Raspberry Lemonade is a refreshing and thirst-quenching drink for summer prepared using just 3 ingredients and hardly takes 10 minutes.
About Cold Summer Refreshments
Nothing can be better than fresh lemonade on a hot summer day. It hardly takes a few minutes to prepare, and when the lemonade is combined with fresh berries or any fruit of your choice, it adds a fantastic flavor that takes this drink to the next level. Raspberries, in particular, provide the right amount of tartness to the drink and also gives it a signature pink color. This homemade raspberry lemonade beats any store-bought counterpart both on taste and visual appeal, hands down.
What I love about summer in the USA is that I can enjoy a lot of fresh berries, peaches, and watermelons. In India, the markets are filled with mangoes, grapes, litchies, pineapples, passion fruit, watermelons, etc. So it is a good time to prepare refreshing recipes with these seasonal fruits.
Summer is also that time of the year when temperature soars to new highs. This year, in particular, has been extremely hot, and to keep ourselves hydrated, I have made sure everyone in my family regularly drinks fresh homemade drinks.
If you love this delicious raspberry lemonade punch, then you should check out my other summer recipes like Homemade Strawberry Popsicles, Masala Chaas (spiced buttermilk), Homemade grape juice, The Best Iced Coffee, Delicious Tomato Juice, Creamy Roasted Almond Icecream, Dulce De Leche Icecream, Seasonal Mango Icecream, etc.
Why you'll love this recipe
- Quick and easy to make: This recipe hardly takes a few minutes to prepare. Needs only four ingredients.
- Delicious: The combination of raspberries, lemon juice, and sugar creates a flavorful and refreshing drink. A perfect thirst quencher!
- Versatile: You can customize the sweetness level and substitute water with sparkling water or club soda to make it fizzy. You can use any seasonal fruit to prepare its lemonade.
Ingredients
- Raspberries: They provide tartness to the drink and also gives it a signature pink color.
- Lemon juice: It adds a tangy and refreshing flavor to the drink.
- Sugar: It sweetens the drink and balances out the tartness from the raspberries and lemon juice.
- Water: It dilutes the drink to make it more refreshing and hydrating.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions and Variations
Ingredient substitutes
- You can substitute sugar with other natural sweeteners like honey or agave nectar. You can also use Stevia or Monk fruit sugar.
- For those who prefer fizzy drinks, replace water with club soda or sparkling water.
- You can also use other berries like strawberries, blackberries, or blueberries or fruits such as passion fruit, mango, pineapple, etc., instead of raspberries.
Recipe Variations
- Strawberry Lemonade: Substitute raspberries with strawberries for a sweet and tangy drink. Adding strawberries to the recipe below will give you a pinkish-red strawberry-raspberry lemonade, a popular summer drink!
- Similarly, you can add or substitute blueberries and blackberries to prepare blue-purple color Blueberry Lemonade and darker-colored and comparatively sweeter Blackberry Lemonade, respectively.
- Peach Lemonade: Substitute raspberries with muddled peaches for a peachy twist on the classic lemonade. Along similar lines, you can also prepare mango lemonade, passion fruit lemonade, pineapple lemonade, red grapes lemonade, etc.
- Watermelon Lemonade: Add watermelon chunks OR use it as a replacement for raspberries to prepare a drink with a refreshing and summery taste.
- Hibiscus Lemonade: Add hibiscus tea to the drink for a tart and tangy flavor with a beautiful deep red color.
- Pink Ginger Lemonade: Add fresh ginger to the drink for a spicy and refreshing taste.
- Cucumber Lemonade: Add sliced cucumbers to the drink for a crisp and refreshing taste. Add a few sprigs of mint to make it a cucumber and raspberry mint lemonade.
- Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail: Raspberry and Vodka pair very well. Add vodka to convert this recipe into a cocktail to serve at your summer pool party.
- Add carbonated water or sparkling water in place of water to make a fizzy Raspberry Lemonade.
