Watermelon Lemonade is the most refreshing summer drink – and it’s refined sugar free!
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If you’ve been following this blog for a while, or own any of my cookbooks, there’s a pretty good chance you’ve noticed that I love homemade drinks. My cookbooks all have drink sections, with a plethora of coffee drinks, fruity drinks, cocktails, milkshakes and more.
Don’t have any of my cookbooks? No worries. This blog has got some really delicious drink recipes too! I’ve got coffee drinks like this Skinny Iced Vanilla Latte and this over-the-top S’mores Frappe. I’ve got refreshing drinks like this mango lemonade and cocktails to relax with like this Tropical Sky Cocktail or my Maple and Summer Fruit Sangria.
Well. I’ve already declared this to my followers on Instagram, but I’m going to tell you here too: I’ve declared this summer to be the Summer of Drinks! That’s right. I’m going to spread the love of making homemade drinks – whichever type you like best! – and show you some fun, delicious and sometimes very easy recipes for your own homemade drinks.
I’m starting off today with one of my favorite summer drinks: Watermelon Lemonade! There is something extraordinarily refreshing about the taste of watermelon – and combine it with the tartness of lemon and you’ve got the summer’s most refreshing treat!
When I took requests from my Instagram followers for my summer of drinks, (make sure to follow me there so you too, can have input going forward!) there was a request that popped up over and over and over again. So many of you wanted drinks that are made without refined sugar. And I am a people pleaser! So here you go! The recipe below for watermelon lemonade is refined-sugar-free, sweetened only with honey. Want to make it with sugar instead? Check out the FAQ below for instructions.
This watermelon lemonade was originally featured in my cookbook, Something Sweet. I’ve adjusted it a bit to be refined sugar free, as well as some other minor changes. For more great drink recipes such as White Chocolate Peppermint Mocha, a Cherry Limeade Slushy, Mocha Crunch Milkshake, and Spiced Apple Cider, as well as all the baked goods and desserts you could ever hope for, click here to purchase your own copy!
FAQ about Watermelon Lemonade
Scroll passed the FAQ to get to the recipe.
Can I use bottled lemon juice instead of freshly squeezed?
I totally understand why you want to – squeezing a full cup or more of lemon juice is quite a task! The answer is…yes, but…! Yes you can, but the results are just not the same. For best results I definitely recommend using freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Can I use sugar instead of honey?
You certainly can! In place of the honey, use 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of boiling water. Stir together to make a simple syrup and use in place of the honey syrup.
Can I use limes instead of lemons?
You can! Limes would be delicious in this drink! You can use some in place of just some of the lemons, or all limes instead of all lemons. You may need to adjust the sugar/honey quantity slightly, to taste.
Can I make this into a frozen/slushy drink?
I haven’t played around with this, but I would imagine that using frozen cubes of watermelon and ice in place of some of the water would yield a really fantastic slushy drink!
How can I make this ahead of time?
You can store this in a pitcher in the fridge for 2-3 days, or you can play around with either freezing it into ice cubes (add to lemonade for a refreshing burst of flavor!) or into ice pops or zipcicles, which are freeze-pop shaped ziplock bags – a really cool way to make homemade ices this summer with minimal mess.
How can I turn this into a cocktail?
This refreshing Watermelon Lemonade is great with alcohol as well! Simply stir or shake it with some vodka, rum or gin – quantity to your own liking! – and enjoy.
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Watermelon Lemonade
Watermelon Lemonade is a refreshing summer drink that is refined-sugar free! This recipe is adapted from my cookbook, Something Sweet, published by ArtScroll/Mesorah Publications
Ingredients
- 4 cups watermelon cubes (about 1 inch), from about 1/4 of a large watermelon
- Zest of 1-2 lemons, optional (not grated)
- 1-1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 5-6 lemons)
- 3/4 cup honey
- 3/4 cup boiling water
- 7-9 cups cold water, to taste
- Ice, for serving
- Vodka, rum or gin, optional
Instructions
Place watermelon cubes in a food processor fitted with the “s” blade. If using, add lemon zest as well. (There is no need to grate it. I find it easiest to use a peeler to remove just the zest without any of the white pith.
Purée the watermelon on high speed for a couple of minutes, until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove pulp. You should be left with about 2 cups of watermelon juice.
Add watermelon juice to a large pitcher. Add lemon juice.
In a small bowl, combine honey and boiling water. Stir until honey is dissolved. Pour honey syrup into pitcher.
Add water to taste, about 7-9 cups. Serve over ice.If desired, add a splash of vodka or gin to make a fantastic summer cocktail.
Notes
Plan Ahead:
This drink can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days, or frozen as ice cubes or ice pops until ready to serve.
Tools Needed for this Recipe:
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Thanks for stopping by! I know you’re going to absolutely LOVE this watermelon lemonade – bound to be a huge hit at your next summer party or barbecue! Stay tuned for more in my Summer of Drinks! – Miriam
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