Peach Lemonade Recipe
Introduction
Peach lemonade is a refreshingly sweet and tangy drink perfect for warm days. Made with homemade peach syrup and fresh lemon juice, it offers a delightful balance of flavors that’s easy to adjust to your taste. Whether served sparkling or still, it’s a crowd-pleaser for all ages.
Ingredients
- 3 large peaches, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
- 2 cups water (for syrup)
- 1/2 cup sugar (regular, brown, honey, or sugar-free alternative)
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 3 cups water (or sparkling water, coconut water, or a mix with alcohol)
- Lemon slices from one lemon (optional, for garnish)
- Peach slices (optional, for garnish)
- Mint (optional, for garnish)
- Ice cubes (optional)
Instructions
- Step 1: Combine the chopped peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring often.
- Step 2: Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, until peaches become mushy.
- Step 3: Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Strain the mixture through a sieve to extract the peach syrup.
- Step 4: Juice the lemons. For extra flavor and garnish options, zest the lemons before juicing.
- Step 5: In a large pitcher, mix about 1 cup of peach syrup with lemon juice and 3 cups of your chosen water or sparkling water. Stir well.
- Step 6: Taste and adjust the syrup, lemon juice, or water until the flavor suits your preference.
- Step 7: Add ice cubes to individual glasses rather than the pitcher to avoid diluting the lemonade, and garnish with lemon slices, peach slices, or mint if desired.
Tips & Variations
- Use ripe, in-season peaches or frozen peaches to maximize flavor.
- Try swapping still water for sparkling water or coconut water for different refreshing twists.
- Adjust sweetness and tartness by changing the syrup to lemon juice ratio.
- The peach syrup can be repurposed as a drizzle over desserts or in cocktails.
- For a frozen treat, blend peach syrup, lemon juice, water, and ice to make a peach slushie.
- Freeze the lemonade in popsicle molds for a cool summer snack lasting up to 2 months.
Storage
Prepare the peach syrup several days ahead and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Once mixed into lemonade, store it covered in the fridge for 5 to 7 days. If using fresh fruit or herbs as garnish, replace them daily. Consume freshly made lemonade within 1-2 days for best flavor.
How to Serve
Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.
FAQs
Can I use frozen peaches instead of fresh?
Yes, frozen peaches work well, especially outside of peach season. Thaw and drain them slightly before using for best results.
How can I make this lemonade less sweet?
Simply reduce the sugar in the peach syrup or increase the amount of water in the final mix to balance the sweetness to your liking.
PrintPeach Lemonade Recipe
A refreshing homemade Peach Lemonade recipe blending fresh peach syrup with tangy lemon juice and water, perfect for a cooling summer drink that can be easily adjusted to your sweetness and tartness preferences.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes (including cooling time)
- Yield: About 4 servings (approximately 6 cups) 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
The Peach Syrup
- 1.16 lb peaches peeled and chopped (3 large peaches / 2 cups chopped)
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup sugar (regular sugar, brown sugar, honey, or a sugar-free option like erythritol/stevia)
The Other Peach Lemonade Ingredients
- 1/3 cup lemon juice (from 2 lemons)
- 3 cups water (can be water, sparkling water, coconut water, or a combination of water and alcohol around 1/4 cup)
- Lemon slices from one lemon and/or some peach slices
- Mint for garnish (optional)
- Ice cubes (optional)
Instructions
- Make Peach Syrup: Combine the chopped peaches, 1/2 cup sugar, and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar and prevent sticking.
- Simmer Peaches: Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the peaches become mushy and the mixture has thickened slightly.
- Cool and Strain: Remove the saucepan from heat. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes). Then strain the syrup through a fine sieve to remove solids, reserving about 1 cup of peach syrup.
- Prepare Lemon Juice: Juice the lemons, ideally zesting them first to save zest for garnish or other uses. You may also save lemon peel twirls for decoration.
- Combine Ingredients: In a large pitcher, mix the peach syrup, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 3 cups of water or your choice of sparkling or coconut water. Stir well to combine.
- Adjust Flavor: Taste the lemonade and adjust the sweetness, citrus, or dilution by adding more syrup, lemon juice, or water as desired.
- Serve: Add ice cubes to individual glasses to avoid diluting the entire batch. Garnish with lemon slices, peach slices, and optionally mint.
- Make Ahead and Storage: The peach syrup can be prepared up to two weeks ahead and stored in the fridge. Finished peach lemonade will keep refrigerated for 5-7 days. Replace any fresh fruit or herbs daily to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Adjust the flavor by balancing citrus to syrup ratio to your preferred sweetness or tartness.
- Experiment with different liquids like sparkling water, soda, or coconut water for varying tastes and textures.
- Leftover peach syrup and solids can be repurposed in other recipes; check the syrup recipe for ideas.
- Use ripe, in-season peaches for best flavor; frozen peaches can be a substitute when fresh are unavailable.
- For a peach slushie, blend the peach syrup and lemon juice with water and plenty of ice in a high-speed blender.
- Use peaches with redder skin for the best color, leaving the skin on during syrup making.
- Turn the peach lemonade into popsicles by freezing it in molds, optionally with fresh berries, for up to 2 months.
Keywords: Peach lemonade, Summer drink, Peach syrup, Lemonade recipe, Refreshing beverage
