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    Home » Drinks

    Easy Homemade Frozen Lemonade Concentrate

    Published: Mar 23, 2023 by Tajda Ferko This post may contain affiliate links

    66 shares
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    JUMP TO RECIPE

    This tangy frozen lemonade concentrate recipe uses simple syrup, fresh lemons & a little bit of lime (optional). Made lovingly from fresh fruits & tastes like a burst of sunshine in a cup! A fun alternative to iced tea and a great way to sneak in some extra nutrients while enjoying a refreshing drink!

    A yellow ice cube placed on a small round plate.

    In short, frozen lemonade concentrate is a very strong version of lemonade. You simply add a custom amount of water (or other liquids) to it and you've got yourself a gorgeous drink made with almost zero effort.

    Keep in mind that lemonade concentrate is NOT the same as lemon concentrate. The latter is EVEN stronger - think of it as the lemon version of almond or orange essence where you only need a few drops for a big pop of flavor.

    Jump to:
    • 💌 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
    • 🍋 Ingredients
    • ⏲️ Steps
    • 💡 Top Tips
    • 🍹 Serving
    • 🍍 Substitutions & Add-ons
    • 🥄 Equipment
    • ❓FAQ
    • 📦 Storage
    • 🥤 More Fruit Drinks
    • 🍴Recipe

    💌 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

    • The perfect cool-me-down treat on a hot day
    • Packed with vitamin C
    • 3 simple ingredients
    • No artificial flavors
    • Customize the amount of sugar to taste
    • No fancy tools or ingredients needed
    • Can be made into pink lemonade! (see tips below)

    Whenever you crave fresh homemade lemonade, you can simply grab a cube from the freezer, add water or sparkling water, and your refreshment is ready.

    🍋 Ingredients

    You'll need just 3 ingredients (plus water) for this homemade lemonade concentrate.

    All ingredients needed to make frozen lemonade concentrate.

    Ingredients Details

    Lemons: You can use any type of lemon. For best results, make sure to use both the lemon zest and the freshly squeezed lemon juice as described in the recipe.

    Sugar: Use either caster, fine, superfine, or granulated sugar. If you use coconut or brown sugar the end result will have a brownish hue to it.

    Lime: This is optional but highly recommended! Limes add another flavor dimension to create a fuller flavor and balance out the strength of lemons.

    Tip - Always wash the lemons under cold running water and dry them completely before using.

    ⏲️ Steps

    This is just a quick visual overview. For detailed instructions & exact measurements see the recipe card at the bottom.

    A collage of two images showing zesting lemons and squeezing the juice.

    1 - First, peel/zest two lemons. Set the zest aside for later.

    2 - Slice the lemons & lime in half and squeeze out the juice (2 cups).

    A collage of two images showing lemon sugar syrup being made.

    3 & 4 - Add sugar, water & lemon peel/zest to a medium-sized pot. Heat up on medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 5 minutes).

    A collage of two images showing lemonade concentrate being made in a pan.

    5 & 6 - Turn off the heat. Let it cool down a little (about 5 minutes) and then pour in the fresh lemon juice.

    A collage of two images showing lemon concentrate poured into an ice cube tray.

    7 & 8 - Lastly, pour the mixture into an ice-cube tray*. Cover with a lid and place in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.

    Hint: I like larger blocks so I use a big ice cube tray but you can use a smaller one too.

    *If you don't have an ice cube tray, you can simply use ziplock bags instead. Simply fill them with the concentrate, close them properly, and then freeze them.

    💡 Top Tips

    • Press & roll

    To make squeezing the lemon easier, press it down on a cutting board and use an open palm to roll it up and down the board. This relaxes the juices a little and makes your job of squeezing the juice much easier.

    • Let it cool.

    To preserve the nutritional benefits of freshly squeezed lemon juice, let the sugar syrup cool down at room temperature before adding the lemon juice. Vitamin C is sensitive to heat (Source: Medical News Today).

    • Drink through a straw

    This can help protect your teeth (Source: Oasis Dental Studio).

    Extra tip - Add a desired amount of strawberry or raspberry juice to turn this into pink lemonade!

    🍹 Serving

    A glass of lemonade viewed from the side.

    When you're ready to serve this drink, add a custom amount of still or sparkling water.

    Apart from lemonade, you can use it in cocktails, mocktails, cordials, smoothies, or even popsicles, cakes & other bakes (let it thaw first).

    I like to use a ratio of 2.5 to 1 (for example 2.5 cups of water to 1 cup of frozen lemonade concentrate).

    However, I invite you to adjust this to taste. You might prefer it stronger or less strong.

    You can serve it with or without extra ice cubes.

    If serving it with ice cubes remember that they will eventually melt and thus dilute the drink. You might want to add less water in this case.

    Decorate with a few lemon slices or wedges & give it a good stir before drinking. You can also throw in some extra pieces of fruit for decoration, for example, some fresh blueberries or strawberries.

    🍍 Substitutions & Add-ons

    Vanilla extract is a great addition, especially if you're using vanilla bean paste which will add beautiful black specks to your drink.

    You can also add a little pineapple juice - it pairs well with the lemon flavor.

    To make this into a limeade concentrate simply swap out lemons for limes.

