This watermelon lemonade may just be the most refreshing summer drink ever! My recipe requires just 4 ingredients and 10 minutes to make. Feel free to add mint to make watermelon mint lemonade!
The Best Drink of Summer
The pretty-in-pink sister to my classic lemonade recipe, watermelon lemonade is *the* drink of the summer. Sweet, juicy watermelon paired with tart, freshly squeezed lemons, cool water, and plenty of ice. Hand me a glass and a smash burger and it’s summer cookout paradise.
Why this recipe works:
- Takes 10 minutes. Quick and easy, with just 4 fresh ingredients. Watermelon, lemons, sugar, and water. Fast, fresh, and did I mention way tastier than store-bought?
- Adds a fun twist to classic lemonade. It reminds me of a Jolly Rancher candy, but better (and no artificial flavors or colors).
- Simple syrup gives us best results. Dissolving the sugar first to make a simple syrup is an extra step, but it takes mere minutes and ensures every sip has consistent sweetness (without any gritty sugar!) I use this same method in my sweet tea because it just works well!
- Adult-friendly upgrade options. A splash of vodka, gin, or even just sparkling water, a bit of muddled mint or basil, there are lots of ways to make watermelon lemonade feel even more sophisticated and fun.
Between this version, my raspberry lemonade and my strawberry lemonade, I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite (it would be a bit like picking a favorite child 😂).
What You Need
Since this lemonade is made with so few ingredients, the quality and flavor of your fruits is very important. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Lemons. I typically need about five or so lemons to get 1 cup of juice. Follow my tips below for getting the most juice out of your lemons, and don’t forget to slice up any extra lemons for garnishing! Oh, and I don’t recommend store-bought lemon juice. It’ll “work”, but the flavor isn’t as good.
- Watermelon. You’ll need ripe, fresh, and flavorful watermelon for this recipe–always taste-test first! It must be a watermelon you enjoy eating! Since we will be blending and straining the pulp, this recipe will work nicely for using up a watermelon with a not-so-great texture, but delicious flavor (an incredibly disheartening experience, until now!).
- Sugar. We’ll cook this down with an equal amount of water to create a simple syrup. Using a simple syrup vs. just regular sugar and water guarantees a smooth, evenly sweet lemonade.
SAM’S TIP: Toss an ounce of fresh mint in with the simple syrup for a subtle (but present!) mint infused watermelon lemonade!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Watermelon Lemonade
- Make the simple syrup – Combine 1 cup of water and granulated sugar in a pot over medium low heat. Stir and cook until the sugar dissolves, then set aside.
- Blend the watermelon – Add the watermelon chunks to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain the watermelon puree through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher, then discard the pulp.
- Combine – Add the simple syrup, lemon juice, and remaining water to the pitcher. Stir well to combine, then let cool in the fridge until chilled, or immediately pour over ice. Garnish with lemon slices, watermelon slices, and mint leaves if desired, and enjoy!
SAM’S TIP: To get the most juice out of your lemons, try either rolling them between your counter and your palm or microwaving them for 20 seconds (this is especially effective if you store your lemons in the fridge). Then slice and juice as normal–you’ll be amazed at how much more juice you’ll get!
Frequently Asked Questions
While you can garnish your watermelon lemonade with fresh mint leaves, I actually prefer to make a mint simple syrup instead. I provide instructions for how to do this in the recipe notes below; it’s just a easy as making a regular simple syrup.
Bottled lemon juice contains additives and just honestly doesn’t have a great fresh flavor. It will work, but the flavor will be much, much better with freshly squeezed lemon juice.
There are many ways to juice a lemon, but I like to use this citrus tool; it makes juicing so easy and catches the seeds too! If you use a different tool, remember to strain the seeds out of your juice before pouring it into the pitcher.
This is totally normal! The watermelon juice often retains a bit of the watermelon pulp and, since it’s heavier, tends to settle to the bottom after sitting for a bit, it’s just a gravity thing. Just give it a stir to bring everything back together and enjoy.
Pair your watermelon lemonade with my watermelon sugar cookies for the cutest summer treat 🍉
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
Perfect Summer Pairings
Watermelon Lemonade
Ingredients
- 6 cups (1.4 L) water divided
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 5 cups (854 g) cubed seedless watermelon
- 1 cup (236 ml) fresh-squeezed lemon juice see note
- Additional sliced watermelon and sliced lemon for garnish optional
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup (236ml) of water with the granulated sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.6 cups (1.4 L) water, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- Place watermelon in a blender and puree until completely smooth and pureed.5 cups (854 g) cubed seedless watermelon
- Pour watermelon through a fine mesh strainer into a large pitcher. Use a spatula to help nudge the juices through. Discard the pulp.
- Add simple syrup, lemon juice and remaining 5 cups (1.18L) of water to the pitcher and stir well. Chill in the refrigerator until cold (stir before serving) or pour over ice to serve immediately. Garnish with additional watermelon, lemon slices, or mint sprigs. Note that the watermelon will settle as the lemonade sits and you should always stir well before pouring.1 cup (236 ml) fresh-squeezed lemon juice, Additional sliced watermelon and sliced lemon for garnish
Notes
Lemon juice
This is about 5 lemons for me but will vary depending on your produce. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is strongly recommended over bottled. Be sure to strain out any seeds before adding to the lemonade.Watermelon Mint Lemonade
Throw an ounce of mint leaves in the saucepan when making your simple syrup. Let steep for 15 minutes after the sugar has dissolved. Strain out the mint leaves before adding the syrup to the lemonade.Storing
Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Always stir before serving.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Brittany
Very delicious! It was the perfect addition to our 4th of July gathering!
Sam Merritt
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it so much, Brittany! 🙂
FLOR
i love it delilesh mm yummy
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much! 🙂
Lorley
Ok
119 degrees here in Phoenix. This was a welcome thirst quencher and very flavorful. The grandkids loved it. I have never made homemade lemonade before. It was such a treat. Thank you from Parched in Phoenix
Sam
I’m so happy to hear everyone enjoyed, Lorley! Thank you for trying my recipe, stay cool!
Susie Kelley
So refreshing! It’s very warm here in Oklahoma, and this will be our new summertreat. Yummy!!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Susie! 🙂