If you’re looking to cool down on a hot summer day in the best way possible, or your next BBQ drink for a crowd, this homemade blueberry lemonade is the answer.
It’s as easy as my strawberry lemonade – made without a blender, and it’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet. A downright gorgeous drink to enjoy with friends!
3 Simple Ingredients
So, three ingredients because we’re not counting water or ice as an ingredient. The only ingredients you’ll need:
- Blueberry Syrup: to make this easy blueberry syrup you’ll need blueberries and granulated sugar. Plus water.
- Lemons: fresh lemons are a must for this recipe! Get yourself a citrus juicer and it’s a breeze!
- Water & Ice: both do their own part to dilute the lemonade to the perfect balance!
How to Make Blueberry Lemonade
…without a blender!
This recipe is easy peasy, and the only equipment you’ll need is a saucepan, strainer, and a citrus juicer (that one’s optional, but recommended).
Oh, and you’ll probably want a pitcher or a couple of large mason jars to store the lemonade in.
Step 1: Make Blueberry Syrup
The sweetness and strawberry infusion in this lemonade comes from making blueberry syrup.
Using simple syrup to sweeten lemonade is (IMO) a much simpler and more effective method of adding sugar to lemon juice.
There’s no excess stirring until sugar dissolves and hoping that it all actually did dissolve. It’s a hands-off process that really makes things easier in the long run.
Start making the syrup first so it has a little time to cool, and so that it can do its thing while you juice the lemons. Multitasking for kitchen efficiency, FTW!
Step 2: Juice the Lemons
To easily juice the lemons, I recommend using a citrus juicer. There are many varieties of these on the market, and you can go as fancy or basic as you prefer. Here are a few options:
- Citrus Press– I find these pretty effective and the squeezing is pretty easy! Do note that when you use these, you usually have to put the fruit end-side-up (so cut side down in the curve). It’s the opposite of what feels intuitive, but this will get the most juice out.
- Hand Squeezer – I honestly love these things (I often use this OXO one for cocktails) because they catch the seeds and pulp, and have a separate container for the juice.
- Citrus Reamer – I prefer this when I’m juicing a small amount of citrus, but it’s effective if it’s what you’ve got.
- Legit Citrus Juicer – we’re talking backed by power, you can get a reasonably priced citrus juicer or a fancy electric citrus juicer. I don’t have one of these, but can see them being super useful if you plan on making lemonade on the ‘reg!
Step 3: Mix the Lemonade
With the syrup ready and the lemons juiced, all that’s left to do is mix up the lemonade and adjust it to your liking.
There isn’t necessarily a right or wrong way to mix up the lemonade, but I recommend first combining the lemon juice and syrup.
From there, add water to the mixture, taste test, and adjust with more water if needed.
As the ice melts, it will also water down and mellow out the lemonade, so be sure to keep that in mind when testing it without ice.
Once it’s the perfect balance of sweet and tart, add ice to the pitcher if you’ll be serving to a crowd immediately, or store it in the fridge without ice for later.
2-Quart Glass Pitcher with Lid
This glass pitcher is sleek and modern. It’s perfect for storing beverages in the fridge with its steel lid with two pour-spout options.
For individual servings, add ice to a glass, pour it in, and garnish with a lemon slice, blueberries, and fresh mint or thyme as desired. Then, sit back and enjoy the most refreshing homemade lemonade you’ve ever had!
Adjusting Sweet vs. Tart
The lemon and sugar balance in this lemonade will really depend on two things: your lemons and your preferences.
The tartness and flavor will vary by the variety of lemons you use. Meyer lemons are less tart than regular lemons you’ll find at the store. The tartness can even vary from lemon to lemon!
The biggest factor though? Your preferences!
This is why making homemade lemonade is so fun because you can adjust it to be exactly what you want it to be! Here are a few troubleshooting methods for adjusting the sweetness and tartness of the lemonade until it’s to your liking:
- Water: start by adding the water then taste testing, and add more water if it’s too tart. Water is an excellent way to mellow out the lemonade. You can also let the ice melt a little without adding more water and go from there.
- Not tart enough or too sweet: if it’s not tart enough or too sweet, add more lemon juice.
- Too tart: if it’s not sweet enough, or too tart, add more sugar. Do note that adding sugar on its own could result in a grainy texture if it doesn’t completely dissolve. Consider making a basic simple syrup if you need it sweeter.
Recipe Variations
If you’re looking to mix it up a bit, why not give one of these variations a try next time?
- Add fresh mint to the syrup for a delicious minty addition.
- Substitute the blueberry syrup with blueberry lavender syrup to make blueberry lavender lemonade!
- Make it a cocktail (adults only!): add a splash of vodka to your glass to make a delicious blueberry vodka lemonade.
- It’s also excellent with prosecco or champagne – like a mimosa!
- Make it into a soda: add soda water instead of tap water for a fizzy homemade soda.
- Mix with homemade iced tea to change up a classic Arnold Palmer
Make Ahead & Storage
Absolutely! You can either mix up the lemonade in its entirety, leaving out the ice until serving, or make the syrup up to a week in advance until you’re ready to mix the lemonade together. Just keep the ice out until you’re ready to serve so it doesn’t get too diluted.
If you are storing it in the fridge to enjoy throughout the week, place it in an airtight container in the fridge, omitting the ice until serving. If you served the lemonade at a party and have already put ice in it, simply store it in an airtight container like a pitcher or jar in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Yes, you can freeze both the syrup and lemon juice. Combine the two without the water, essentially making a lemonade concentrate, and freeze it. Then, when you’re ready to use, thaw the concentrate, add your water, and enjoy. Or, if already made, freeze it!
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the form below. I appreciate your feedback, and it helps others, too!
Get the Recipe 15-Minute Blueberry Lemonade
Ingredients
Blueberry Simple Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Lemonade
- 2 cups fresh lemon juice, approximately 4 pounds, or 10 lemons
- 3 cups cold water, more to taste
- 1 ½ cups blueberry syrup, recipe included
- Ice
Instructions
Simple Syrup
- In a small saucepan, combine sugar, water, and blueberries. Heat over medium-high heat until simmering, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, smashing the berries as they soften.1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water, 1 cup fresh blueberries
- Remove from heat and strain out the berries through a fine-mesh sieve, being careful to not press the berries through but rather let the syrup strain out on its own. Discard the berry remnants.
Lemonade
- Meanwhile, juice the lemons until you've reached 2 cups. Transfer the juice to a large pitcher and stir in the blueberry syrup. Add water and taste test; add more water if needed, depending on your desired tartness level. Once added, the ice will melt and further dilute the lemonade.2 cups fresh lemon juice, 3 cups cold water, 1 ½ cups blueberry syrup
- If serving immediately, add ice to the pitcher and stir to combine. If serving later, store the lemonade in an airtight container in the fridge without the ice. Then add ice to individual glasses and/or the pitcher before serving.
- Garnish with fresh lemon slices or wedges, blueberries, and fresh mint or thyme as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Syrup: this recipe makes approximately 1 1/2 cups of syrup.
- Serving Size will depend on how much water you add. With the recommended 3 cups of water, you will have about 6 1/2 cups of lemonade, serving anywhere from 8-10 people.
- Too Tart: add more water or additional sugar/simple syrup.
- Too Sweet: add more lemon juice.
