Homemade Lemonade + 4 Easy Lemonade Recipes

Skip the sugar and make homemade lemonade with honey!  Check out this easy homemade lemonade recipe plus 4 flavorful and fruit lemonade variations to change it up!

For me, there’s not a single drink that brings such strong positive childhood memories as lemonade.  There’s something about lemonade that just screams summer. With a single sip, I time-travel to those carefree summer days, back when I didn't think about the sugar content or quality of the lemonade I was drinking. Life’s so much better in the summer, isn't it?!

Things change, though. Seasons change, and so does lemonade. It still brings back those wonderful memories, without a doubt, but ever since I decided to quit sugar and stick to a healthier lifestyle, I started to adapt my favorite recipes. And those definitely include lemonade.

Fortunately, homemade lemonade is one of the easiest things to make. Mixing freshly squeezed lemons with water and sweetener could not be simpler. But, we’re past those lemonade-stand recipe that calls for so much sugar that even a can of soda seems like a better option, now aren't we?

WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE IN HOMEMADE LEMONADE?

Like I mentioned in the previous section, all ya need to make basic homemade lemonade is: lemons (preferably freshly squeezed), water, and a sweetener of choice. To make homemade lemonade healthy, I sweeten it with raw honey instead of granulated, highly processed sugar or -- gasp -- corn syrup.  Other sweetener options could be pure maple syrup, if you're vegan, or some coconut sugar (though that will significantly change the color of your lemonade.  Try to avoid any highly refined sugars to maintain better sugar levels -- look out for white sugar and corn syrup.

Although I love an old school lemonade and it's always a crowd pleaser, I like to add a bit of variety every now and then. That’s why I chose to make some variations to my homemade lemonade recipe by adding some different fruits, including strawberries, blueberries, peaches, and raspberries.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE LEMONADE

There’s nothing more refreshing than old-school homemade lemonade. Bonus: It’s also super easy and quick to make. For the basic homemade lemonade recipe you will need only 3 ingredients:

• fresh lemons
• water and
• a sweetener of choice <--- more on this later!

We’ll be using raw honey to sweeten our drink since it’s much better for you than refined sugar (spoiler: it tastes better, too!).  Keep reading for more info on the best types of sweeteners that are't regular white sugar for your lemonade.

To make homemade lemonade, all you have to do is follow these super basic steps:

1. Add the water and raw honey to a pot or saucepan over medium heat.
2. Stir just until the honey is dissolved.
3. Remove the honey water from the heat (it should take just about a minute).
4. In a pitcher or large container, add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and water (see exact amounts in the recipe below)
5. Add the raw honey mixture, as needed, to bring about the desired level of sweetness.
6. Refrigerate until chilled and then serve over ice.

Tips for How to Make the Best Lemonade

We've all had that amazing glass of ice cold lemonade and wondered why all lemonades can't be THAT good, am I right?  Remember the last time you ordered a lemonade and were disappointed because it was too weak or too sweet or too much pulp or ...  This is the beauty of making your own lemonade at home.  Not only is it super easy, but you'll be able to customize your lemonade and follow all the best tips for how to make the best lemonade.

1. Use fresh lemon juice - void buying lemon juice from concentrate or pre squeezed lemon juice.  It just won't taste the same.
2. Use good quality ingredients - fresh, vibrant lemons, raw honey, and good quality water will all help to make your lemonade taste great.
3. Don't just add all the sweetener - just because you can, doesn't mean you should.  Make sure to taste test the lemonade mixture to see how much honey water you'll need to add to get it to suit your tastebuds.
4. Keep or remove the pulp - if you really don't like pulp, you can strain the lemonade through a fine mesh sieve to easily remove the pulp.
5. Make sure to refrigerate - after you mix everything, I find lemonade needs a little time to gel in the fridge to get those flavors to jive together and make the most flavorful lemonade.
6. Add more flavors - try using one of the added fruits to your lemonade to make a whole new delicious flavor of lemonade.
7. Consider making a little extra to turn into ice cubes for later so your ice doesn't "water down" your lemonade.

HOW LONG DOES HOMEMADE LEMONADE LAST?