    🥄 Equipment

    Two hands using a citrus juicer to juice lemons.
    • A medium-sized pan
    • Sieve
    • Zester or grater
    • Lemon juicer (optional)
    • Ice cubes tray (ideally with a lid)

    ❓FAQ

    Can I make this sugar-free?

    Yes, for a sugar-free version use stevia instead of sugar. Remember that you'll need MUCH less stevia (about 1 teaspoon for every cup of sugar). Remember that stevia has a slight aftertaste that's different from sugar so the end result won't be exactly the same as the original recipe.

    📦 Storage

    Fridge

    If you're not freezing this concentrate you can transfer it to an airtight container (like mason jars) and store it in the fridge for about a week.

    Freezer

    For a frozen version, pour it into an ice cube tray or store it in an airtight and freezer-friendly container. It keeps for at least 6 months.

    I find that an ice cube tray works best unless you're planning on hosting a big group of people and need a larger serving.

    Keep in mind that ice cube trays with a plastic/silicone lid work best.

    Open ice cube trays can dry out the drink or cause an extra layer of water to freeze over the lemonade.

    🥤 More Fruit Drinks

    If you enjoy homemade fruity drinks try out my:

    • Vegan Tropical Smoothie
    • Blueberry Bubble Tea
    • Peach Bubble Tea
    • Oat Milk Smoothie

    Tried this homemade frozen lemonade recipe? If you made this recipe it would mean a LOT to me if you could leave a comment & star rating below - seeing your comments always makes my day!

    Got any questions? Simply leave a question below.

    🍴Recipe

    A yellow frozen lemonade ice cube placed on a small round plate.

    Easy Homemade Frozen Lemonade Concentrate

    5 from 7 votes
    This tangy frozen lemonade concentrate is a fun alternative to iced tea and a great way to sneak in some extra nutrients!
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Freezing Time: 5 hours hours
    Total Time: 5 hours hours 25 minutes minutes
    Servings: 10 large ice cubes
    Calories: 88kcal
    Author: Tajda Ferko

    EQUIPMENT

    • A medium-sized pan
    • A sieve
    • Zester or grater
    • Lemon juicer (optional)
    • Ice cubes tray or ziplock bags

    INGREDIENTS 

    • 2 cups (475 ml) fresh lemon juice + lemon zest about 10-12 lemons
    • 1 cup (200 g) sugar white, granulated, superfine, etc
    • 1 cup (235 ml) water
    • ½ (1 tablespoon) lime juice only

    INSTRUCTIONS

    • First, peel/zest two lemons. Set the zest aside for later.
    • Slice all the lemons & lime in half and squeeze out the juice.
    • Add sugar, water & lemon peel/zest to a medium-sized pot. Heat on medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 5 minutes).
    • Turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool down a little (about 5 minutes) and then pour in the fresh lemon juice that you squeezed earlier.
    • Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any bits.
    • Lastly, carefully pour the mixture into an ice-cube tray*. Cover with a lid and place in the freezer for a few hours or overnight.

    Notes

    *If you don't have an ice cube tray, you can simply use ziplock bags instead. Simply fill them with the concentrate, close them properly, and then freeze them.
    Tip 1 - To make squeezing the lemon easier, press it down on a cutting board and use an open palm to roll it up and down the board
    Tip 2 - To preserve the nutritional benefits of freshly squeezed lemon juice, let the sugar syrup cool down at room temperature before adding the lemon juice
    Tip 3  - Drink through a straw. This can help protect your teeth 
    TO SERVE - Remove from the freezer and add a custom amount of still or sparkling water.
    I like to use a ratio of 2.5 to 1 (for example 2.5 cups of water to 1 cup of frozen lemonade concentrate). You can adjust this to taste.
    SUGAR-FREE - Use 1 teaspoon of stevia instead of sugar.
     
    Course: Drinks
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian

    Nutrition

    Calories: 88kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.003g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 4IU | Vitamin C: 19mg | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 0.1mg

    Disclaimer: The nutritional information above is calculated automatically. The author of this post cannot guarantee 100% accuracy of this data.

    Tried This Recipe?Leave a comment below!

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    Comments

    1. Jessica G says

      May 22, 2023 at 6:54 pm

      Your recipe looks great! I plan to use it for a recipe that calls for a can of concentrate. I'm wondering if this is more or less concentrated than the cans, or would you expect to use about the same amount (the standard cans are 12 oz I believe)

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko says

        May 22, 2023 at 7:17 pm

        Hiya Jessica! I would say it's a little less concentrated than the cans. If you use more lemons but keep the amount of sugar & water the same, you can make it more concentrated. Hope this helps and good luck with your recipe, let me know how it turns out!

        Reply
    2. Geebz Beebz says

      March 16, 2025 at 11:30 pm

      5 stars
      Got some lemons on discount due to them being close to going bad. Took them home, washed them and found this recipe. It was so easy to make and a great use of the lemons that would have gone into trash or landfill. From the simple syrup, zesting and mixing the lemon juice with the syrup; it was all well written, easy to follow and delicious.
      Thank you so much for sharing.

      Reply
      • Tajda Ferko says

        March 19, 2025 at 3:53 pm

        So happy to hear that! What a great way to save the lemons from being thrown out.

        Reply
    5 from 7 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    Hi there! I'm Tajda (pronounced tide-ah) and I share playful, plant-forward recipes that celebrate simple & joyful cooking.

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