This Honey Lemonade recipe is a much healthier version of this summertime favorite with only 2 real food ingredients and a few minutes of hands on time. This lemonade recipe with honey is refreshing, quick, and easy. Plus, I'll show you how to make lemonade with bottled lemon juice so it takes even less time to whip up a pitcher of homemade lemonade.
Is there anything more refreshing than fresh lemonade on hot summer days? Not only will your whole family love this honey lemonade recipe, but all neighborhood kids will flock to your house for it.
It's refreshing. Slightly tart and perfectly sweetened with honey. Fresh-squeezed lemonade is one of my favorite things, not just on a hot day, but it's equally delicious during the long winter. You know how I know? It tastes wildly similar to the honey citrus mint tea.
So, skip the store-bought lemonade with excess sugar and make this healthy lemonade recipe instead.
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Why you'll love this Honey Lemonade
- Only 2 ingredients - This easy honey lemonade recipe calls for only 2 ingredients plus water. And you can use jarred lemon juice if you don't have fresh lemons or the extra time to juice them. I'll show you how to make lemonade with bottled lemon juice so stay with me.
- Made with nourishing ingredients - Homemade lemonade recipes often call for simple syrup made out of refined sugar. Not this version. This is full of healthy enzymes from the raw honey and lemons are a great source of vitamin C.
- Customizable - Make it as sweet or as tart as you want. You can also use your sweetener of choice.
- Super easy to make - It's a great recipe that little ones can make. In fact, it was one of the first things that my youngest son started making in the kitchen. Great for little kitchen helpers and they'll feel so proud!
💭Fun Fact: Legend has it that pink lemonade originated when a circus worker accidentally dropped some red cinnamon candies into a regular batch of lemonade, giving the drink its characteristic pink color.
Ingredients for Honey Lemonade Recipe
Learn how to make a refreshing homemade lemonade recipe with 2 simple ingredients plus water. This easy recipe takes very little time to whip up, so make a double batch so you'll always be ready to cool down with this refreshing drink.
- Lemons: approximately 6-8 fresh lemons is needed to make 1 ¼ cups of lemon juice. You may also use store bought pure lemon juice.
- Raw honey: a mild honey like wildflower honey is a good choice, as is clover honey. Orange blossom honey works great too. Local honey is ideal as it may help with seasonal allergies and supports your local farmers.
- Water: you'll need approximately 2 quarts of filtered water - with 2 cups being slightly warm to dissolve honey.
See the recipe card for exact quantities. The best part about this delicious recipe is that you can totally adjust the sweet honey and tart lemon to suit your taste preferences. The amounts listed in the recipe will yield moderate sweet-tart lemonade. Adjust as desired.
Substitutions and Variations
- Natural sweeteners - this honey-sweetened lemonade is sweetened with nothing else but honey. However, you may use maple syrup or make a simple syrup using turbinado. I would steer clear from agave syrup or straight-up white sugar. To make keto version, add a pinch of pure stevia to taste.
- Make an adult beverage - add a shot of your favorite hard liquor like tequila or non-GMO vodka for a healthy summer cocktail.
- Green Tea Lemonade - consider adding chilled green tea in lieu of water to make a refreshing green tea lemonade.
- Pink lemonade - add a few teaspoons of beet juice or pomegranate juice to give the lemonade a pretty pink hue.
Is Homemade Lemonade Healthy?
The short answer is yes! This recipe for honey lemonade is indeed healthy. But staying true to the heart of what Prepare and Nourish is all about, there are ways to ensure you get the maximum nutrition in healthy homemade lemonade. Even though it's an incredibly simple recipe, you can take purposeful steps to turn this into a nourishing drink that you'll feel good about.
Use real lemon juice. That doesn't mean you have to squeeze your lemons. By all means, use jarred or bottled lemon juice, but skip the lemon-shaped plastic squeezers. Those have preservatives including sodium benzoate. Your lemon juice concentrate should have nothing but real lemons. I recommend purchasing lemon juice in glass as the plastic can leach when exposed to acidic foods.
Sweeten with raw honey. Skip the artificial sweeteners and high-fructose corn syrup and make this easy homemade lemonade recipe instead. Raw honey is a nutrient powerhouse. It contains essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can boost your overall health. It's also been used for centuries as a remedy for digestive issues and for boosting the immune system. But look for the raw on the honey label. Or better yet, buy from a local beekeeper.
Don't use hot water. Be sure to use warm water gently in a small saucepan or a tea kettle to dissolve the raw honey so it retains its live enzymes and numerous health benefits.
How to Make Honey Lemonade
The complete printable recipe is below in the recipe card for your convenience. Follow these simple step-by-step instructions for the best results.
The recipe for honey lemonade is very straightforward. Dissolve the honey in warm water and combine with lemon juice and you're done.
Step 1. Squeeze lemons
Using a lemon squeezer, squeeze lemons and run the lemon juice through a mesh strainer to catch pulp and seeds. You can skip this step if you are using bottled lemon juice.
Step 2. Make honey syrup
Add warm water and raw honey directly to the serving pitcher. Stir vigorously to break up the sugar crystals in the honey.
💭Pro tip: Depending on the size and variety of lemons, six fresh lemons will yield approximately 1 cup of fresh lemon juice.
Step 3. Combine lemon and honey
Add the squeezed lemon juice to the honey syrup and mix well.
