Cherry Lemon Rosemary Water: Recipe & How to Make It

Cherry lemon rosemary water is a chilled fruit-and-herb infusion that takes 2 hours 10 minutes total and yields about 4 cups (950 mL).

What is cherry lemon rosemary water?

Cherry lemon rosemary water is plain water infused with pitted cherries, sliced lemon and fresh rosemary. It has a subtle fruit flavor, a citrus edge and an herbal aroma, without needing added sweetener.

The cherries may give the water a light pink tint, depending on their variety and how much you press them. For more fruit combinations, explore these berry infused water recipes.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

This recipe uses approximately 1 cup of cherries, 1 sliced lemon and 2 rosemary sprigs for 4 cups of water. The balance is gently fruity rather than juice-like; use the variations below to adjust it.

Water: 950 mL (4 cups)
Cherries: about 150 g (1 cup), pitted
Lemon: about 100 g (1 medium lemon, or roughly 1/2 cup sliced)
Fresh rosemary: about 5 g (2 sprigs, or roughly 2 tablespoons of loosely packed leaves on the stems)

Fresh sweet or sour cherries both work. Sweet cherries give a softer fruit flavor, while sour cherries make the infusion more tart. Choose a lemon with a firm peel and rosemary that smells fresh.

How do you make cherry lemon rosemary water?

Prep time: 10 minutes
Refrigerated steep: 2 hours
Total time: 2 hours 10 minutes
Yield: About 4 cups (950 mL)

Rinse the cherries, lemon and rosemary under running water. Remove and discard the cherry pits, then halve the cherries.
Slice the lemon into thin rounds. Put the cherries, lemon and rosemary in a clean pitcher.
Pour in the water and stir gently. Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Strain the water into a clean container, or remove the lemon and rosemary before serving. Serve chilled, with ice if desired.

For another combination based on what you have, try the ai infused water generator.

A gentle press on the halved cherries with a spoon can bring out more fruit flavor. Avoid crushing the lemon rind, which can make the water taste bitter. For a stronger infusion, refrigerate it for up to 4 hours before straining.

Why do cherries, lemon and rosemary pair well?

Cherries provide the fruit base, lemon adds brightness, and rosemary contributes a savory, pine-like aroma. The three flavors are distinct but mild when steeped in water, so none needs to dominate. If you prefer the fruit on its own, start with cherry infused water.

The lemon also makes plain water taste more lively; this recipe uses slices rather than squeezed juice. See lemon water for a simpler citrus preparation. Rosemary gives the drink its herbal finish, as it does in rosemary water.

The main benefit of this drink is hydration: flavor may make water more appealing to drink. It is not a substitute for medical treatment or a special detox. The liver and kidneys do most of the body's detoxification, while the lungs and gut help eliminate waste.

Steeping fruit is not the same as eating it, and the amount of nutrients transferred into the water is uncertain. The calories from whole cherries or lemon should not be counted as the calories in the strained drink. Squeezing or eating the fruit adds more of its calories.

How should you store cherry lemon rosemary water?

Keep the pitcher covered and refrigerated, and drink the water within 24 hours for the best flavor. Remove the lemon or strain the infusion by 4 hours; its pith and peel can make the water bitter with a longer steep.

Discard the water after 2 days, or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. Do not leave it at room temperature for more than a few hours. Remove all cherry pits before serving, and keep pits and whole fruit away from young children.

How can you vary cherry lemon rosemary water?

Make it more or less tart

Use less lemon for a softer cherry flavor, or keep the full lemon if you enjoy a sharper citrus note. Strain at the shorter end of the steep if the lemon flavor becomes strong enough for you.

Adjust the rosemary

Start with one sprig for a lighter herbal aroma, or use the full two sprigs in the recipe for a more noticeable rosemary flavor. Bruising the sprigs gently before adding them can also release more aroma.

Change the cherry

Try a different cherry variety to change the balance of sweetness and tartness. Halving the pitted cherries exposes more of the fruit to the water than leaving them whole, while still making them easy to strain out.