A step-by-step homemade Healthy Lemonade Recipe that's sugar-free and only 3 ingredients! How to make lemonade without sugar is so easy, full of fresh lemon juice, and nothing artificial! A simple kid-friendly drink that's gluten-free, vegan, keto, allergy-free, and paleo!
There's nothing more refreshing than a cold glass of some homemade lemonade! Freshly squeezed, perfectly sweet, with just the right about of tartness. I don't know about you, but I didn't grow up drinking healthy lemonade, but I drank my fair share of good old Country Time (i.e. 100% sugar). I used to just add scoops of the mix to cups of water or plain seltzer for a sweet fizzy soda-free beverage! And pink lemonade was always #1; tell me I'm wrong.
How to Make Lemonade without Sugar
One way to make lemonade a truly healthy beverage is to swap out all the sugar! That doesn't mean you'll be drinking straight up lemon juice though (that's cruel!). In a premade mix, like Country Time, you'll find a whopping 16g of sugar in ½ a scoop (17g)! The first ingredient is sugar, then fructose, and a whole host of artificial additives, colors, etc. Not only are we using sugar-free sweeteners in this recipe, but fresh lemon juice too which means no need for added colors, flavors, or preservatives!
Ingredients for Homemade Lemonade
- Fresh Water
- Lemons
- Granulated Erythritol (Swerve)
Other Sweetener Options
If you don't straight erythritol, you can use any granulated natural sugar-free sweetener!
- Monkfruit
- 2 to 1 Stevia Blend (you would use ½ cup to 1 cup water)
- Purecane
Sugar-Free Simple Syrup
You'll still make a simple syrup for sweetening the lemonade. By boiling 1 cup of water and adding 1 cup of granulated natural sugar-free sweetener, like erythritol. Once the sweetener is dissolved, let the simple syrup cool down. You can use just the amount of syrup you would like in your lemonade depending on how sweet you want it! You can save the rest in the fridge for other cold beverages that need a non-gritty sweetener!
How to Make Healthy Lemonade
Equipped with your sugar-free simple syrup and fresh lemons, the next thing to do is SQUEEZE those babies! THIS enameled lemon juicer is the best! Super easy to use and the one I've personally had for years! All you need to do to juice your lemons is wash them off, slice them in half, and place the cut side down in the squeezer and squeeze out the juice into a liquid measuring cup.
You want 1 cup of fresh lemon juice which will be around 5 standard-sized lemons (not too big or small).
Add your fresh lemon juice to a large pitcher, along with 3 to 4 cups of cold water (taste test it as you add the water to see how much you would like it diluted). Then mix in the simple syrup. Start with ¾ cup and add more if needed.
What are the Best Lemons for Lemonade?
I used standard lemons you'll find at any grocery store. If Meyer lemons are in season (late winter, early spring), you can opt for this variety too. Meyer lemons are smaller, smoother, darker in color on the outside, and sweeter (and more expensive). You won't have to use as much sweetener then either. However, your standard bright yellow sour lemons are just as good for a pitcher of lemonade from scratch!
How Long does Fresh Lemonade Last?
When you finished lemonade is stored in the fridge in a closed container, it will last for a good 7 days.
Can Lemonade be Healthy?
I think we've cleared that one up today! Only 3 ingredients, fresh, delicious, and something you can enjoy daily, not just as a treat! This recipe is:
- Gluten-Free
- Vegan
- Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
- Sugar-Free
- Keto & Low-Carb
- Paleo
- Kid-Friendly
- Contains NO artificial colors, flavors, or sweeteners
Homemade Lemonade Recipe
Healthy Lemonade Recipe (Sugar-Free, Homemade, 3-Ingredients)
A step-by-step homemade Healthy Lemonade Recipe that's sugar-free and only 3 ingredients! How to make lemonade without sugar is so easy, full of fresh lemon juice, and nothing artificial! A simple kid-friendly drink that's gluten-free, vegan, keto, allergy-free, and paleo!
