Give “refreshment” a whole new meaning with a frosty glass of Homemade Mint Lemonade! Between the puckery citrus, cooling mint, and just the right amount of sweetness, this simple 3-ingredient recipe is the perfect way to add a little pizzazz to your hydration routine.
When the mercury rises, I can’t seem to slurp down liquids fast enough—it’s like I’m permanently thirsty. And, while water definitely does the trick, it tends to get a little boring. By the time I’ve had my first half gallon for the day, I’m over it! That’s where homemade lemonade recipes like this minty marvel come into play.
While I’ve mostly been focusing on pairing different fruits with my citrus-ades—like my cherry lemonade, peach lemonade, and blueberry lemonade, to name a few—this time I’m swapping in the cool, herbal flavor of fresh mint! The resulting sipper is, in a word, superb. But, just like my other homemade lemonades, you don’t need a ton of time or ingredients to make it.
All you need are fresh lemons, water, and mint syrup (made from fresh mint, sugar, and water). That’s just 4 measly ingredients, and that’s including the H20! This minty lemonade tastes just as fresh as you’d think, is completely free from any artificial colors or preservatives, and is a stellar shortcut for making a lemon-y mint julep. 😋
Jump to:
What does it taste like?
I like to call this fun summer drink my favorite refresh-mint (see what I did there? 😂) because each sip will make you smile and go ahhhhhh! The first thing you’ll taste are the classic flavors you’d expect—tangy lemon softened with sweet sugar, like a liquid lemon Sour Patch kid. But making lemonade with mint introduces a bit of grown-up intrigue!
Don’t worry though—it’s not like sipping on orange juice after brushing your teeth. (YUCK!) Since we’re using fresh mint instead of mint extract, it’s not really an icy-cool flavor. Rather, there’s a milder, lightly sweet mint taste that melds beautifully with the citrus, giving it something of an herbal iced tea vibe. Delightful!
Why You Will Love [Keyword]
- Quick & Easy – You’ll basically be done in the time it takes you to juice your lemons. All in, you’re looking at just 5 minutes of active effort to make a pitcher!
- Light & Lemony – I’m sure you all know that I’m a sucker for coffee, but I don’t always want something quite so rich and creamy as a latte. This minty lemonade strikes the perfect balance of sweet, fresh, and slurpable.
- Customizable – On a sugar-free diet? Crave some cucumber freshness in the mix? You can do all these things and more—just hop down to the “optional variations” for more ideas on how to make this summery drink your own.
Ingredients Needed
As promised, you only need a handful of ingredients to make this minty, citrusy glass of yum:
- Fresh Lemon Juice – If there’s one thing you take away from this post, let it be this: ALWAYS use fresh lemon juice when making homemade lemonade. The bottled stuff just won’t do!
- Mint Syrup – You’re welcome to use store-bought, but making your own is as easy as mixing sugar and water together, heating it up, and letting fresh mint hang out in the pot for awhile.
- Water – If possible, start with filtered water for the best taste.
- Fresh Lemon Slices & Mint Sprigs – These are optional, but add a cheerful pop of color to your glass.
Substitutions
Need to make some changes? Not to worry. Try the following alternative ingredients:
- Fresh Lemon Juice – Fresh lime juice would be a fun, tangy twist. Meyer lemons would also be great if you prefer a less-sour lemonade.
- Mint Syrup – Feel free to swap in regular simple syrup, or go the extra mile and warm and steep it with a few herbal mint tea bags. You can also use another flavor of infused simple syrup—basil or tarragon would both be awesome.
- Water – Swap in seltzer, club soda, or sparkling mineral water to turn your mint lemonade into an effervescent affair.
- Fresh Lemon Slices & Mint Sprigs – Feel free to skip the garnishes, or swap in any other garnishes you prefer.
How To Make Mint Lemonade
Making this fresh, citrusy drink is WAY easier than pie. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Prep. Roll and juice lemons. Pour water into a pitcher.
Step 2: Add lemon juice to the pitcher with the water.
Step 3: Sweeten with the mint simple syrup. Stir to combine, and adjust taste as needed.
Step 4: Pour the mint lemonade over a glass of ice.
Step 5: Garnish with mint and lemon & serve.
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Sugar-Free/Diabetic-Friendly – You can either buy or make sugar-free mint syrup to make this lemonade sugar-free, virtually calorie-free, and carb-free.
- Extra Refreshing – Take a cue from your local spa and add some cool cuke slices to your glass for a delightfully fresh Cucumber Mint Lemonade.
- Add Fruit – Rather than exclusively using mint syrup to sweeten the lemonade, experiment with doing a 50/50 split with other flavored syrups to make strawberry mint lemonade, blueberry mint lemonade, pineapple mint lemonade, or watermelon mint lemonade.
- Add Spices – To balance out the cool mint and sour lemon flavors, try replacing some of the mint syrup with spicy-sweet ginger syrup for mint ginger lemonade.
