The first time I ordered Brazilian lemonade at a restaurant, I had no idea what I was actually getting. I assumed it would taste like regular lemonade, but what arrived was this cool, creamy, sweet-tart drink made with whole blended limes and sweetened condensed milk, and it completely changed what I thought a summer drink could be. It is one of the most refreshing non-alcoholic summer beverages I have ever tasted, ready in about five minutes with just a handful of simple Brazilian lemonade ingredients.
I ordered it on a whim a few years ago without knowing what it actually was, and the first sip genuinely stopped me mid-conversation. I asked the server what was in it and immediately started thinking about how to make it at home before we had even finished the meal. William says I have never paid so little attention to him at a restaurant and I think he is probably right. If you love fun drinks like this one, my Starbucks Coffee Smoothie is another recipe our family keeps coming back to again and again.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Brazilian Lemonade
- Ingredients for Brazilian Lemonade
- Substitutions and Variations for Brazilian Lemonade
- Equipment for Brazilian Lemonade
- How to Make Brazilian Lemonade
- Expert Tips for Brazilian Lemonade
- Storage Tips for Brazilian Lemonade
- FAQ about Brazilian Lemonade
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
Why You'll Love This Brazilian Lemonade
- This tropical non-alcoholic beverage comes together in about five minutes with just four ingredients and a blender.
- It tastes cool and creamy with a sweet-tart citrus punch that no regular lemonade can match. Kids and adults both love it.
- You can easily turn it into a Brazilian lemonade cocktail by adding a splash of vodka or cachaça for adults at a party.
- No cooking involved and virtually no cleanup. Just blend, strain, and pour.
- It is the kind of summer non-alcoholic drink recipe that looks impressive but takes almost no effort to pull together.
Ingredients for Brazilian Lemonade
Here is everything you need to make this Brazilian lemonade. The ingredient list is short, which is exactly what makes it so great.
What You'll Need
Sweetened condensed milk - this is the ingredient that makes Brazilian lemonade different from anything else. It gives the drink its signature creamy texture and a rich, mellow sweetness that balances the tartness of the limes perfectly. Do not substitute regular milk or it will not have the same consistency.
Whole limes - the entire lime goes into the blender, peel and all. This is what gives the drink its slightly bitter, complex citrus flavor. Use fresh limes and scrub them well before blending.
- 5 limes (or 4 if large), plus extra lime wheels for serving
- 3 ¼ cups cold water
- 3 cups ice
- 1 (14-oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
See recipe card below for full measurements.
Substitutions and Variations for Brazilian Lemonade
- Sweetened condensed milk: for a lighter version, you can make Brazilian lemonade without condensed milk by using coconut cream instead. The drink will taste more tropical and slightly less sweet.
- Limes with lemons: some people make Brazilian lemonade with lemons instead of limes for a more traditional lemonade flavor. Use the same quantity and follow the same method.
- For a Brazilian lemonade cocktail: add 1.5 oz of vodka or cachaça per glass before serving. Stir well and garnish with a lime wheel.
- For a dairy-free version: use a can of coconut condensed milk in place of regular sweetened condensed milk. It works very well and adds a light coconut note.
- For extra sweetness: add one to two tablespoons of simple syrup to the blender along with the other ingredients and blend until combined.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
Equipment for Brazilian Lemonade
High-speed blender - a powerful blender is important here because you are blending whole limes, peel included. A standard blender works but may take a bit longer to break everything down. If you love making blended drinks, my Blueberry Lemonade is another great recipe to try with yours.
Fine-mesh sieve or strainer - you need this to strain out the lime pulp and peel after blending. A nut milk bag works too if that is what you have on hand.
Large pitcher or bowl - for catching the strained juice before pouring into glasses. Any large bowl works fine.
How to Make Brazilian Lemonade
Step-by-Step Directions
Step 1: Lightly scrub the limes under cold running water to remove any wax or residue, then rinse and pat dry. Cut both ends off each lime, then cut each lime into quarters. Remove and discard any large white veiny pith from the center of each quarter, as this part can turn the drink too bitter.
Step 2: Transfer the lime quarters to the blender. Add the cold water and blend on high speed until the mixture is mostly smooth and combined, about 1 minute. You will see it turn a cloudy pale green and it will smell bright and intensely citrusy.
Step 3: Place the fine-mesh sieve over your large pitcher or bowl. Pour the blended lime mixture through the sieve slowly, pressing gently with a spoon to push the juice through. Discard the pulp that remains in the strainer. Rinse out the blender.
Step 4: Pour the strained lime juice back into the clean blender. Add the ice and the full can of sweetened condensed milk. Blend again on high speed until the mixture is smooth, creamy, and slushy looking, about 1 minute. The color will shift to a soft pale yellow and it will look thick and frothy at the top.
