I’m excited to share my 4-ingredient Blueberry Lemonade that comes together in under 15 minutes and hides a surprising ingredient you won’t expect.

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I love mixing sweet and tart in ways that make you blink and then smile. My blueberry lemonade started as an experiment when I had fresh blueberries and freshly squeezed lemon juice and nothing else seemed interesting.

It looks almost too pretty to drink, but then it hits you with this bright, zippy flavor that pulls you in. I wont say it’s perfect for every backyard party but it’s the quickest, boldest way to cool off.

If you like a drink that surprises you a little, this Blueberry Lemonade will make you curious enough to keep a pitcher on hand.

Ingredients

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Blueberries add bright color, some antioxidants and fiber, little natural sweetness.
They mash easily for syrup, stains your hands so be careful.
Lemon juice gives sharp sourness and lots of vitamin C.
Acid balances sugar and wakes up the whole drink tangy taste.
Granulated sugar makes it sweet fast, mostly empty calories.
You can dissolve it warm to avoid grit, just a tip.
Cold water dilutes brightness and hydrates, keeps it refreshing.
Together they give tangy sweet balance, tasty summer sipper, simple.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup fresh blueberries (about 150 g)

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 to 6 lemons)

1 cup granulated sugar

4 cups cold water

How to Make this

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1. Rinse 1 cup fresh blueberries and juice enough lemons to get 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, measure 1 cup granulated sugar and have 4 cups cold water ready.

2. In a small saucepan combine the 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup of the water. Heat over medium, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the berries start to burst, about 3 to 5 minutes.

3. Mash the berries a bit with the back of a spoon or a potato masher to release more juice, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.

4. Strain the blueberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing the solids to extract as much syrup as you can. Save the pulp for yogurt or toss it, your call.

5. Pour in the 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir to combine well.

6. Add the remaining 3 cups cold water to the pitcher (so you used 1 cup water in the syrup plus 3 cups cold now for a total of 4 cups), stir and taste.

7. If it’s too sweet add a little extra lemon juice, if it’s too tart add a spoon or two of sugar dissolved in a splash of warm water. Adjust until it tastes right to you, everybody likes it different.

8. Serve over plenty of ice, garnish with a few whole blueberries or a lemon slice if you want, and keep leftovers chilled up to 3 to 4 days. Stir before serving cause it may separate.

Equipment Needed

1. Small saucepan (about 1.5 to 2 qt), you’ll cook the blueberries and sugar in this
2. Fine mesh sieve or strainer to press out the syrup
3. Pitcher or large measuring jug for mixing and serving
4. 1-cup measuring cup plus a set of measuring spoons
5. Citrus juicer or handheld reamer for the lemon juice
6. Wooden spoon and a potato masher or sturdy spoon to mash the berries
7. Sharp knife and cutting board for slicing lemons
8. Small bowl to catch strained solids and save the pulp
9. Glasses and plenty of ice for serving

FAQ

Q: How long will this blueberry lemonade keep in the fridge? A: It'll keep about 3 to 4 days in the fridge, but I usually drink it within 2 days cause the lemon is brightest and the color starts to dull after that.

Q: Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh? A: Yes, frozen work great. You can simmer them with the sugar straight from the freezer or thaw a bit first, same quantity 1 cup will do fine.

Q: Do I need to strain out the blueberry bits? A: No, it's optional. Straining through a fine mesh gives a clear pretty lemonade, leaving them in makes it rustic and a bit more filling. If you strain, press the solids to squeeze out all the flavor.

Q: How do I make it less sweet or more tart? A: Start with 3 quarters cup sugar and taste, add more if needed. For more tartness add extra lemon juice a little at a time. You can swap sugar for honey or maple but the flavor will change.

Q: Can I make this sparkling or alcoholic? A: Yes. For sparkling, top each glass with chilled sparkling water when serving so it stays fizzy. For a cocktail add about 1 to 1.5 oz vodka or gin per glass.