Serving Suggestions
Aside from a sun hat and a porch swing, this mint lemonade recipe requires no extras. (I mean, I guess it doesn’t need the hat and swing, but it just feels right, you know?) That said, there are plenty of ways for you to gussy up your glass:
- Southern Belle – About 15 minutes before serving, freeze a couple of mason jars and grab some cute striped straws. Slurping mint lemonade from a frosty, unfussy jam jar will make you feel like one of the Steel Magnolia gals. Someone cue the lightning bugs!
- Mint Lemonade Cocktail – If it’s Happy Hour o’clock, try adding a nip of whiskey to make a shortcut mint julep. The bright flavors also pair well with neutral vodka, tequila blanco, or white rum.
- Fresh Pairings – Lemon and mint are flavors that are amenable to any number of other foods. Serve up your mint lemonade at your next BBQ or cookout as a lovely palate cleanser the whole family will love!
- Scale Up – It’s almost as easy to make a gallon of lemonade as it is to make a quart—you just have to squeeze a few more lemons. Feel free to double, triple, or quadruple the recipe as needed to serve your whole crew.
Storage Directions
- Refrigeration – Mint lemonade will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezing – For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months. Just defrost at room temperature or overnight in the fridge when you’re ready to enjoy.
- It also makes excellent flavored ice cubes or popsicles!
Recipe Success Tips
- Use real, fresh lemons. Bottled lemon juice is somewhat bitter, as it has a higher level of lemon essential oil in there. The fresh stuff is just so much brighter! PRO MOVE: Buy lemons when they’re on sale (or in large Costco-sized quantities for a price break), then store them whole in the freezer. When they defrost, they still have all the bright flavor, and they’re even easier to juice—no rolling necessary!
- Serve very cold. Mint lemonade is one of those drinks that is best served over ice, as chilled as possible. TL;DR? Hot lemonade isn’t great.
- Roll your lemons firmly against your countertops for about 10-15 seconds before slicing them open. This will help expel all the juice, so you can get as much out of each one as possible!
Homemade Mint Lemonade Nutrition
As you’d expect from any sweet, dairy-free drink, this minty lemonade is primarily carbs—approximately 39 grams per serving. Those carbohydrates are all from added sugar, resulting in about 148 calories per glass. So, it’s definitely a treat! There’s also 1 milligram of sodium, which is barely worth mentioning.
If you’d like a lighter take, simply swap in sugar-free mint syrup, preferably made with an all-natural sugar substitute like monkfruit. (This will eliminate basically all the carbs and calories.)
That said, this homemade drink recipe isn’t only sugar. Remember that lemon juice is an excellent source of vitamin C, potassium, and antibiotics, enhances iron absorption (eat it with steak or leafy greens!), and has natural antibiotic properties that can help kill stomach bugs. You’re getting basically a whole lemon’s worth per glass—not too shabby!
So, while you shouldn’t exclusively drink this sweet mint lemonade—water should make up the majority of your hydration routine—it’s something you should feel good about enjoying. Just enjoy in moderation!
Total nutritional content per serving is:
- Calories: 148 calories
- Total Fat: 0 grams
- Protein: 0 grams
- Sodium: 1 mg
- Carbohydrates: 39 grams
- Fiber: 0 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons): $1.52
- 3 cups water: $0.00
- 1 cup mint syrup: $2.05
The total comes out to be around $3.57 or $0.89 per serving!
FAQs
Taste is subjective, so it might not be for everyone, but I certainly like lemonade with mint! Just make sure you’re using fresh mint syrup, NOT a super icy peppermint syrup which can be a little overwhelming.
“Healthy” might be a stretch—there’s a decent amount of sugar in there, so I’d recommend you stick to no more than one glass a day. That said, there’s no weird artificial ingredients, and the fresh lemon juice is an excellent source of vitamin C, so it’s definitely healthier than a cola.
Mint stimulates digestive enzymes, while lemon aids in bile production—that means this mint lemonade can be effective as a post-prandial drink to aid with digestion. A bit of sugar can also help with queasiness—remember when your Mom would give you a Sprite or ginger ale when your tummy was rough as a kid? Mint and lemon are also both considered safe for pregnancy. That said, you don’t wanna overdo it on the sugary drinks, which can give you a sugar crash tummy ache and headache.
Other Homemade Lemonade Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Easy Mint Lemonade
Equipment
- 1 juicer
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
- 3 cups water
- 1 cup mint syrup
- fresh mint leaves (optional for garnish)
Instructions
- Juice your lemons: Start by rolling them firmly with your hand on a hard surface to loosen the juice. Cut them in half and juice using a juicer.
- Stir together the lemon juice and water, then add the mint syrup. Stir until combined.
- Pour over ice, garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired, and serve!
Nutrition
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
xoxo Megan
Leave a Reply