Step 4. Fill with water
Fill the pitcher with cold water. Add ice and serve immediately or chill until ready to serve.
Pour into a serving glass with ice cubes, add a sprig of fresh mint and lemon wedge as garnish.
This delicious lemonade can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. It is natural for the lemon pulp to settle on the bottom of the glass or pitcher, give a quick stir or swirl, and enjoy!
Helpful Tips for Homemade Lemonade
Get more juice from lemons - To extract more juice from lemons, roll the citrus first between the palm of your hand and the counter. You may also run it under running warm water to activate the juices.
Invest in rust-proof juicer - Lemon juice is acidic and can erode the paint on some citrus juicers over time. Using a stainless steel juicer will ensure your lemonade will be free from paint. It's great for juicing lemons or limes.
Dissolve honey in warm water - Honey (or any other sweetener) is easier to dissolve in warm water. Gently heat water for the honey syrup in a small pot on low heat or in a tea kettle for a few seconds. If the water is too hot, dilute it with room-temperature water.
💭Meal Prep Suggestion: If you have a surplus of lemons, squeeze the lemon juice and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks or freeze in ice cube tray. You can freeze in 1-cup servings to portion out how much you would need to make a pitcher of honey lemonade.
Tools & Links to Make Honey Lemonade
Below are some affiliate links that may be helpful to you as you make this homemade lemonade recipe. You can find some of these items cheaper at your local store, but having a link helps you know what you're looking for.
- Tools: chef knife, cutting board, stainless-steel citrus juicer, mesh strainer, glass pitcher with lid
- Ingredients: organic pure lemon juice, raw honey
Serving Suggestions
We serve honey lemonade with fresh lemon slices following a hearty dinner like cabbage rolls or sheet pan nachos. The acidity in lemonade pairs well with salty and savory foods. Serve iced cold lemonade with crispy beef tongue recipe or bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers air fryer.
Or you can make a large pitcher of lemonade and serve with a taco bar dinner that has all the favorite fixings like guacamole, pico de Gallo, fermented jalapenos, and roasted peppers.
Honey Lemonade pairing suggestions
Storage and Reheating Instructions
How long does homemade lemonade last in the refrigerator?
Typically, when I make this my own lemonade it doesn't last long. But occasionally, I would double the recipe and it has lasted us up to 2 weeks with no problems.
The good news about honey lemonade is it never really goes bad unless it was contaminated. But keeping it in an airtight storage container will help prevent that. What may happen over a prolonged time is that the drink may convert to fermented honey lemonade.
To store: Store lemonade in an airtight container like a mason jar so it doesn't get contaminated with other flavors and aromas in the fridge.
Storage containers: These Weck juice jars with lids are excellent for keeping this honey lemonade but you can also use wide-mouth mason jars.
Can you freeze lemonade?
Yes! Lemonade freezes wonderfully and is a convenient way to preserve it for longer.
To freeze: Pour the lemonade into airtight, freezer-safe containers, leaving some space at the top to allow room for expansion. You can also use souper cubes to freeze individual portions. Place in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw and serve.
FAQs
The honey vs. raw honey debate has been hot in the wellness community. In short, unless your honey bottle says "raw honey" on the jar, it most likely has been pasteurized destroying all the beneficial enzymes. So be sure to go with raw honey that has not been cut with any other sweetener (no thanks HFCS).
My personal favorite is always Meyer lemons as they are thin-skinned with a very sweet flavor (almost like mandarins). Using Meyer lemons also means you will need less honey to sweeten your lemonade. But Meyer lemons aren't always readily available. Eureka lemons are the more commonly available lemons and will work in this recipe.
Instead of using fresh lemons you will have to measure out enough lemon juice that you would have gotten from 6-8 lemons. Follow the rest of the lemonade recipe as written in the recipe card. Six to 8 fresh lemons will yield approximately 1-1-¼ cups of lemon juice.
Looking for more related recipes? Here are some ideas:
Did you make this? Please leave a ⭐ recipe rating in the recipe card below and leave a review in the comments. Thank you!💚
Printable Recipe
Easy Homemade Lemonade Sweetened with Honey
Equipment
- souper cubes for freezing
Ingredients
- 2 quarts water divided
- ½ cup raw honey
- 1 ¼ cup fresh lemon juice approximately 6-8 fresh lemons
Instructions
- Stir: Dissolve about ½ cup of honey in 2 cups of warm water in a large pitcher. Mix well to make sure honey is completely dissolved.
- Squeeze: Squeeze lemons and run the lemon juice through a mesh strainer to catch pulp and seeds. Add 1 ¼ cups of fresh lemon juice to honey water.
- Combine: Add remaining 1 ½ quarts of water with honey and lemon mixture. Stir gently to combine well.
- Serve: Chill or pour over ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon and fresh mint and enjoy.
Notes
- Honey is best dissolved in slightly warmed water. But be careful not to use hot water as that may destroy live enzymes in raw honey.
- Get more juice from lemons - to extract more juice from lemons, roll the citrus first between the palm of your hand and the counter. You may also run it under running warm water to activate the juices.
- Lemon juice: freshly squeezed lemon juice is always best but store-bought lemon juice works too. Look for those stored in glass bottles and with no other ingredients other than lemons.
- Approximately 6-8 lemons (depending on the size and variety) squeezed will yield 1-¼ cups of lemon juice.
- Adjust honey as needed. Some lemons are more tart and more sweetener is needed.
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