On a hot day, there's nothing better than a cold glass of homemade lemonade, and this fresh Blackberry Lemonade recipe made from real fruit hits the spot every time. Not too sweet and perfectly tangy, this easy lemonade recipe is a personal favorite for serving at birthday parties, baby showers, and all your backyard BBQs. Use fresh or frozen berries!
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
I'll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you'll get great new recipes from me every week!
This post may include affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
This recipe came to be when I tried a strawberry lemonade at a restaurant, but I found the fruity drink was too sweet. After testing several fruits, I settled on blackberries for my homemade fruity lemonade.
I think it pairs perfectly with BBQ summer staples like classic creamy coleslaw and dill pickle potato salad.
📖Why My Recipe Works
- The base of the recipe is my homemade blackberry syrup using a simple fruit puree.
- You can store this big batch recipe in the fridge for up to 24 hours before you plan to serve it and the flavors will intensify and blend together even more.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Fresh Blackberries - You can use fresh or frozen berries, you can even use berries that are getting a touch old. Recipes like this are a great way to use up berries that are starting to turn.
- Fresh Lemon Juice - You'll need roughly 6 to 8 fresh lemons, squeezed. You can use conventional or Meyer lemons for this recipe. In a pinch bottled will work.
- Sugar - White granulated sugar is best for this recipe, but you can also sweeten it with sugar-free substitutes, or for a lighter sweetness, agave syrup.
- Water- You can use tap water but filtered water will have a cleaner taste.
💭 Variations
- Substitute your blackberries for any fresh fruit like blueberries, chopped strawberries, or raspberries, or mix the berries together in any combination you want.
- Use one or two limes in place of 1 lemon for an extra zip of flavor.
- Use club soda instead of water.
- Turn it into a cocktail by adding bourbon, tequila, or white rum.
Make your lemonade layered:
Instead of mixing the ingredients together, pour a little fruit syrup into the bottom of each glass. Add ice, then top with the lemonade mixture. Serve with long straws for stirring.
⏲️How to Make Blackberry Lemonade
Blackberry Syrup
Lightly crush the blackberries with a wooden spoon (or a potato masher!) to help the berries release their juices.
Strain the blackberry puree through a fine-mesh strainer or a piece of cheesecloth. Discard the solids
Homemade Lemonade
In a big pitcher, combine the lemon juice and the remaining cold water. Add the blackberry syrup and stir to combine.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Keep an eye on your fruit and sugar when it's on the stove. Sugar burns quickly, so make sure you stir frequently. If you think it's getting too hot, remove it from the burner and allow it to cool.
- Don't use your rapid boil burner for this recipe. Keep the mixture on a low burner with a temperature setting that's easy to control.
- To get extra juice out of your lemons, roll them on the counter with your hand to soften them before cutting and juicing.
🌡️Make Ahead
You can keep this lemonade in the fridge until you're ready to serve it. I suggest leaving out any ice until you're about to serve it since the ice will melt and water down the lemonade.
Place your lemonade pitcher in the fridge. If your pitcher doesn't have a lid, wrap the top with plastic wrap to keep it fresh. It will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze homemade lemonade. Make sure you allow it to come to room temperature before freezing it. Place it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. YES, this also means you can turn this lemonade into popsicles!
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Blackberry Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup lemon juice roughly 6 to 8 lemons squeezed
- 6 ounces blackberries fresh or frozen
- 5 cups water divided
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- lemon wedges, mint sprigs, extra blackberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup of water, sugar, and the blackberries. Lightly crush blackberries with a spoon. Place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Skim off any foam and discard.6 ounces blackberries, 5 cups water, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Transfer to a blender and process on high speed for 30 to 60 seconds. You can can also do this directly in the pot with an immersion blender. Strain the blackberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve or a piece of cheesecloth. Discard solids.
- In a large pitcher combine lemon juice and remaining water. Add the blackberry syrup and stir. Serve over ice.1 ½ cup lemon juice, 5 cups water, lemon wedges, mint sprigs, extra blackberries
Notes
- For a layered look, add the strained blackberry mixture to the bottom of each glass. Top with ice and pour over lemon water.
- Substitute blackberries for any fresh fruit like blueberries, chopped strawberries, or raspberries, or mix the berries together in any combination you want.
Equipment
- Fine mesh strainer
Nutrition
Can I use a lemonade mix to make this recipe?
Sure! You can make your blackberry puree, then mix it into a lemonade mix like Countrytime if you prefer. It will be much sweeter than this recipe, so you may want to add some extra water to cut the sweetness.
Can I make blackberry lemonade without a blender?
Yes! Instead of blending everything together, you can use an immersion blender or a hand mixer to break down your puree as thin as possible. Then, strain your fruit puree or run it through a cheesecloth.
How do I make lemonade sweeter?
Make lemonade sweeter by adding simple syrup, not sugar. To make simple syrup, combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir to combine. Once the sugar has dissolved, add a little at a time to your lemonade until you get your desired sweetness.
Comments
No Comments