Homemade Blueberry Lemonade Recipe (with Low Sugar Option)

two glasses of blueberry lemonade next to a pitcher

Homemade Blueberry Lemonade Recipe (with Low Sugar Option)

Make a pitcher of fresh Blueberry Lemonade with this easy, low-sugar recipe! All you need are simple ingredients: fresh blueberries (or frozen!), fresh lemon juice, water, and your preferred sweetener! Garnish with fresh fruit and mint and enjoy this summer treat!

Prep Time10

Total Time10

Course: Beverages/Drinks

Cuisine: American

Diet: Diabetic

Method: No Cook

Servings: cups

Ingredients

Blueberry Puree

2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp granulated monk fruit sweetener

Lemonade

1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice seeds removed (about 5-6 lemons)
5 1/2 cups cold water
1 cup granulated monk fruit sweetener* adjust to taste
Ice cubes
Lemon slices and blueberries for garnish, optional
Fresh mint leaves for garnish, optional

Instructions

Place the blueberries, monk fruit, and 1/4 cup of water in a blender. Blend on medium-high for about 1 minute until smooth. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any solids, or skip straining if you prefer some blueberry pieces in your lemonade.
In a large pitcher, combine the freshly squeezed lemon juice, blueberry puree and monk fruit sweetener. Stir well until the sweetener is completely dissolved. Add the 5 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir to combine.
When ready to serve, fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour the blueberry lemonade over the ice. Garnish with lemon slices, fresh blueberries, and mint leaves if desired.

Notes

Expert Tips

- Strawberry Lemonade: Swap the fresh or frozen blueberries for fresh or frozen strawberries to make a different variation of this delicious lemonade! You can also make variations with blackberries or raspberries.
- Cocktail Version: To make this a spiked lemonade, feel free to add 1-2 ounces of vodka to your glass and fill with the blueberry lemonade. To spike the whole pitcher, use 1 cup of vodka.
- Regular Sugar: Feel free to use regular cane sugar or simple syrup for this recipe, or choose a different sweetener using the substitution tips below.
- Popsicles: If you want to make blueberry lemonade popsicles, feel free to add the lemonade to popsicle molds and freeze them overnight.

Sweeter Substitutions

When substituting different sweeteners for 1 cup of granulated sugar, it's important to consider their sweetness levels and properties. Here's a guide for substituting honey, coconut sugar, allulose, and maple syrup:

Honey:
- Measurement: Use 3/4 cup of honey to replace 1 cup of sugar.
- Notes: Since honey is liquid, reduce the other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup for every cup of honey used. Also, honey browns faster than sugar, so you might want to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F (about 15°C).
Coconut Sugar:
- Measurement: Use 1 cup of coconut sugar to replace 1 cup of granulated sugar.
- Notes: Coconut sugar has a caramel-like flavor and can be substituted 1:1, but it doesn’t dissolve as quickly as regular sugar. It's ideal for baking and cooking.
Allulose:
- Measurement: Use 1 1/3 cups of allulose to replace 1 cup of sugar.
- Notes: Allulose is about 70% as sweet as sugar. It doesn't caramelize or brown like sugar, so the texture of baked goods might be slightly different.
Maple Syrup:
- Measurement: Use 3/4 cup of maple syrup to replace 1 cup of sugar.
- Notes: Since maple syrup is a liquid, reduce the other liquids in the recipe by 3 tablespoons for every cup of maple syrup used. Maple syrup also adds a distinctive flavor to recipes.

Serving and Storage Tips

Serve this homemade lemonade over individual glasses filled with ice. You can top it with a little sparkling water to make a bubbly version if desired. Garnish with fresh lemons, sweet blueberries, and fresh mint sprigs for an extra touch.

Store leftover lemonade covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Give the lemonade a good stir before serving. I recommend placing the ice cubes in glasses when ready to serve so that it does not dilute the blueberry lemonade.

Nutrition