Are you a fan of classic lemonade but looking to switch things up? Our pink lemonade is the answer! With just the right sweetness and a burst of berry flavor, it's a refreshing twist on a classic. It's fun and colorful, uses a few fresh ingredients, is customizable (use your favorite berries), and comes together in minutes.
Homemade lemonade is sweet and refreshing, perfect for any occasion. It is especially popular as a Summer drink for barbecues, picnics and potlucks. If stored correctly, it can also be taken on camping trips, hiking, and similar activities.
This is our best recipe, with the berries giving it a gorgeous pink hue and unique flavor. It is a close cousin to this blueberry vodka lemonade recipe.
Of course, this is the part you can modify to suit your and your family's palate.
FAQ
It has a fruity, sweet lemon flavor with a berry tone, depending on the type of berry or berries you use. To make one fruit flavor stand out more, add a larger quantity of it.
Quick and easy.
Healthier: you control the ingredients that go into it. Use fresh, natural ingredients and avoid artificial colors, flavors, and preservatives in store-bought lemonade.
Cost-effective: it can be much cheaper than buying pre-made drinks.
Customizable: you can adjust the sweetness and tartness to your liking and the type of berries you use.
Lemonade is made by mixing freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar, and water.
To make it pink, you add berries, whole and crushed. Their juices tint the lemonade immediately and add flavor.
It's typically chilled and served over ice.
This will depend on the size of your lemons and how tart you want your lemonade to be. Generally, you'll need about 6 to 8 large lemons to make 1 cup of fresh lemon juice.
This will depend on your taste preferences. As a starting point, use ¼ cup of sugar for every 3 cups of water. You can adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more or less sugar.
While you can use bottled lemon juice, it won't have the same fresh flavor as freshly squeezed lemon juice. If you do, read the label to ensure it doesn't contain added sugar or preservatives.
Ingredient list
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed.
- Lemon slices: from fresh lemons, to serve.
- White granulated sugar.
- Berries: whole and crushed. I use a mix of raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries.
- Cold water: use regular water with ice cubes or make the lemonade ahead so it has time to chill in the fridge before serving.
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
Variations & substitutions
Feel free to experiment with different ingredients and flavors to create your unique homemade lemonade recipe.
- Mint: add chopped fresh mint leaves to your lemonade for a refreshing and cooling flavor.
- Hibiscus: infuse your lemonade with hibiscus tea for a floral and slightly tart flavor.
- Ginger: add fresh ginger to your lemonade for a spicy and zesty kick.
- Honey, maple syrup, or agave: substitute the sugar in your lemonade with another syrup for a more natural and healthier sweetener.
- Just one berry: use fresh raspberries, strawberries or even cranberries to make their namesake lemonade. Also, a splash of cranberry juice can add a very different flavor to this pink drink.
- Fizzy drink: substitute some of the water for club soda.
How to make pink lemonade
Cut lemon slices to place in the pitcher and the glasses as garnishes before serving.
Add lemon juice to the pitcher with lemon slices, ice cubes, and sugar syrup.
Add whole and crushed berries and stir until it turns pink. Taste and adjust for sweetness or tartness.
Serve in glasses with ice cubes and lemon slices.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
Make sure you don't add all the lemon juice and syrup from the start in case your pitcher is not large enough or if it's your first time and you don't know how tart or sweet you want it. That way, you can adjust.
Storage
Pink lemonade can last 5-7 days if stored properly in the refrigerator. However, its freshness and flavor will gradually decline over time.
- Store it in an airtight container: transfer your lemonade from the pitcher to a clean container with a tight-fitting lid or cover.
- Keep it refrigerated: it should be in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. This will help prevent bacterial growth and keep it fresh.
- Check for signs of spoilage: If your lemonade or fruit looks cloudy, has an off odor or taste, or shows signs of mold, discard it immediately.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperatures, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier!
- Simple sugar syrup: I like it much better than sugar because it sometimes doesn't dissolve completely or requires frequent stirring. The syrup takes about 5 minutes and can be stored in the fridge almost indefinitely. It is always in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
- Freezing lemonade lasts for a month. I store it in ice cube trays, like the concentrated frozen lemonade.
- Stir before serving: The ingredients can settle at the bottom of the jar or pitcher over time. Give it a good stir before serving to distribute the ingredients evenly.
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Pink Lemonade
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Ingredients
For the sugar syrup:
- ¾ cup sugar, see Notes below if you like very sweet lemonade
- ¾ cup water
For the lemonade:
- 1 cup fresh berries
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 6 to 8 lemons
- 2 to 3 cups cold water
- Ice cubes
- Lemon slices and mint leaves, for serving
Instructions
For the simple syrup:
- For the syrup combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a medium saucepan.
- Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat when it starts to boil, and let the syrup cool to room temperature. The sugar will have dissolved, and you'll have a clear, simple syrup. You can store it in a jar with a tight-fitting lid and keep it in the fridge almost indefinitely.
To make the lemonade:
- Process ⅓ of the berries in a small blender or mash in a bowl with a fork (it will be chunky).
- Juice lemons to make 1 cup. You might find an electric citrus juicer handy for this task.
- Combine ¾ cup of lemon juice, ½ cup of cold syrup, 2 cups of cold water, and a cup of ice cubes in a large pitcher (about 6 cup capacity).
- Add the fresh and mashed berries and stir until you get a pink hue.
- Taste and adjust to your palate. I use the whole amount of lemon juice and syrup, but the first time it's better if you mix less of each and then adjust. You might want more sweetness and less lemon or the other way around.
- If not using ice cubes, chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Pour into glasses with a few ice cubes and lemon slices.
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