Q: How many servings does this recipe make and can I scale it up? A: It makes roughly 6 cups total, about 4 to 6 servings depending on glass size. To scale, keep the ratio: 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup lemon juice, 1 cup sugar, 4 cups water.

Homemade Blueberry Lemonade Recipe Substitutions and Variations

1 cup fresh blueberries: swap with 1 cup frozen blueberries, thaw a bit and mash or blend then strain if you want a clearer drink, or use 3/4 cup blueberry jam diluted with a little water for extra sweetness.
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice: bottled lemon juice can be used one to one (add a teaspoon lemon zest for brightness), or try 1 cup lime juice for a tangy twist, taste and adjust the sugar.
1 cup granulated sugar: replace with about 3/4 cup honey or agave syrup dissolved into warm water (honey is sweeter and gives a floral note), or use 1 cup simple syrup made from equal parts sugar and water.
4 cups cold water: use 4 cups sparkling water for fizz but add it at the end so it stays bubbly, or swap in up to 4 cups coconut water for mild sweetness and electrolytes, reduce sweetener a bit if you do.

Pro Tips

– Use a blender to blitz the cooked berries a few seconds before straining, it gives way more color and flavor, just dont over-blend or youll pick up bitter skins. Press the puree through a fine sieve with the back of a spoon for best syrup.

– Make blueberry or lemonade ice cubes so your drink wont get watered down, or freeze a few tablespoons of the syrup into cubes and drop them in the glass, they melt and actually boost the flavor.

– Keep a tiny jar of extra lemon juice and a quick simple syrup (equal parts sugar and hot water) in the fridge so you can tweak each pitcher fast, people like it different and its easier than trying to fix a whole batch.

– Dont throw the pulp away, stir it into yogurt, spread on toast, or freeze in ice cube trays for later smoothies, its a shame to waste that flavor and color.

– Chill the pitcher in an ice bath if youre in a hurry and always stir before serving because it separates, also store covered in the fridge up to 3 to 4 days and taste before serving cause citrus dulls over time.

Homemade Blueberry Lemonade Recipe

Recipe by Sam Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m excited to share my 4-ingredient Blueberry Lemonade that comes together in under 15 minutes and hides a surprising ingredient you won’t expect.

Servings

servings

Calories

114.13

kcal

Equipment: 1. Small saucepan (about 1.5 to 2 qt), you’ll cook the blueberries and sugar in this
2. Fine mesh sieve or strainer to press out the syrup
3. Pitcher or large measuring jug for mixing and serving
4. 1-cup measuring cup plus a set of measuring spoons
5. Citrus juicer or handheld reamer for the lemon juice
6. Wooden spoon and a potato masher or sturdy spoon to mash the berries
7. Sharp knife and cutting board for slicing lemons
8. Small bowl to catch strained solids and save the pulp
9. Glasses and plenty of ice for serving

Ingredients

1 cup fresh blueberries (about 150 g)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 to 6 lemons)
1 cup granulated sugar
4 cups cold water

Directions

Rinse 1 cup fresh blueberries and juice enough lemons to get 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, measure 1 cup granulated sugar and have 4 cups cold water ready.
In a small saucepan combine the 1 cup blueberries, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup of the water. Heat over medium, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the berries start to burst, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Mash the berries a bit with the back of a spoon or a potato masher to release more juice, then take the pan off the heat and let it cool for a few minutes.
Strain the blueberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing the solids to extract as much syrup as you can. Save the pulp for yogurt or toss it, your call.
Pour in the 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and stir to combine well.
Add the remaining 3 cups cold water to the pitcher (so you used 1 cup water in the syrup plus 3 cups cold now for a total of 4 cups), stir and taste.
If it’s too sweet add a little extra lemon juice, if it’s too tart add a spoon or two of sugar dissolved in a splash of warm water. Adjust until it tastes right to you, everybody likes it different.
Serve over plenty of ice, garnish with a few whole blueberries or a lemon slice if you want, and keep leftovers chilled up to 3 to 4 days. Stir before serving cause it may separate.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.