Cherry Limeade Slush (Kid-Friendly)
A drive-in-style cherry limeade slush with limeade concentrate, grenadine and lemon-lime soda — alcohol-free, sized for Margaritaville machines.
Jump to recipe ↓A homemade take on the drive-in cherry limeade.
Soda on top adds fizz.
Cherry Limeade Slush recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 4 oz frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
- 1½ oz grenadine or maraschino cherry juice (paid link)
- 6 oz cold water
- 3 oz lemon-lime soda (to top)
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Maraschino cherries, lime wedge. Glass: Any fun glass.
Instructions
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add limeade, grenadine and water to the jar.
- Run the cycle.
- Top with soda; garnish with cherries and lime.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| frozen limeade concentrate, thawed | 3⅓ oz | 4½ oz | 3 oz | 3¾ oz | 7⅔ oz |
| grenadine or maraschino cherry juice | 1¼ oz | 1⅔ oz | 1¼ oz | 1½ oz | 2¾ oz |
| cold water | 5 oz | 6¾ oz | 4½ oz | 5¾ oz | 11½ oz |
| lemon-lime soda (to top) | 2½ oz | 3⅓ oz | 2¼ oz | 2¾ oz | 5¾ oz |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- A carbonated ingredient foams when blended. Pour it into the jar last, down the side, and stay well under the fill line — or blend without it and top each glass with soda instead.
- This batch uses about 11.5 fl oz of liquid for 3 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Limeade and grenadine give sweet-tart cherry-lime flavor.
About mocktails & kid-friendly
Without alcohol, frozen drinks set firmer, so most of our mocktails replace the spirit with an equal volume of juice, soda or water to keep the liquid-to-ice ratio right. Remember the manuals’ warning: the appliance itself should not be used by children — let an adult run the machine.
Tips for the best texture
- Add soda after blending.
- Lots of cherries.
- Lime wedge.
- Adults: see Cherry Limeade Margarita.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with maraschino cherries, lime wedge and serve in a any fun glass. Make mocktails look as special as the grown-up drinks: colored sugar rims, fruit skewers and fun straws. Label pitchers clearly at mixed parties so alcoholic and alcohol-free batches never get confused, and blend the kids’ batch first in a freshly rinsed jar.
Variations
- Cherry-vanilla: Add vanilla syrup.
- Blue: Add blue curaçao syrup. Try: Monin Blue Curaçao Syrup (non-alcoholic) (paid link)
- Lemon: Use lemonade.
Make it with (or without) alcohol
Already alcohol-free.
Shop the ingredients
- Rose's Grenadine Syrup (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Frequently asked questions
Fresh cherries?
Pit and add.
Less sweet?
More water.
Diet soda?
Fine.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
