Quick Blender Lemonade
There’s nothing quite like a tall, frosty glass of homemade lemonade on a sweltering summer afternoon, and this quick blender version gets you there in about five minutes flat. You toss whole lemons, sugar, ice-cold water, and a handful of ice cubes into the blender, give it a whirl, strain, and pour. The result is bright, fragrant, and refreshingly tart, with that fresh-squeezed flavor you simply can’t get from a powder mix or a bottle.
Lemonade has a long and well-traveled history. Some food historians trace the earliest sweetened lemon drinks to medieval Egypt, where a fermented version called qatarmizat was sold in the streets of Cairo around the 13th century. From there the idea spread across the Mediterranean and into Europe, and by the 17th century Parisians were sipping it from vendors who carried tanks of it on their backs. The drink eventually became a beloved fixture of American summers, from roadside stands to backyard porches. This blender method is a modern shortcut that skips the hand-juicing entirely, pulling every bit of flavor straight from the whole fruit.
The trick to a clean, sweet glass is in the details. Blending the whole lemon, peel and all, gives you a more aromatic drink because so much of a lemon’s fragrance lives in the oils of its zest. That said, blend only for about a minute. Go too long and the white pith starts releasing a bitter edge. Removing the seeds before blending also keeps any harshness at bay, so don’t skip that step if you’re sensitive to bitterness.
Tips & Substitutions
- Sweetness: Adjust the sugar to taste. Start with less if your lemons are mild, or add more for a sweeter sip. Honey or agave syrup work too, but blend them in well.
- Sugar swap: For a lighter drink, use a sugar substitute like stevia or monk fruit, adjusting to taste.
- Citrus mix: Swap one lemon for a lime or an orange for a different twist, or add both for a citrus medley.
- Herbs: Toss a few fresh mint or basil leaves into the blender for a garden-fresh aroma.
- Sparkling version: Strain the concentrate, then top each glass with chilled sparkling water instead of still water for a fizzy treat.
- Less bitter: Peel the lemons before blending if you prefer a milder, less zesty flavor.
Serve this lemonade immediately while it’s still icy cold, garnished with a fresh lemon wheel perched on the rim of each glass. If you’d like to make it ahead, strain it well and store the lemonade in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to two days, giving it a gentle stir before serving since natural settling is normal. Pour over plenty of fresh ice and enjoy that crisp, sunny burst of citrus any time the heat calls for it.
Part of Ukrainian cuisine — 448 more recipes in the section.
You might also like
Ingredients
Instructions
Rinse the lemons well under running water and cut them into several pieces. If you want the drink to be free of bitterness, remove the seeds.
Place the cut lemons into the blender jar. Add the sugar, cold water, and ice cubes.
Turn on the blender and blend everything together for one minute, until the lemons break down into a smooth mixture and the sugar has completely dissolved.
Strain the lemonade through a fine sieve to separate out the peel and pulp, leaving only a clean, fragrant drink.
To serve, garnish the glasses of lemonade with slices of fresh lemon. Serve right away, well chilled.
Reviews
There are no reviews yet.