This healthy whole lemon lemonade recipe is super simple to make. It’s made with fresh lemons, a natural sweetener, filtered water, and your blender.

Fall can already be felt in the cool mountain air, but we’re drinking up the last delicious drops of summer. We’ve been enjoying restful moments in the swing, listening to Wilder Baby cooing in my arms, birds singing in the trees, and ice cubes clinking in mason jars.
These days, I’m usually sipping on a lactation drink, but this week we had an abundance of lemons. You know the old saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” So we did just that.
Little Bear has a zest for using our old-fashioned glass citrus juicer to make fresh orange juice, but for this recipe, we used our glass blender.

Why You Will Love This Recipe
A lemonade-like drink can be traced back to medieval Egypt. Lemonade was popular in Paris in the 17th century. Thanks to modern kitchen appliances, we can easily make blended lemonade today.
This recipe is quick and simple. There are only three ingredients, and refined sugar isn’t one of them.
Even without simple syrup, I think this frothy drink is reminiscent of the classic southern-style lemonade that flavored so many of my summers. There’s nothing like a cold glass of homemade lemonade on a hot and humid day.
To sweeten this refreshing summertime favorite, you can use raw honey or pure maple syrup. Both of these natural options provide sweetness, along with vitamins and minerals.
Our star ingredient, lemons, are loaded with nutrients. Most notably, they are rich in the antioxidant vitamin C. They are also a good source of folate, which is especially important during pregnancy.
This whole lemon lemonade doesn’t require any peeling. Since lemon peels contain vitamin C, calcium, and potassium, don’t discard them.

Tips for Making Whole Lemon Lemonade
- Since you will use the entire fruit, be sure you’re blending certified organic or homegrown lemons. They should be unwaxed, and you don’t have to worry about toxic chemicals.
- Be sure to wash your lemons before cutting them.
- Unlike some fruit seeds, lemon seeds are edible. Because of their salicylic acid content, they may help relieve pain. They are bitter, though, so you might want to remove them.
- Like the seeds, the lemon pith is bitter as well. This white rind lining is healthy, so consider using it.
- Depending on your blender, quartering your lemons could be helpful.
- If the lemonade is too tart for your tastebuds, try adding another teaspoon or so of the natural sweetener.
- If you don’t have ice, you can just use cold water.
- Save the leftover pulp for a baked good like muffins. Lemon blueberry muffins, anyone?
Blended Lemonade Variations
- Trying to ward off a cold? You can add a small piece of fresh ginger. If you only have ground ginger, use a few shakes of that, to taste.
- On that note, if you’re drinking this to soothe a sore throat, you can warm it on the stove.
- In the mood for pink lemonade? Add a handful of fresh or frozen strawberries to the blender.
- Similarly, add raspberries, blueberries, or blackberries for more fruity flavor and color.
- If you’re feeling fancy, add a sprig of rosemary or lavender to your glass.
- You can also add fresh mint leaves; however, if you’re nursing, know that spearmint and peppermint can decrease milk supply.

Ingredients
- 3 washed lemons
- 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup
- 5 cups of filtered water
- lemon slices to garnish (optional)
How to Make Whole Lemon Lemonade
- Wash the lemons.
- Then roughly chop the whole lemons and put them in a blender.
- Next, add the natural sweetener.
- Pour in the water and blend.
- Strain and serve over ice.

More Ways We Enjoy Lemons on the Mountain
If you try this recipe and love it, let me know!
Whole Lemon Lemonade

This whole lemon lemonade recipe is healthy and simple. It's made with fresh lemons, a natural sweetener, filtered water, and your blender.
Ingredients
- 3 washed lemons
- 1/2 cup of honey or maple syrup
- 5 cups of filtered water
- lemon slices to garnish (optional)
Instructions
1. Wash the lemons.
2. Roughly chop the whole lemons and put them in a blender.
3. Add the natural sweetener.
4. Pour in the water and blend.
5. Strain and serve over ice.
I followed the ingredients to a T. Even though my blender could take 6 cups, I could only add 4 cups of water. I added the other one cup later. Straining did not come easy. I had to press the pulp against the side of the strainer to get any juice. Watching your video, it looked easy to strain the juice, it was not so for me. You are right, it is very bitter. I used double the amount of honey you suggested, and it still bitter. I don’t know what I did so differently from your video and method, but I was very disappointed in the result. Any suggestions from you, what I did wrong, will be appreciated and please send it to my e-mail. I don’t know what to do with all this pulp, so a link to the muffins you suggested will also be appreciated. – Thanks