Keto Lemonade concentrate made from fresh lemons and monk fruit sweetener is the best low-carb drink recipe. You can enjoy it today, refrigerate some, or freeze for later.
Why this Keto Lemonade Recipe is Amazing: This easy recipe is sweet, tart, & refreshing without all the carbs & calories. The perfect summer drink!
We have a large lemon bush in our yard that bursts with so much fruit each year, it is hard to use them all up. This year I decided to make lemonade often but wanted to preserve some for later.
Then it hit me! Why not make homemade keto low carb lemonade concentrate? Each batch of this homemade low-carb lemonade concentrate recipe makes a half-gallon pitcher when mixed with water.
After a few tries, I came up with two recipes that are foolproof amazing for lemonade! For the regular sugar version, find it at my HOMEMADE LEMONADE CONCENTRATE recipe.
Jump to:
Ingredients
It only takes 3 ingredients to make lemonade concentrate from scratch. Since this is a keto-friendly recipe, instead of sugar, use your favorite sweetener substitute.
Here are the ingredients needed to make keto lemonade from scratch:
- Lemons - fresh is best, nothing store-bought in a jar or squeeze bottle.
- Monkfruit Sweetener - this zero-calorie ingredient is a sugar-free alternate. A 1:1 replacement works best like this brand with erythritol. Lakanto is fine too.
- Water - to make the low-carb simple syrup.
See the recipe card for quantities & substitutions/variations.
How to Make Keto Lemonade
In a few simple steps this is ready to go. The hardest part for the kids and I is getting leverage to muscle through juicing all the lemons. We grab our stool and get to squeezing, the effort is worth the reward.
Here are the easy steps for making this recipe for sugar-free lemonade.
- Prep & Squeeze the Lemons
- Make the Simple Syrup
- Mix up a Batch of Lemonade
- Store the Concentrate
See the recipe card for full instructions.
1 - Prep & Squeeze the Lemons
Wash, dry, & cut the lemons in half. Use a hand juicer (or electric if you own one) to juice all the lemons.
Make sure to keep the seeds and large pulp pieces out - strain if needed. Keep squeezing until you have 1.25 cups of juice. Set aside.
2 - Make the Simple Syrup
MICROWAVE: In a medium-sized bowl or your pyrex measuring cup, add the water and microwave for 3 minutes to boil. stir together the boiling water with the 1 and ¼ cup of sweetener. Stir to dissolve.
STOVETOP: In a saucepan over high heat add the water and bring to a boil. Once it is boiling, turn it down to medium heat & add the monkfruit sweetener. Stir to dissolve. Turn the heat off and let it cool. SO EASY!!!
3 - Mix up a Batch of Lemonade
Once the simple syrup is cool, combine with the lemon juice. Now you can either make a batch of lemonade now or store this concentrate to use later. See the next step for storing instructions.
To make a batch of lemonade: Add this concentrate to a large pitcher along with 3 cups of cold water. Stir & enjoy over ice.
4 - Store the Concentrate
This concentrate stores well in both the refrigerator and the freezer. Make sure to ensure the container or ziplock bags you are using are air-tight so that no frostbite ruins your freshly made lemonade concentrate.
- Save in sealed jar or quart-sized Ziploc bags
- Can keep for 3 weeks in the refrigerator
- Can keep for up to 4 months in the freezer
Concentrate to Water Ratio :
One Batch of Concentrate + 3-4 Cups of Cold Water = ½ Gallon of Fresh Homemade Lemonade
Two Batches of Concentrate + 6-7 Cups of Cold Water = 1 Gallon of Fresh Homemade Lemonade
** depends on how strong you like your lemon flavor.
Recipe Tips & Behind the Scenes
Here is my recipe for success - including what I learned when testing, funny stories or bloopers, and more.
- Use ripe lemons that feel heavy when you hold them in your hand. More weight = more juice!
- For quick prep, an electric juicer saves times and is cheap.
- See the recipe card notes for how to measure different types of sugar-free substitute brands/types.
- Add the keto lemonade to plain iced tea for a sugar-free Arnold Palmer drink recipe.
- Make sure to label with date & item before freezing.
- Use this as a mixer for cocktail - try it in a Lemon Drop Martini!
FAQ
Juice is simply the liquid squeezed directly from fruits and vegetables. With the addition of sugar and water, it is called an "ade". To learn more about the history of lemonade, check out more on HOWSTUFFWORKS!
Homemade Keto Lemonade Concentrate
Equipment
- hand juicer
Ingredients
- 1.25 C fresh-squeezed lemon juice about 8-10 lemons
- 1.25 C hot water
- 1.25 C monkfruit sweetener or other no-calorie 1:1 replacement sweetener of your choice
Instructions
- Pick fresh lemons from your tree. If you do not have a tree, get them at the store or farmer's market. Wash them and slice them in half.
- Using a hand juicer, squeeze the juice from the lemons. You will need 1 and ¼ cups of fresh juice.1.25 C fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- Add to a large mason jar or big pyrex measuring cup to hold.1.25 C hot water
- Boil water in a large measuring pyrex or tea kettle.
