Cranberry Lemonade (Made with Cranberries, Not Juice)
This cranberry lemonade is a slightly sweet and tart summer indulgence that’s so refreshing because it’s entirely homemade! My pink lemonade recipe uses fresh or frozen cranberries to make a syrup to use in the lemonade instead of store-bought juice.
Why should cranberries only reserved for the autumn and winter seasons? This cranberry lemonade is refreshingly delicious for summer, and can even be served hot during the cooler months.
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Revised July 2021
I used to love a cranberry lemonade that Trader Joe’s used to sell, but in true TJ’s style, they discontinued the beverage and it’s never been back since. However, as I do with other Trader Joe’s items, I often make my own version–such as buttermilk pancakes, aebleskiver Danish pancakes, and this four cheese macaroni and cheese dish. Continued below.*
Original text: “My daughter is currently in England, and will be starting a summer program this weekend, but has been with family the past few days, so she occasionally sends me photos of random things like this–
And I know I’ll get scolded for sharing, but she woke me up at 5 am this morning with this picture–
As you can see, there is no question that she’s my daughter!
But I digress–there is some news I wanted to share with you today and let you know ahead of time that my blog is going to be undergoing a complete renovation this coming week, if all goes as planned.” The site you’re on now is the result of this update.
*The most difficult part about this pink lemonade is finding cranberries in summer, so here’s what I do: I stock up when they are available in the winter, and freeze them. That way, I can use frozen cranberries in cranberry orange muffins, make a cranberry cake or this refreshing and delicious lemonade all year long!
You could even incorporate the method to make my cranberry lemonade to make cranberry flavored lemon drop martini! What a concept, right?
The Best Lemon Drop Martini You’ll Ever Have…
Other recipes for cranberry lemonade use cranberry juice which comes in a bottle and is made from concentrate, but it just won’t taste the same, I can assure you. My recipe uses a homemade cranberry syrup! I hope you enjoy this refreshing beverage.
Homemade Cranberry Lemonade
original recipe by Christina Conte Serves 8
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Make the Cranberry Syrup
Place the cranberries in a small pot with half of the sugar and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Continue cooking until the cranberries are soft, then add the remaining sugar. Stir until all the sugar is melted. Place into a fine sieve and push the cranberries into the sieve to extract the syrup over a glass jug or bowl. DON’T throw the cranberries away! Keep them in the fridge or freeze them and you can use them to bake.
Here are some ideas: use them in Scottish tea bread or Scottish Fruit Slice with a cranberry twist!
You’ll end up with cranberry syrup that looks like this.
Finish Making the Cranberry Lemonade
Next, squeeze the lemons and pour the juice into a large pitcher.
Add the cranberry syrup, then add the water.
Stir, taste and adjust with more lemon juice, sugar or water as desired, then serve over ice. If you like the clear balls of ice, this is the kind of clear ice maker I use.
And these are the pink glasses which are made in Italy!
Garnish with a lemon slice and cranberry. And no one ever said you can’t add some good quality vodka (at least I didn’t)!
It’s nice to serve with glass straws, steel straws, or paper straws, too.
Cranberry lemonade is delightfully refreshing for a hot summer afternoon!
But remember, in cooler weather, throw it in a pot and warm it up as a hot beverage!
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Homemade Cranberry Lemonade
Ingredients
- 2 cup cranberries fresh or frozen, preferably organic
- 1 cup sugar
- 4 oz lemon juice fresh, preferably organic
- 6 cups water
Instructions
- Place the cranberries in a small pot with half of the sugar and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Continue cooking until the cranberries are soft, then add the rest of the sugar. Keep stirring until all the sugar has dissolved then remove from heat.
- Place into a fine sieve and push the cranberries through the sieve to extract the syrup over a glass jug or bowl.
- Next, pour the lemon juice into a large pitcher.
- Add the cranberry syrup, and the water.
- Stir and taste, and adjust with more lemon juice, sugar, or water, as desired.
Notes
- Heat in a pot to serve during colder months.
- And no one ever said you can't add some good quality vodka (at least I didn't)!
Nutrition
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Seriously my favourite lemonade! Thanks for the easy recipe.
Added a good splash of lemon vodka and it was spot on! Fantastic, thank you!
You’re welcome, Haley! Glad you liked it!
You are very inspiring, love this!
Thanks, Jana! Just seeing this now!
Do you think this is something that could be water bath canned? Maybe without the water?
Have you tried juicing the cranberries?
Do you mean putting them in a juicing machine? If so, then no, I have not.