Honey Lemonade

Quench your thirst with a tall glass of Honey Lemonade. This 3-ingredient recipe makes a whole pitcher of naturally sweetened, refined sugar-free homemade lemonade. Perfect for paleo lifestyles.

Is there anything more refreshing than a tart and sweet fresh-squeezed lemonade on a hot day? Typically homemade lemonade is sweetened with granulated sugar (and A LOT of it), but this paleo lemonade has none.

Instead, you’ll sweeten your lemonade naturally with raw honey while reaping the health benefits. Compared to pasteurized (regular) honey, raw honey is less processed and more nutritious.

👉 Raw local honey can:

• Act as a natural antispeptic for burns and wounds.
• Help soothe a cough or sore throat.
• Boost immunity and give your body a boost of antixoxidants.

You’ll also need a couple of ingredients you might already have on hand -fresh lemons and filtered water. Ready to savor every sip of freshly squeezed lemonade with honey? Grab your ingredients and a pitcher, and let’s do it.

🍋 Honey Sweetened Lemonade Ingredients

• Lemons: You will need about 2.5 pounds of lemons to make 2 cups of fresh-squeezed lemon juices. You can also slice one of the lemons to add to your pitcher for garnish and flavor!
• Water: I like using filtered water, but feel free to use tap or any bottled water here. To make a sparking honey lemonade, use sparking water instead of filtered.
• Honey: This wouldn’t be a honey lemonade without it. If possible, use local raw honey as it can help with seasonal allergies. You can use regular honey -just know it loses some of it’s health benefits when heated and filtered.

📖 How To Make Lemonade With Honey

These simple step-by-step instructions will show you how to make a 1/2 gallon pitcher (8 cups) of honey lemonade.

1️⃣ Make honey water.
Add a cup of filtered water and honey to a small saucepan. Warm over low heat while whisking until the honey dissolves.

2️⃣ Pour into pitcher.
Then, pour the honey water into a half-gallon pitcher and the rest of the filtered water.

3️⃣ Add lemon juice.
Juice enough lemons to make 2 cups of lemon juice (about 2.5 pounds of lemons). Add the lemon juice to the pitcher and whisk to combine.

4️⃣ Chill and serve.
Transfer the pitcher to the fridge for at least 2 hours before pouring over ice.

➡️ Recipe Tips

• 2 cups of lemon juice – For 2 cups of lemon juice, you’ll need about 2 -1/2 pounds of lemons. I usually purchase 3 pounds of Meyers lemons just in case they aren’t super juicy.
• Lemon wheels – Slice one of the lemons into wheels, and add them to the pitcher for more lemony fresh flavor and for the cute aesthetic.
• Low heat – Dissolve your honey over low heat. If heated past 110F, the beneficial enzymes in raw honey can be destroyed.
• Chill before serving – Chilling your lemonade for a couple of hours before serving enhances the bold and bright citrus flavors.

🍯 Variations

Customize your lemonade with flavoring ingredients and simple modifications. Check out these delicious honey lemonade recipe variations:

Fruit – Muddle a cup of fresh or frozen fruit in the bottom of your pitcher (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches, etc.). Then, add everything else and stir. Feel free to leave the fruit whole if you like.

Herbs – Likewise, fresh herbs are delicious when muddled into lemonade. Thyme, rosemary, mint, lavender, and basil are great options.

Flavors – Stir in about 1/2 teaspoon of a flavored extract like vanilla, mint, orange, and coconut. Stir (or muddle) in a small handful of fresh jalapenos slices for lemonade with a kick.

Vegan Lemonade – Instead of honey, feel free to sweeten your beverage with light agave syrup, monk fruit syrup, maple syrup, or simple syrup.

Honey Limeade – Swap the lemons for limes!

Paleo Popsicles – Freeze honey lemonade in popsicle molds.

🍹Honey Lemonade Cocktails

Hosting a summer gathering? It’s super simple to make honey lemonade into a delicious cocktail. Stir in 1 to 1-1/2 cups of liquor to spike the entire pitcher – or you can stir in 1.5 ounces per serving (about 3 tablespoons). The options listed below are delightful with honey lemonade:

• Whiskey – To make a Jack Daniels Honey Lemonade, use regular Jack Daniels or Tennessee Honey (or any sweet Bourbon).
• Vodka – Use your go-to plain vodka or any flavored vodka like lemon, sweet tea, lime, pear, watermelon, etc. Deep Eddy’s and Ketel One offer a fantastic selection of premium flavored vodkas.
• Gin – A cucumber-infused gin like Hendrick’s is great here.

🧊 Storing & Freezing

Storing: Store your fresh lemonade in a sealed container and enjoy it within 3 days. The citrus flavors lose their vibrancy the longer it’s stored.

Freezing: Freeze extra lemonade in ice cube trays. You can blend the cubes to make a frozen lemonade or use them to chill drinks and cocktails.

❔ FAQ

🥤 More Hydrating Recipes

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Electrolyte Lemonade
Virgin Sangria Mocktail
3 Ingredient Watermelon Lemonade
Apple Cider Vinegar Shots