Cherry Lime Rosemary Water: Recipe and How to Make It

Cherry lime rosemary water is a fruit-and-herb infused drink that takes 2 hours 10 minutes to prepare, including chilling, and yields about 4 cups.

What is cherry lime rosemary water?

Cherry lime rosemary water is plain water infused with cherries, sliced lime and fresh rosemary. The cherries give it a gentle fruit flavor, the lime adds tartness, and the rosemary brings an aromatic, herbal note.

It is an unsweetened option for anyone who wants more flavor in their water. For more fruit combinations, see these berry infused water recipes.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 4 cups of cherry lime rosemary water, use:

Water: 950 mL, or 4 cups
Cherries: 150 g, or about 1 cup pitted and halved
Lime: 1 lime, about 70 g or roughly 1/3 cup sliced
Fresh rosemary: 2 sprigs, about 5 g or roughly 2 tablespoons of loosely packed leaves

A pitcher or large jar, a knife and a spoon are all you need. A strainer is helpful when the infusion is ready, but you can also remove the fruit and herb with a spoon.

This ratio gives the cherry flavor room to come through without making the rosemary too strong. Use fresh sweet or sour cherries; their natural tartness will affect the finished taste.

How do you make cherry lime rosemary water?

Rinse the cherries, lime and rosemary under running water.
Pit and halve the cherries. Slice the lime into thin rounds.
Place the cherries, lime slices and rosemary sprigs in a clean pitcher or jar.
Pour in the water and stir gently. Cover the container and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Taste the water. For a stronger infusion, return it to the refrigerator for up to 2 more hours.
Remove the fruit and rosemary by 4 hours to limit bitterness from the lime peel. Serve the water chilled, over ice if you like.

For another custom combination, use the AI infused water generator.

The water should have a light, refreshing flavor rather than the intensity of juice. If the rosemary tastes strong before the fruit is ready, remove the sprigs and let the fruit continue to steep in the refrigerator.

Why do cherries, lime and rosemary pair well?

Cherries contribute a rounded fruit flavor that balances lime's sharpness. Rosemary adds a savory aroma, so the drink tastes more complex without needing a sweetener.

The main benefit of cherry lime rosemary water is hydration. If its flavor helps you drink water, it can make an unsweetened drink more appealing; there is no evidence that this particular infusion treats a health condition.

The amount of nutrients transferred from the ingredients into steeped water is unknown, so the nutrition of the whole fruit or herb should not be counted as the nutrition of the drink. The liver and kidneys do most of the body's detoxification; the lungs and gut also help eliminate waste, while sweat removes only trace amounts.

For individual ingredient ideas, see cherry infused water, lime water and rosemary water.

How should you store cherry lime rosemary water?

Keep cherry lime rosemary water covered in the refrigerator and drink it within 24 hours for the best flavor. Strain out the lime and other ingredients by 4 hours, then return the water to the refrigerator.

Discard it 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.

How can you vary cherry lime rosemary water?

Use frozen cherries

Unsweetened frozen cherries can stand in for fresh ones. Check that they are pitted, then add them to the pitcher without thawing; the flavor and color may develop differently from fresh fruit.

Adjust the lime

For a milder citrus taste, use fewer lime slices. You can also remove the peel before adding the lime if you prefer less of the bitterness that citrus peel can contribute.

Soften the rosemary flavor

Start with one rosemary sprig instead of two, or remove the sprigs as soon as the herbal flavor is noticeable. You can make the next batch stronger if you want a more prominent rosemary aroma.