Homemade Frozen Lemonade (3-Ingredients!)

 Light and refreshing homemade Frozen Lemonade is the perfect Summer recipe! Fresh lemons, lemon zest, honey, and ice are blended into a light and healthy slushie. Kids and adults alike will enjoy sipping this healthy drink to beat the heat all season long!

Frozen Lemonade Recipe

One afternoon recently my hubby and I were planting our summer garden.

The temps were just getting into the mid-80s (yes, it gets hot here quickly!) and it didn’t take long for the sweat to start pouring.

I ran into the house to grab us a bit of ice water when I saw a bowl full of lemons on our counter.

Ahhhh… frozen lemonade would be the perfect thirst quencher.

After quickly juicing a few lemons, in the blender the juice went along with honey and ice then blended until smooth.

It was good, but not quite good enough, something was missing. Then an epiphany hit- it needed a bit of lemon zest for that delicious lemon taste!

Once the fresh citrus zest was added it was the absolute PERFECT homemade frozen lemonade. And it was so quick and easy to make!

(And if you like your frozen summer drinks with an adult twist, you may also enjoy this Frozen Mojito, Watermelon Frose, and this Easy Pina Colada recipe!)

Ingredients

One of the best things about this frozen lemonade recipe is how simple the ingredients are to find.

If you keep lemons on hand, chances are you already have all of the items you need to make the best homemade lemonade.

• Lemons – Freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest is used in this recipe. You’ll need about 4-5 medium-sized lemons to get enough juice.
• Sweetener – A number of different sweeteners can be used in this drink. It completely depends on your dietary preference.  Read more about the options below.
• Ice – The amount of ice you use will largely depend on how thick and slushy you want your frozen lemonade.
• Water – A little bit of water is added to help thin out the drink. You can add as little or as much as you’d like.

Juicing and Zesting

When using both fresh lemon zest and juice in a recipe it is best to ZEST the lemon before JUICING.

If you don’t know how to zest a lemon, there are 5 different ways using the tools and utensils you already have on hand.

The most efficient kitchen tool is a microplane.  Not only is it super easy to use, but it also finely grates the lemon rind so it will easily disperse throughout your dishes and drinks.

For juicing, I always use a lemon squeezer.

Types of Sweeteners

Depending on if you are on a low-carb diet or are vegan, there are a few different options you can use to sweeten up this lemonade:

• Honey – This is the ideal sweetener. It pairs perfectly with the tart lemon juice and adds a nice floral flavor to the drink.
• Agave Nectar – Another liquid sweetener that can be used if you are vegan.
• Sugar – Regular white sugar can be used in place of the honey if you do not care to avoid refined sugar.
• Stevia – Liquid or powder stevia can be used in place of the high-sugar sweeteners if you are on a low-carb diet.

How to Make

The steps to make homemade frozen lemonade are so quick, simple, and can be done in under 10 minutes.

Best Type of Blender

One of the most crucial elements when making frozen drinks at home is to use a very good high-powered blender.

While your cheaper blenders will work decently, you’ll get a super smooth, and more slushy-like consistency if you use one of the following:

• Vitamix – Hands down the best blender to use due to its large capacity and extremely high power.
• Nutribullet – A great second option, but you will most likely have to blend your ingredients in batches.
• Food Processor – While this won’t give you the same slushy consistency of a blender, you will be able to process all of your ingredients at the same time.

Serving

This recipe yields enough frozen lemonade for about 4 servings.

One of my favorite ways to serve this summer drink is in a cute mason jar with a paper straw.

If you want to get a little fancy, you can even give it a sugared rim, too.

Don’t want the glass?  Pour this lemon slushy into a plastic cup for the littles or to drink poolside.

Make Ahead

You can easily make a batch or double batch of this ahead of time for a pool party or backyard BBQ.

Prepare the frozen lemonade and place it in a freezer safe plastic container.

When ready to serve, pull it out 2 hours in advance. Let some of it melt before you add it back to the blender you used previously.

Blend until smooth and to your desired consistency.

Expert Tip: If you’re pressed for time you can also pop the slightly thawed out mixture into the microwave to get it to melt some before blending.

Flavor Options

Want to change this recipe up a bit?  Here are a few other ideas you can try out:

• Use limes instead of lemons and agave nectar for the sweetener. (Or try out a mocktail version of this Frozen Mojito!)
• Fresh orange juice and zest would also taste delicious.
• Make an adult beverage by adding in a bit of vodka for a spiked lemonade.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Use fresh lemons. Bottled lemon juice is more sour, which will result in needing to use more sweetener.
• Zest before juicing. A whole lemon is much easier, and safer!, to zest than a half of one!
• Save time and prep ahead by freezing in a freezer-safe container. Thaw for 30 minutes or quickly microwave the mixture to get it to melt a little before blending.
• Mix things up. Try using limes or oranges, or add a splash of vodka for a boozy version!

More Frozen Drink Recipes

If you want a few more frozen drink ideas for summer, you might also enjoy these easy recipes:

Watermelon Frosé (Frozen Rosé)

Easy & Creamy Frozen Mojito

Best Piña Colada Recipe

Frozen Fruit Smoothies