Summertime and lemonade are the classic duo and this blueberry lemonade recipe will make you wish it was summer all the time! We start with homemade blueberry syrup, and then the perfect ratio of lemon juice and water is added for a truly refreshing drink. Make this adult-friendly by adding the spirit of your choice!
Homemade Blueberry Lemonade Recipe
Let’s first address the elephant in the room; how pretty is this blueberry lemonade?! Almost too pretty to enjoy. But let’s not be hasty (ha!)
I first published this recipe in 2020, and if you’re new here, I’ll tell you I love lemonade. If you’ve been here since then, you know I love lemonade. 🙂 My strawberry lemonade and ginger lemonade continue to be among my favorite recipes on the blog. Funny because there is no baking or butter about them. Just goes to show sometimes the simplest things are the best!
Take your favorite lip-puckering lemonade and layer it with bright homemade blueberry syrup, and you have the most refreshing warm-weather beverage. Blueberries add flavor and sweetness to the lemonade without the drink being cloyingly sweet. Plus blueberries + lemon are a natural combination – for example, my blueberry lemon upside-down cake.
And don’t let the beauty of this blueberry lemonade recipe fool you. It is incredibly versatile and fun to jazz up.
- Add a little sparkling water for a fizzy fruity lemonade.
- Freeze the blueberries and use them to keep the beverage cool.
- For an adult version, add your favorite spirit. Vodka seems natural!
4 Easy Ingredients
- Fresh Blueberries – Fresh is always best, especially when in season. And they are fun to use as a garnish.
- Sugar – I use granulated sugar to make the blueberry syrup for this recipe. Feel free to swap in any sweetener of choice.
- Lemons – To make your homemade lemonade, and again for garnish.
- Water – We need water to finish making the lemonade!
Easy Swaps
- Swap the lemons + water and use store-bought lemonade. No judgment here!
- Honey, no-sugar sweeteners, and even agave would be delicious alternatives to the granulated sugar.
- Frozen blueberries will work in lieu of fresh in this blueberry lemonade recipe. Bonus: use them alongside your ice cubes to keep the lemonade cool!
Homemade Blueberry Syrup
I think once you make a blueberry syrup, you will want to try other sweet fruits! This blueberry syrup recipe starts with simple syrup, which is equal parts water and sugar. Then we add the fresh berries to give it flavor.
The blueberries impart quite a bit of sweetness, so I opted to alter the typical sugar-to-water ratio. With that, feel free to add as much or as little sugar as you like. Remember, recipes are a guide, and have fun making them your own.
Additional Serving Suggestions For The Syrup
- Use as a coffee syrup
- Pour over pancakes
- Pour over scoops of vanilla ice cream
- Better yet, blend it with scoops of vanilla ice cream for a milkshake!
- Top your breakfast yogurt and/or granola
- Use as a syrup to soak cake tops
Easy Steps To Make
This blueberry lemonade recipe is easy, versatile, and can be adjusted however you please. As written below, the steps are to make individual glasses, but you can use the same steps to make a larger pitcher of lemonade.
- Make the blueberry syrup – start with nearly 6x the amount of blueberries to sugar (adjust to your taste preference). Simmer with sugar and water in a small saucepan for about 5 minutes.
- Strain the syrup – This is optional. You can skip the straining if you don’t mind little pieces of blueberry in your lemonade.
- Toss a handful of blueberries and a slice of lemon into the bottom of your glass. This is for presentation and flavor. It is fun to mash them with your straw as you enjoy your drink.
- Pour about 1/4 of the syrup over the fruit.
- Add about 1/4 of the lemon juice.
- Add the water – as much or as little as you like.
- Toss in a few ice cubes.
- Enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
A little over 1 liter – which can easily accommodate 4 servings. Double or triple the recipe to make more!
You can, but the blueberry syrup intensifies the blueberry flavor.
No – the pictures demonstrate the different pretty layers in the lemonade. You’ll want to stir your lemonade to get the full flavor. Some blueberry syrup may naturally go to the bottom since it is heavier.
Yes, the lemonade has a balanced level of sweetness. Blueberries are sweet and to make sure the flavor comes through, I don’t add a lot of extra sugar on purpose. Feel free to taste test as you go and adjust the sweetness accordingly.
More Refreshing Drinks
Blueberry Lemonade Recipe
Equipment
- 2 Quart Pitcher
Ingredients
- 5-6 cups water (divided)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (more or less to taste)
- 2 cups fresh blueberries (plus more to garnish )
- ⅔ cup lemon juice (fresh or bottled)
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of water, sugar, and blueberries. Cook over medium-low heat until the sugar melts and the blueberries start to break down – about 5 to 7 minutes. While cooking, smash the blueberries with the back of a sauce spoon to release all of the juices. Note – Taste the blueberry syrup and adjust the sweetness to taste.½ cup granulated sugar, 2 cups fresh blueberries, 5-6 cups water
- Over a small bowl, strain the blueberry syrup through a fine mesh strainer – pushing the blueberries through the strainer with the back of a sauce spoon. Set aside to cool.
- Add the blueberry syrup, lemon juice, and 4 cups of water to your pitcher. Add more water to dilute the lemonade more if you prefer. Chill and serve over ice with extra blueberries and a slice of lemon. Note – You can use store-bought lemonade instead of the water and lemon juice. And, you can swap the water for sparkling water for a sparkling lemonade.5-6 cups water, ⅔ cup lemon juice
RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – This is intended to be a smaller batch beverage. However, it is easily doubled (or tripled) to make a larger batch of lemonade.
- Sweetness – Adjust the sugar to your taste. I prefer a less-sweet lemonade and more of the sweetness to come from the blueberries. Note that the more sugar you add may dilute the blueberry flavor.
- Lemon – I use bottled lemon juice for this recipe, but you can use the juice from about 5 to 6 large lemons. You can also use store-bought lemonade in lieu of the water and lemon juice.
- Water – Adjust the water to your taste. I recommend starting with at least 4 cups of water to make the pitcher of lemonade.
- Make it Bubbly – Swap the water for sparkling water. Or use a half/half mix for a sparkling blueberry lemonade.
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about the author ...
I'm Erin and I'm all about desserts - and a little bit of butter!
I've tested, written, and photographed hundreds of recipes on my website. Here you'll find the tastiest small batch desserts - all homemade, all simple, and all for you! Click here to learn more about me!