- In a medium-sized bowl or your pyrex measuring cup, stir together the boiling water with the 1 and ¼ cup of sweetener. Stir to dissolve.1.25 C monkfruit sweetener
- Once cool, add to the lemon juice. Stir.
- Store in mason jars or pour into a quart-sized Ziploc bag. The lemonade concentrate can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 5 months.
To Make Lemonade
- Each recipe will make one half-gallon of lemonade. Add one batch of the concentrate to 3 cups of cold water plus some ice in a pitcher. For a gallon, use two batches and 6 cups of cold water and ice. Stir and serve over ice. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is made with a 1:1 sugar substitute. Use 1.25 cups when using that type of sugar-free sweetener.
- If using another type, the sweetener is often MUCH STRONGER than regular sugar so adjust accordingly. Try these amounts instead:
- Lakanto Monkfruit sweetener use ⅓ cup
- Stevia, use 1 to 1.5 tablespoons
Nutrition
More Keto Recipes
Check out Lemon Cheesecake Fat Bombs for those that love lemon. Or try one of these other favorites here on the blog:
Laura Lee says
I love lemonade all year long, too! In fact, it's my go drink whenever we go out to a restaurant.
Angela says
You will surely love this recipe! Enjoy -
Hillari says
Oooh, yes! I love that there is a low carb option. What a perfect summer drink!!
Jen says
This is a fantastic idea! My kids would love this for sure!
Tricia Snow says
I pretty much use lemon every day. I just planted my first lemon tree. Thanks for the recipe!
Angela says
Great, glad you have a lemon tree also.
Kirsten says
My girls LOVE lemonade, and want it all the time...even when I have no lemons. Creating some concentrate is such a great idea!
Beth Shields says
This sounds delicious and refreshing. I have not personally used Monkfruit before but know of several friends who do. Will have to check into it. Thanks.
Debbie says
Need this in my freezer!!
Lisa Manderino says
Time to make some lemonade goodness the keto way!
Eva Keller says
Looks like a great recipe and a good idea now that the weather is warming up in a lot of places.
Angela says
Now is the perfect time to get those concentrate in the fridge and freezer.
Lee Anne says
Great idea! I have struggled with keto friendly sweeteners. I cant seem to find one I like yet!
Angela says
I have tried several and so far monkfruit is the one I like best and can tolerate the best.
Holly says
Thank you for this low Carb version, can't wait to try it!
Angela says
I hope you enjoy it HOlly.
Diane Kurzava says
I love that you added a keto version of this! Thank you!
Angela says
You are welcome.
Jane says
I love lemonade and it always remind me of summer. This low carb recipe is amazing esp if you’re watching your sugar intake.
Kendra says
Yum! We love using the monkfruit sweetener for keto lemonade! This is a great idea to make ahead and freeze!
Angela says
Glad you love it too.
Carrie Cochran says
I would never have imagined this was so simple! Thanks for sharing!
Angela says
I know, right!?!?
Santana says
I love lemonade! My husband doesn't care for it, but that just means more for me 😂 Saving this!
Angela says
Then you are a winner for sure.
Shirley says
Love homemade lemonade!! Your pictures make it look so refreshing. I believe I may need to make some. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Angela says
I hope you enjoy some on the farm - once the snow melts!
Sandi says
This is so great, I can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing.
Tiffany says
I might not feel so guilty if I used this keto concentrate!
Angela says
No guilt lemon love right here!
Maria Gustafsson says
Such a clever idea to store the concentrate in ziplock bags! A serious space saver in the freezer.
Angela says
Yes, a great way to stock up and not bulk up in the freezer.
Lisa says
This looks yummy! I have a bunch of lemons I need to use up and this is a great idea!
Helen at the Lazy Gastronome says
There is nothing like homemade lemonade! Thanks for sharing at the What's for Dinner party. I hope to see you again at tomorrow's party.
Cindy says
I’ll have to try monk fruit sweetener! I don’t do refined sugar.
Angela says
I hope you like it, I sure do.
Pauline says
This is so neat!! I love cooking with lemons and always buy atleast a dozen. I miss having a tree.
Angela says
Glad you like it.
Ruth Iaela-Pukahi says
This is such a fabulous idea! Now to plant a lemon tree! We just moved from a house that had an "ugly lemon" tree. I've been told they are the best lemons in Hawaii. Thank you for sharing!!!
Angela says
Ugly lemons can make beautiful lemonade!
Ariel says
I question your measurements as pure monkfruit sweetener is like a natural version of sucralose. Many sweeteners are 1:1 with sugar but with monk fruit you are looking at some hundreds of times sweeter. Shouldn’t the ration be between 1:100 - 1:250?
Angela says
Since this is a concentrated recipe, the amount may seem high. Compared to other recipes that make lemonade at regular strength it will not be similar in amounts. I have made this several times and now that my lemon tree is bursting will probably make it again soon. I will double-check my measurements again but it has been a good combination of sweet & tart in the past.
Aleria says
The 1.25 cup of monk fruit sweetener, is that the **pure** monk fruit that's sweetness is 2/3tsp per 1 cup of sugar or is this the 1-to-1 ratio monk fruit sweetener?
Angela says
It is the 1:1 replacement. In the post I share which brand I use, Lakanto Monkfruit 1:1 Sugar substitute.