Step 5: Divide the lemonade among glasses filled with ice. Garnish with fresh lime wheels and serve immediately. This drink is best served right away while it is still cold and frothy. If you enjoy citrus drinks this refreshing, my Coconut Lime Refresher is another one worth trying on a hot day.
Expert Tips for Brazilian Lemonade
- Do not skip straining the mixture. The lime peel adds flavor when blended, but you do not want chunks of peel or pulp in the final drink. A fine-mesh sieve does the job well. Press gently with a spoon to get as much juice through as possible without forcing the pulp through too.
- Remove the white pith from the lime quarters. The white veiny interior of the lime is more bitter than the peel itself. Taking a moment to remove it before blending makes a noticeable difference in the final flavor. The drink should taste bright and tart, not harsh.
- Blend in two stages for best results. Blending the limes with water first, then straining, then blending again with the ice and condensed milk gives you a much smoother and creamier texture than throwing everything in at once. It only adds about one extra minute but it is worth it.
- Serve immediately. Brazilian lemonade loses its frothy texture and the ice melts quickly, so pour it into glasses right after the second blend. If you are making it for a group, blend in batches just before serving rather than making it all ahead of time. For more refreshing summer drink ideas, my Blueberry Italian Cream Soda is another crowd-pleaser worth bookmarking.
Storage Tips for Brazilian Lemonade
Brazilian lemonade is best enjoyed immediately after blending. The ice melts fast and the frothy texture fades within about 15 to 20 minutes, so I always recommend making it fresh per serving or in small batches right before you need it. If you have leftover strained lime juice before the second blend, you can store that in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to 24 hours and blend it with ice and condensed milk when you are ready to serve.
FAQ about Brazilian Lemonade
What is Brazilian lemonade?
Brazilian lemonade, known in Portuguese as limonada suica or limonada brasileira, is a popular Brazilian beverage made by blending whole limes with water, sweetening the juice, and mixing it with sweetened condensed milk. Despite the name, it is technically made with limes rather than lemons in most recipes. The result is a creamy, sweet-tart drink that tastes nothing like American-style lemonade.
What alcohol is in a Brazilian lemonade cocktail?
The classic Brazilian lemonade cocktail version typically uses cachaça, which is a Brazilian sugarcane spirit similar to rum. Outside of Brazil, vodka is the most common substitute because it is easy to find and blends in without changing the flavor much. Simply add one to two ounces of your chosen spirit per glass, stir to combine, and serve over ice.
What does Brazilian lemonade taste like?
It tastes cool and creamy with a bright, tangy citrus flavor from the blended limes balanced by the rich sweetness of the condensed milk. The peel adds a very slight bitterness that keeps it from being one-dimensional. It is closer in flavor to a creamy citrus shake than a traditional glass of lemonade, and the texture is smooth and slightly frothy right after blending.
Is it okay to drink Brazilian lemonade?
Yes, absolutely. Brazilian lemonade is a well-known and widely enjoyed non-alcoholic tropical beverage made from real limes, water, ice, and sweetened condensed milk. It is sweet and higher in calories than plain lemonade due to the condensed milk, so if you are watching Brazilian lemonade calories, it is worth enjoying it as an occasional treat rather than an everyday drink. It contains no alcohol unless you add spirits yourself.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Brazilian Lemonade:
📖 Recipe
Brazilian Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- First, give your limes a little scrub under cold water-we're using the whole fruit, so we want them clean! Cut off the ends, then quarter them. I always make sure to slice out that white veiny pith in the center; it's a tiny extra step my grandmother taught me to keep the drink from being too bitter.
- Pop those limes into your blender and pour in the cold water. Pulse and blend on high for about a minute. You'll see it transform into a beautiful, cloudy pale green. It'll smell so bright and citrusy, your kitchen will feel like a tropical getaway instantly!
- Hold your fine-mesh sieve over a pitcher and slowly pour the mixture through. I like to use a spoon to gently press the pulp-we want every last drop of that lime goodness! Once you're done, discard the solids and give your blender a quick rinse so it's ready for the final magic step.
- Pour that fresh juice back into the blender. Now, add the ice and that luscious sweetened condensed milk. Blend again until it looks thick, frothy, and perfectly slushy. Seeing the color shift to that soft, pale yellow always makes me smile-it's just so inviting!
- Pour it immediately into glasses filled with more ice. Garnish with a fresh lime wheel and serve it right away! This drink is all about that fresh, frothy texture, so don't let it sit-cheers to a beautiful summer day with your favorite people!