Homemade lemonade is best served fresh and chilled, but it's also a super easy recipe to make ahead for the week. Generally speaking, homemade lemonade will last in your fridge for up to 7-8 days.  The longer it sits in your fridge, however, the more strong the flavor will become.  To avoid a super butter lemonade by the time Day 7 comes around, here are some tips:

How To Store Homemade Lemonade:

• Add a little water, as needed, to dilute to combat with the strength of the lemon juice
• If storing for longer periods of time, remove any fruit by straining so only the juice remains (you can always add that fruit back in when you're ready to serve.
• Use an air-tight container to store your lemonade so the lemonade stays as fresh as possible and doesn't absorb any odors from your fridge.
• Keep lemonade refrigerated.

Properly stored, it will last up to 8 days in your fridge.

IS LEMONADE HEALTHY?

Since lemonade is made from freshly squeezed lemons, it’s gotta to be healthy and good for you, right? Well, yes and no. Lemon juice is full of minerals and vitamins, especially vitamin C, which helps strengthen your immune system. It also helps digestion and mineral absorption and aids weight loss.

While drinking lemonade has many benefits, store-bought lemonade often has a VERY high amount of sugar which makes it as bad for you as any other sugar-filled drink. The good news is, when making lemonade at home, you have more control over the ingredients and can easily make lemonade a healthy drink to enjoy.

Let's be honest here, really, the only not-so-healthy component of lemonade is the sugar. Luckily, you can easily make lemonade healthier by swapping sugar with healthier, natural sweeteners.

How To Make Lemonade Sugar-Free

Our main goal to make lemonade healthier is to replace the highly refined granulated which will spike your blood sugar levels through the roof and then leave you with a sugar crash.  I love lemonade, but no thanks on that.   Here are some healthier non-sugar options for how to sweeten your lemonade without sugar:

• Coconut Palm Sugar – this sugar is actually sap from the coconut palm which is heated and evaporated which reduces it to granules. Coconut sugar is nutritious and has a low score on the glycemic index (which essentially means it doesn’t tax your body and make you crash after giving you a sugar rush).  Coconut sugar tastes similar to brown sugar, but slightly richer.  (Here are some recipes that use coconut sugar).
• Raw Honey – is simply honey that has not been filtered or pasteurized so it includes beeswax, royal jelly, bee pollen and propolis (a substance collected by honeybees from tree buds, used to fill crevices and seal honeycombs.). Raw honey is pretty awesome.  It’s used by many cultures as a remedy for ailments, including ulcers, digestion problems, and as an antibiotic. Raw honey contains antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and enzymes.  Make sure to look for raw in the name, as processed honey has no such health benefits.  (Here are some recipes that use raw honey).
• Pure Maple Syrup – contains beneficial nutrients, lower Glycemic Index score (so not as harmful to liver), helps with digestion, and contains antioxidants. When used in appropriate amounts, pure maple syrup benefits can lower inflammation, supply nutrients, and better manage blood sugar.  (Here are some recipes that use pure maple syrup).

Each of these non-sugar clean sweetener alternatives would work well in your lemonade to sweeten, but my favorite is raw honey because the sweetness is so rich and it doesn't impair the color as much as the others.  For more info on sugar, check out my post on how to quit sugar!

Alright, let's get to the homemade lemonade recipes!

Homemade Lemonade Made With Honey

This lemonade is made with raw honey and is a great healthy alternative to your typical white sugar, over sweetened lemonade recipe.

STRAWBERRY LEMONADE

Zesty, tart lemon and sweet ripe strawberries make the best summer combo. Try this homemade Strawberry Lemonade Recipe and see for yourself!

BLUEBERRY LEMONADE

I discovered my love for this flavor combo a long time ago when I made this Lemon Blueberry Sorbet for the first time. It was just a matter of time before I added blueberries to make Blueberry Lemonade as well!

PEACH LEMONADE

Nothing tastes like summer more than fresh, juicy peaches! Add them to your lemonade for some extra fruity sweetness with this Peach Lemonade!

RASPBERRY LEMONADE

You can never go wrong with fresh berries, especially when it comes to lemonade and this Raspberry Lemonade. Make this refreshing pink lemonade your go-to this summer!

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