Brazilian Lemonade
This Brazilian Lemonade is tart, sweet and easy to make, coming together in 10 minutes for a refreshing summertime drink!
A REFRESHING DRINK IN 10 MINUTES
Have you ever had a Brazilian Lemonade? They are really a unique drink. They are creamy, frothy, sweet, tart and a little bit bitter. But it all somehow really works well together. Here, we would consider this drink similar to a Limeade but in Brazil, it’s a limonada – it is flavorful and thirst-quenching and I now know why it is oh so popular. What is interesting about this drink is it uses the whole lime. That was surprising at first but I found I enjoyed the more complex flavor and I learned how to make this just right so there isn’t too much bitterness (see my notes below about that). It’s the perfect remedy for a hot summer day and an essential part of any celebration!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Brazilian Lemonade is a classic Brazilian drink that is incredibly popular on hot summer days. It’s made with limes, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, cold water, and ice. It’s an incredibly refreshing beverage that everyone can enjoy! So why is it called Brazilian Lemonade when it’s made with limes? In Brazil, the national language is Portuguese. In Portuguese, lime translates to “lima” and so therefore this is called a “limonada” and we have actually translated that to “lemonade” which isn’t actually accurate. But this is how people know the drink here in America so this is what it continues to be called here (I don’t make up the rules y’all).
Unfortunately, this happens if you blend it for too long. So try not to go crazy blending this. Also, this drink is best enjoyed the day it’s made. The longer it sits, the more bitter it can get. This drink is definitely not for everyone. it does have just a touch of bitterness to it that some people will not enjoy, so if that is not for you then you may not like this drink. See my FAQ below about other ways to help with the bitterness.
It’s easy to make without condensed milk, though it won’t be as creamy as this recipe is. All you’ll need to do is follow this recipe and just omit the condensed milk part of the instructions. You can try replacing it with another creamy milky product, but results will not be the same since it won’t add the same sweetness.
You can remove the peels if you really want to, just keep in mind that a traditional Brazilian Lemonade will have the peels on. It’s known to be slightly bitter because of the peels. If you do choose to remove the peels, you’ll remove most of the bitterness. Especially if you aren’t familiar with this drink then it could be a surprising taste.
You can even choose to remove half the peels from the lime wedges, but leave the rest of the peels on the second half to get just the right amount of bitterness for your preference, feel free to play with it.
When picking a lime, make sure you look for one that is firm and heavy for its size. The skin should be smooth, thin, bright green with no wrinkles or spots. If the lime gives a little bit when you press your finger in it, then it is ripe. If it’s too hard, leave it for a few days until it softens up. As limes are typically on the smaller side, the heaviness of it in your hand can often determine if the fruit is ripe. Additionally, limes should have a sweet smell to them; if the aroma is off or odorless, then passion it.
Absolutely! I would recommend a coconut rum to go with this or a bit of vodka or tequila.
Brazilian Lemonade has a short shelf life. It is best when it is fresh because of the peels. It can continue to get bitter the longer it sits. However, If you removed the peels then it will last a couple of days in the refrigerator. As with any recipe that includes fresh ingredients, you should always inspect the lemonade for any signs of spoilage before drinking. If there are any off-odors, then discard it immediately.
INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (SEE RECIPE CARD BELOW FOR THE FULL RECIPE)
- limes – see my tips above for picking the best limes. We’re not using key limes here which are really small.
- cold water – this will help keep the ice from melting too quickly in the drink so you are able to serve it right away while it is fresh.
- granulated sugar – I have not tried this with any kind of sugar substitute but I imagine it would work just fine.
- sweetened condensed milk – this is an essential part of this recipe to give it that authentic creaminess and it also adds sweetness. Do not get this confused with evaporated milk.
HOW TO MAKE BRAZILIAN LEMONADE
Add limes, water and sugar to a blender.
Carefully, blend it together for 10-15 seconds on low.
Pour your drink mixture through a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Discard the lime pulp that is left over in the strainer.
After rinsing the blender, add the strained lime juice back in. Now add the sweetened condensed milk to the blender. Then pulse 1-3 times until nice and frothy.
Pour your drink mixture over a cold, glass full of ice.
Garnish with additional fresh limes and serve immediately.
CRAVING MORE RECIPES?
Brazilian Lemonade
Ingredients
- 5 limes, cut into wedges (see notes about peeling)
- 6 cups cold water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup sweetened condensed milk
- ice
- fresh limes, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Add limes, water and sugar to a blender.
- Carefully, blend it together for 5-10 seconds on low. Note: Do not overlmix or it will get very bitter. It will be chunky.
- Pour your drink mixture through a fine mesh strainer over a large bowl. Discard the lime pulp that is left over in the strainer.
- After rinsing the blender, add the strained lime juice back in.
- Now add the sweetened condensed milk to the blender. Then pulse 1-3 times until nice and frothy (do not blend too long).
- Pour mixture over ice in a glass.
- Garnish with additional fresh limes, if you are using them, serve, and enjoy.
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- Don’t blend this drink for too long or it’ll extra bitter. It’s okay to have some chunks in it. This drink however does naturally have a touch of bitterness to it so keep that in mind before making this drink the traditional way. It’s not for everyone.
- Traditional limonadas are made with the lime peels on, but you can remove them if needed. Removing the peels will remove most of the bitterness.
- Use ripe, plump limes if possible. If you need help picking out ripe limes, check out the FAQ section for some of our best tips.
- If you keep the peels on the limes, you’ll need to consume the drink immediately or else risk it getting more and more bitter as it sits.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
This looks great, I would like to know if I could use whole fat coconut milk instead of the sweetened condensed milk I am diabetic and have to tweak recipes where ever I can. Of course I would be using a sweetener instead of sugar.
I haven’t made this yet, but I’m anxious to try it. If the drink is supposed to be a little chunky, why do we strain it? Is there a step that I missed which causes it to be chunky? Thanks.
Sorry the blended lime mixture is ok to be chunky 🙂
Can i use lime juice instead?
That would be a limeade and that’s not the same as this recipe. I would look up a limeade recipe if you want to use just lime juice 🙂
How is this lemonade when it is made with limes? No lemons in it at all. Does not make sense to call it lemonade.
I explain all of that up in the FAQ’s