The perfect refreshing summer drink, this healthy lemonade is simple to make and packed with flavor! Sweetened only with coconut sugar, it’s a fun drink you can feel good about.
Quick Look at the Recipe
- 🍋 Flavor: Sweet lemon flavor with a natural richness
- 🕒 Ready In: 10 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 7 cups
- 🥣 Main Ingredients: Lemons, coconut sugar
- 📖 Dietary Info: Refined sugar-free
- 👩🍳 Tip: By mixing the coconut sugar directly into the lemon juice, you can skip the extra step of heating the water.
No White Sugar? No Problem!
After walking through my husband’s Crohn’s journey with him and seeing firsthand the negative affects of sugar, I emptied my pantry of refined sugar for good. That didn’t mean giving up my summertime love of lemonade though!
Just like other warm weather favorites such as creamy homemade ice cream and tangy-sweet lime bars, I discovered that you don’t need white sugar to make lemonade that’s perfectly sweet and refreshing. In fact, the coconut sugar adds such a rich, real depth of flavor that I prefer my version to the original!
What Makes this Lemonade Special?
- Sweetened with coconut sugar instead of refined sugar or artificial sweeteners.
- Easy no-heat method so you can enjoy it quicker!
- 3 ingredients for classic, old-fashioned lemonade (minus all the sugar).
Ingredients
Tools You May Need
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: First add the lemon juice and coconut sugar to the pitcher and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
The acidity of the lemon juice is strong enough to dissolve the sugar without needing to heat it.
Step 2: Once the sugar is dissolved, stir in the water.
Finally, chill the lemonade in the fridge until you’re ready to serve it.
If you’re looking for more refreshing and healthy summer drinks, check out my limey watermelon juice and probiotic water kefir!
Tips for Success
Use fresh lemons – While you can use bottled lemon juice, fresh lemons taste so much better! Also, bottled lemon juice typically has artificial preservatives added to it.
Leave in some pulp – Lemon pulp has great flavor, so I like to put some of it in the lemonade along with the juice.
Add lemon slices – If you have extra lemons, slice them up and add to the lemonade. Not only will it make for a great presentation, but it will also add a little more delicious citrus flavor.
Chill before serving – Lemonade is best served cold, so make sure it’s had time to chill in the fridge before serving. If you’re in a hurry, simply serve with plenty of ice.
Add ice last minute – This helps avoid the ice melting and diluting the pitcher of lemonade.
FAQs
Yes, if lemonade is made with healthier sweeteners, it can be a healthy drink.
Healthy lemonade is best enjoyed within 5 days of making.
Store lemonade in the fridge in a covered pitcher or sealed container.
If you try this recipe, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @violet_rightathome
Naturally Sweetened Lemonade (Healthy)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup lemon juice approx. 5 fresh lemons
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- extra lemons for slicing optional
Instructions
- Add the lemon juice and coconut sugar to the pitcher and stir until the sugar is dissolved.1 cup lemon juice, 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- Pour in the water and stir.6 cups water
- If you have an extra lemon or two, you can slice them up and add them to the pitcher.extra lemons for slicing
- Chill the lemonade in the fridge until you're ready to serve it.
Notes
- You can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch, but it won’t taste as good as fresh.
- To avoid the ice melting and diluting the pitcher of lemonade, add it to the pitcher last minute or add ice to the drinking glasses instead.
Nutrition
If you tried this naturally-sweetened lemonade, I’d love to hear how it turned out for you! Please make sure to come back and leave a comment and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating.
I love healthy versions of classic drinks, and this lemonade is at the top of my list! It has such a rich, real flavor my whole family loves, and I know you will too!