How to make mint lemonade - a refreshing, herby summery drink that will delight all mint lovers! This Lebanese lemonade (limonana mint) requires only 4 ingredients and is ready in minutes as a refreshing drink or "frozen mint lemonade" slushie. Plus, you can make it refined sugar-free or entirely sugar-free.
If you don't already have some, then the first step is to prepare simple syrup. It will be ready in just minutes and simply combines sugar (or natural sweetener) and water in a 1:1 ratio. You could also prepare a mint simple syrup for this recipe – check out the FAQs for the full method.
Step 1: Prepare the citrus juice
Juice the lemons (or limes) using your preferred method (electric juicer, by hand, etc.). You can optionally microwave the citrus for 20-30 seconds before juicing, rolling it firmly against your kitchen counter before slicing and juicing. This helps to extract as much juice as possible when using a manual juicer.
Step 2: Prepare the mint
Place all the mint leaves with a little lemon juice (or water) into a blender (or in a bowl to use with an immersion blender) and blend it.I blended mine into fine pieces (this will more easily infuse the mint lemonade with the flavor). However, you could blend for longer into very fine pieces (almost a liquid consistency).
Step 3: Combine the ingredients.
In a large pitcher, combine one part lemon juice, one part sugar syrup, and three parts water with the blended mint.
When serving, add extra lemon slices, whole mint leaves, and lots of ice. Alternatively, you can add these to individual glasses (especially the ice, to avoid watering down the entire pitcher!).
How to Store
Since this mint lemonade recipe uses a lot of fresh mint, it's best to consume the lemonade within a day (two maximum). Keep it stored, covered, in the refrigerator, and give it a good stir before serving each time.If you want to make a mint lemonade recipe that will last longer, read the FAQs for preparing a mint simple syrup. When using a mint syrup, you only need a handful of whole mint leaves for the pitcher of mint lemonade. They can then be swapped out each day for lemonade with mint that you can store in the fridge for 5-7 days.
Notes
Adjust the sweetness: depending on the citrus used and personal taste, you might prefer your mint lemonade to be tarter/sweeter. Simply adjust the amount of sugar syrup (or sweetener) used.
To use the leftovers: you can turn the Lebanese lemonade into refreshing summery popsicles by pouring the drink into popsicle molds and freezing.
For frozen mint lemonade: aka a mint lemonade slushie. To make it, add the mint, lemon, and simple syrup mixture to a high-speed blender along with just a little water (1/2-3/4 cup) and plenty of ice (3-4 cups or slightly more) and blend into a slushie consistency. Taste and adjust any of the ingredients (syrup, lemon juice, etc.).
For a smooth lemonade: you can blend all the ingredients (but only half the water) in a blender until almost fully liquid (should be green in color), then sieve the mixture to remove any extra mint pulp. Add the extra water and garnishes and serve.
Optional Add-Ins and Variations:
Sugar-free: you can make a sugar-free lemonade by using a sweetener instead. I like to make a simple syrup still with the sweetener. However, you could add it directly to the lemonade. Adjust the amount to personal taste, and different sweeteners differ in taste/sweetness.
Orange blossom water/rosewater: just a few drops of either (I use homemaderosewaterorrose extract) will add a subtle fragrance of flavor to the lemonade.
Coconut water: you can substitute some (or all) of the water for coconut water instead for extra flavor.
Alcohol: there are several ways to add booze, including vodka, bourbon, gin, and tequila.
Chia seeds: you can add ¼ cup chia seeds and leave the lemonade to chill for several hours for added texture, protein, and nutrients.
Check the blog post for more helpful tips and answers to top questions!