Homemade Double Berry Lemonade Recipe

Homemade Double Berry Lemonade Recipe

Today we are making a Homemade Double Berry Lemonade Recipe! Have you ever tried … cherry lemonade? What about blueberry? Or a mix?! The sugar rush of drinking a cold, iced lemonade made of Minute Maid lemonade concentrate on a hot summer day, or going to the local town carnival and ordering a giant lemonade with fresh lemons on the rim and in the drink, just can’t be beat! Or even those powdered lemonade boxes that you could mix with water to make some preservative-filled form of the drink. Lemonade sure was one of those drinks that I used to crave when the sun came out!

Hey, everyone loves it – fast food restaurants have adopted large sizes of sugary lemonade flavors onto their menu, such as tropical Wendy’s lemonade, the Dairy Queen Twisty Misty and more. Even little kids would always be setting up those lemonade stands in the summer pre- everyone being on their iPhones right from age 10 (you’ve probably seen this in a movie before if not in real life). Hence, my point proven. Lemonade (especially the original flavour) is a summer classic!

Now, we have pink lemonade, peach lemonade, or those with a tropical twist like the addition of passion fruit, dragon fruit or pineapple juice. But today, we’ll be using cherries and blueberries, making this a double berry flavor!

A Twist on the Classic

So here’s a twist on the classic lemonade recipe. You add berries to your lemonade rather than drink it plain. Hear me out! There’s a couple great benefits to this.

-Berries (in this case, cherries and blueberries) are naturally sweet. So you would use less sugar than in normal lemonade

-Frozen berries are even sweeter, especially when heated up and then used. This balances out the tanginess of the lemons perfectly

-A cup of crisp lemonade is already a fan favorite, so do I really need to advocate for how well sugar + tangy flavors go together?

-Berries are full of vitamins and minerals, so even though you strain it and take the juice, you still get these benefits.

-Frozen fruit usually has none of the artificial ingredients or “natural flavors” as you may see written on a package label. It’s just the fruit, by itself, frozen. Plus, it’s available anytime, so this natural lemonade can be made year round, even when berries are out of season. I made this in the winter months, and it was using all frozen fruit!

Onto the Recipe!

So now that we’ve established cherry or blueberry lemonade as an equal to the all time favorite classic flavor, let’s dive into the recipe. The full lemonade-making process is written out in the recipe card instruction. First, you’ll want to boil the berry syrup mixture over heat, then blend it. The berries will soften on the stovetop, where you’ll blend it to form a thick mixture, and once it’s blended and boiled you can use it in the drink after straining it through a sieve.

You can layer this at the bottom of your drink before pouring the water, or pour the syrup over ice and then add the water. This would give the drinks a “swirled” effect, with the cherry syrup starting to swirl around when you add the water in. I didn’t do that, because I didn’t want to have to mix the syrup around as I drank it. It would be another way to style these though!

Why You’ll Love This Homemade Double Berry Lemonade Recipe

Refreshing and Summery: This homemade lemonade combines the bright and tangy flavors of fresh lemonade with the sweetness and vibrant colors of mixed berries. It’s a refreshing drink that’s perfect for hot summer days or any time you want a cooling and invigorating beverage.

Bursting with Antioxidants: Berries, such as fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries, are rich in antioxidants, which can help protect your body against free radicals and promote overall health and well-being.

Natural Sweetness: This homemade recipe allows you to control the sweetness to suit your taste. By using fresh berries, you can rely on their natural sweetness, reducing the need for excessive added sugar or artificial sweeteners.

Substitutions

Cherries: Use frozen dark sweet cherries, which are sweeter than regular cherries. You can also use room temperature, pitted cherries but they won’t be as sweet. Or try strawberries for a strawberry lemonade instead!

Lemon Juice: Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled. Bottled juice tastes more acidic and contains preservatives. You can also switch it up and use lime juice instead!

Frozen Blueberries: You can use blackberries or raspberries instead, but they will be tangier and not as sweet as blueberries. Use very ripe blueberries if you can’t find frozen.

Agave Nectar: As a substitute, use pure maple syrup instead of agave. Liquid sweeteners work better here, as they dissolve into the liquid unlike granulated sweeteners like white sugar or xylitol.

Homemade Double Berry Lemonade Recipe Notes

• When serving after refrigeration, make sure to give the pitcher of lemonade a good stir, scraping the bottom to get any sweetener thoroughly mixed that may have settled at the bottom!

More Summer Drinks You’ll Love

Mango Lassi

Orange & Mango Fruit Slushies

Butterfly Pea Flower Tea

Wendy’s Vanilla Frosty

Pomegranate Carrot Juice

Iced Dragonfruit Refresher Tea

If you make this Homemade Double Berry Lemonade Recipe, then leave a comment and star rating! Don’t forget to tag your photos @peanut_palate on Instagram. Enjoy!