for cookouts, picnics, and family gatherings.
A fun project with the kids.

My daughter actually wanted to have a lemonade stand if I was going to have a garage sale but I opted for the drop box and she was super disappointed to not be able to host a stand. Instead we had a 3d toy sale on our camping trip which was successful. Anywho her and my husband decided to make some homemade lemonade a few weeks back and we have been making it every week since. So I have to call it either Daddy Daughter Cherry Lemonade or Sofie’s Cherry lemonade 🙂

Ingredients You’ll Need for this Michigan Cherry Lemonade

🍒 Fresh Cherries– if you love fresh cherries I hight recommend buying this cherry pitter!
🍒 Lemons
🍒 Sugar

When are cherries in season in Michigan

Michigan cherry season is generally from late June to early August although you can still find them at roadside stands through the end of August. We are usually up towards the Traverse City ares mid July and it is EVERYTHING Cherry!

How to make homemade lemonade

Step 1: Pit the cherries. we bought a cherry pitter and highly recommend this product! Alternatively you can use a straw and pop the pits out.

Step 2: Make the cherry juice. If you have juicer you can use that- we have done both methods. I find it more of a pain. So when I helped make it I blended the cherries in a food processor/blender then pour it through a sieve to strain the juice.

Step 3: Juice the lemons. Use a citrus juicer to easily juice your lemons.

Step 4: Add all ingredients to a pitcher. Add the cherry juice, lemon juice, and sugar into a 1 gallon pitcher. Fill the rest of the pitcher with water. Whisk until sugar is well absorbed and enjoy over ice or refrigerate.

This is also delicious as a Spiked Cherry Lemonade or in a Margarita!

This homemade Michigan Cherry Lemonade is bright, refreshing, and one of our favorite summer traditions. I hope your family enjoys making it just as much as ours did!

Looking for other recipes with fresh cherries? Check out my:

Make sure to PIN IT!