- Prep Time: 10 Minutes
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 5-6 Cups 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Sugar-Free Simple Syrup:
- 1 Cup Water
- 1 Cup Granulated Erythritol (or preferred granulated sweetener)*
Lemonade:
- 5-6 Lemons (1 Cup Juice)
- 3-4 Cups Water
Instructions
- To make the simple syrup, boil 1 cup of water on the stove before adding in 1 cup of granulated sweetener to dissolve. Remove from heat and allow it to cool while you juice your lemons.
- Wash and slice your lemons in half before juicing the halves into a liquid measuring cup. You want 1 cup of lemon juice.
- Add the lemon juice to a large pitcher, before adding 3 cups of fresh water to the juice. Add an extra 4th cup if you want the lemonade more diluted.
- Now add the sugar-free simple syrup you made. Start with ¾ cup and add more if needed after taste testing.
- Serve chilled with ice and extra lemon slices if desired.
Notes
*Other great natural sugar-free sweeteners:
- Monkfruit
- 2 to 1 Stevia Blend (you would use ½ cup to 1 cup water)
- Purecane
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cup
Now the only question left is...what is pink lemonade? It literally is just lemonade with some food coloring! So if you want to go that route, add some natural color to your pitcher! A few drops of red will give you just the magical beverage ALL kids love (the color makes it taste even better!)
More Refreshing Drink Recipes:
- Homemade Naturally Pink Lemonade
- Virgin Banana Daiquiris
- Virgin Piña Coladas
- Virgin Mimosas
- Frosty Coconut Mint Green Tea Mocktail
- 4-Ingredient Orange Julius Cocktail
So tell me:
+ Classic or Pink Lemonade?
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Heidi Marnell
I made it with monk fruit and it was delicious 😋 Do not to refrigerate the simple syrup if you make extra. I did and when I took it out the canning jar bottom broke😳🤦🏻♀️
Rebecca Pytell
Awesome, enjoy!
Storia
This was so good! Love how easy it was to pull together!
Rebecca Pytell
Glad you got to enjoy it!
PJD
Hello, do you know how long the syrup would last in the fridge? Thanks
Rebecca Pytell
Simple syrup is sugar and water. It will last forever.
Robyne
I grow my own myer lemons from a tree I potted a few years ago. My tree yields tons of very large lemons every year. I eat them raw with a little sea salt and freeze most. Today I’m making lemonade from some of my frozen lemons and I’m using your recipe with monk fruit instead of honey (because my honey on hand has a strong flavor). I will make again using tupelo honey when I restock. Thank you for the recipe I know it’ll be delicious and of course healthy for my family.
Rebecca Pytell
Enjoy!
Helen
I love that I can enjoy lemonade without all the sugar but it's still sweet!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Right? So good!
Cheryl
Hi Rebecca, there's nothing better than a cold lemonade on a hot day! And even better sugar-free. Thanks for this recipe, it looks lovely!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Exactly! Refreshing and no need for all the sugar!
Aline
I've never tried any of these sweeteners before, but I'm excited to try! I just ordered monkfruit to try this recipe!!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Let me know how it turns out with monk fruit!
Sarah
This looks fantastic, we are always looking for new sugar free drink ideas in my household.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
A great healthy sip to have in the fridge!
Stephanie
I'm sitting here, sipping my morning cup of coffee, and thinking about lemonade haha. Seriously, this made me crave fresh lemonade so desperately. I'll have to try my hand at making this sometime soon!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Every super hot summer day we have calls for some ice-cold lemonade!
idara Joy
This recipe is so helpful. My daughter loves lemonade so when I see a recipe I jump on it.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Now you don't need to give her all the sugar!
Lauren
This looks lush! Will b giving this a go! X
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
The definition of summer!
Hailey
This sounds heavenly! I started keto in March and have struggled with the no sugar thing, especially when it comes to drinks. Definitely making this! Thanks for sharing.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Never drink your calories!
Taylor
Looks great. I'm going to try with monk fruit!
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Enjoy!