- Place the prepared lemonade overnight in the freezer, and blend it to get a raspberry lemonade slushie (a.k.a. frozen raspberry lemonade).
Step-by-Step Instructions | How to Make Lemonade?
Step 1: Wash the raspberries and puree them in a blender, then strain the puree to remove any seeds and fiber.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mix sugar and water until the sugar dissolves.
Step 3: Add the raspberry puree and lemon juice to the bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust the sweetness if needed.
Step 4: Serve the raspberry lemonade in glasses filled with ice cubes. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh herbs of your choice.
Expert Chef Tips
- Use fresh raspberries for the best taste and color.
- Add a few slices of cucumber or mint leaves to make it a more refreshing summer drink.
- Freeze some raspberry puree in ice cube trays and use them instead of regular ice cubes to prevent dilution of the drink.
- Add a splash of water and blend the raspberries to a smooth paste for a smoother puree. Strain this raspberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any fiber and seeds.
- Use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice for a fresher taste.
- Adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more or less sugar or using a different sweetener.
- Add a few whole raspberries to the glass before pouring the lemonade to make it look fancy.
Storage and Make Ahead Instructions
Storage: Raspberry Lemonade is best served fresh, but you can store it in the refrigerator for up to two days.
Make-ahead: You can make the raspberry puree and sugar-water mixture separately and keep them in the refrigerator. Mix them along with freshly squeezed lemon juice just before serving.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can use frozen raspberries. Thaw the raspberries before using them in the recipe.
Yes, you can leave out the sugar. Else, you can use Stevia or natural sweeteners like honey or agave nectar.
Yes. Use any citrus fruit that is readily available near you.
Yes, you can use a muddler to mash the raspberries. Or use a fork or a potato masher to crush the berries instead of using a blender.
Add chia or basil seeds (sabja) for extra fiber and nutrition. You can replace water with coconut water for natural electrolytes. You can completely skip sugar or substitute it with natural sweeteners like honey or agave nectar.
Yes. Instead of preparing the sugar-water mixture, just mix together the puree, 1 cup of simple syrup, and top it off with 4 cups of ice-cold water/sparkling water. Pour into the glass with ice cubes, serve, and enjoy!
More Summer Recipes to Love
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Recipe card
Best Raspberry Lemonade | Quick and Easy Refreshing Drink
Ingredients
- 6 oz Raspberries (fresh or thawed)
- ¾ cup Lemon juice
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 5 cups Water
Instructions
- Wash the raspberries and puree it in a blender and strain it to remove any seeds.6 oz Raspberries
- In a large bowl, add in sugar and water and stir it so that the sugar dissolves.¾ cup Sugar, 5 cups Water
- Now add the lemon juice, stained raspberry puree and mix well. Check for sugar and vary as desired.¾ cup Lemon juice
- Pour it into the serving glass with ice cubes.
- Raspberry Lemonade is now ready. Garnish with lemon wedges and fresh herbs of your choice. Serve and enjoy.
Notes
- Use fresh raspberries for the best taste and color.
- Add a few slices of cucumber or mint leaves to make it a more refreshing summer drink.
- Freeze some raspberry puree in ice cube trays and use them instead of regular ice cubes to prevent dilution of the drink.
- Add a splash of water and blend the raspberries to a smooth paste for a smoother puree. Strain this raspberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any fiber and seeds.
- Use fresh lemon juice instead of bottled lemon juice for a fresher taste.
- Adjust the sweetness to your liking by adding more or less sugar or using a different sweetener.
- Add a few whole raspberries to the glass before pouring the lemonade to make it look fancy.
Shelby
This recipe is so refreshing and I love that you use fresh raspberries! It truly is the perfect drink for Summer sipping!
Elizabeth
This looks like a delicious and easy drink! It would be great for a summertime bridal shower.
Cynthia
The perfect recipe for summer! light, refreshing and delicious!