Sugar Free Lemonade

By Alexandra Caspero on July 27, 2022

Sugar Free Lemonade! No sugar added or artificial sweeteners to this healthy lemonade, perfect for kids! Just three ingredients.

I know I’ve been bringing you a lot of drink recipes lately (don’t sleep on my peach iced tea or Snicker’s Shake!), but it’s where I’m at in life. I find myself informally hosting most evenings; having a friend swing by on her way home from work to catch up or playdate after playdate with my kiddos friends. 

That’s how this sugar free lemonade came to be. I wanted something that I could serve to both the kids and my friends; something that was a fun treat for hot days yet also didn’t contain a lot of sugar.

What’s naturally sweet and pairs perfectly with fresh lemon juice? Pineapple! Just three ingredients to the most refreshing, thirst-quenching, sugar free lemonade.

sugar free lemonade

I’m not anti-juice for kids, but I prefer for them to have it only on occasion. And while sugar-sweetened beverages are fun, I haven’t yet introduced them to my kids and prefer to hold out as long as possible. I occasionally will offer pomegranate juice or orange juice but for the most part, stick to just water or milk/dairy-free milk.

However, on hot days I’m not opposed to fun summertime drinks like this. Made with only 3 simple ingredients without any artificial sweeteners or added sugar, this sugar free lemonade feels like a good choice for all of us.

sugar free lemonade

Ingredients for Sugar Free Lemonade

  • Fresh Lemon Juice
  • Fresh Pineapple
  • Water

Here’s where I’m going to advocate for both fresh lemon juice and fresh pineapple. I haven’t testing this with pineapple juice, but the fiber in the pineapple is what makes this lemonade slightly thick and perfectly sip-able.

Since the pineapple is what makes this sugar-free lemonade recipe sweet without any sugar, the pineapple obviously needs to be very ripe. Underripe pineapple won’t have the same zip, it should be fragrant and juicy.

no sugar added lemonade in a mason jar

Substitutions & Variations for Homemade Lemonade

To make a strawberry lemonade, add in 1 cup of fresh strawberries for 1 cup of the fresh pineapple. Then strain and serve over ice. Same with a blueberry lemonade; exchange 1 cup fresh blueberries (or blackberries) for 1 cup of the fresh pineapple.

For easy entertaining, make a big batch to place in a pitcher in the fridge. Or, throw in a fresh mint sprig for a fancier presentation. While I made this recipe for kids, it could easily be made into a cocktail with vodka, gin or rye.

The best part about this recipe is that it’s 100% naturally sweetened. So many sugar free beverages use sugar substitutes like erythritol, stevia, xylitol or monkfruit sweetener. I have such an aversion to the taste of most artificial sweeteners, I’d much rather use fruit instead!

I find this sugar free lemonade perfectly sweet, but if you wanted it sweeter then feel free to drizzle in honey or maple syrup.

No Sugar Added Lemonade with Lemon

How to Make Sugar Free Lemonade

  1. Blend ingredients together

    Place the 1/2 cup lemon juice, 5 cups fresh pineapple and 2 cups of water in a blender and puree

  2. Strain and serve over ice

    Strain using a fine-mesh strainer and serve over plenty of ice!

Once you make this sugar free lemonade, you will be shocked at how easy it is. And how much it tastes like lemonade!

sugar free lemonade

FAQs

Do you have to strain the lemonade?


No, you don’t have to strain the lemonade if you don’t want to. It will make the drink thicker, but also retain all of the fiber

How many calories is in this lemonade?

A fourth of this recipe contains 110 calories; the difference is that this lemonade is made from 100% fruit and not added sugars. I don’t count calories nor do I recommend strict calorie counting for my clients, but I know some individuals like to know.

You can find more nutritional information at the bottom of the recipe.

How long will this keep in the fridge?


This lemonade recipe will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge.

sugar free lemonade

More Fruit Drinks for Summer:

Hope you love this Sugar Free Lemonade! If you try it, rate it, leave a comment or share it on Instagram using the hashtag #delishknowledge. Your feedback helps other readers and seeing you make my recipes makes my day.

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sugar free lemonade

Sugar Free Lemonade

  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 46 servings 1x
  • Category: beverage
  • Method: blender, no cook
  • Cuisine: beverage, American
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

Sugar Free Lemonade! No sugar added to this healthy lemonade, perfect for kids! Just three ingredients.


  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 46 servings 1x
  • Category: beverage
  • Method: blender, no cook
  • Cuisine: beverage, American
  • Diet: Vegan
  • Author: Alex Caspero
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 46 servings 1x
  • Category: beverage
  • Method: blender, no cook
  • Cuisine: beverage, American
  • Diet: Vegan
Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 5 cups fresh ripe pineapple

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Strain and serve over lots of ice.

Notes

Fresh, sweet pineapple is really what makes this. If your pineapple is underripe, you may need to add some sugar.

did you make this?

Tag @delishknowledge on Instagram and hashtag it #delishknowledge

This recipe was first posted in 2018 and updated in 2022.

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Meet Alex Caspero

Alex Caspero is a Registered Dietitian, New York Times Bestselling Plant-Based Chef and mom of two. She aims to cut through the nutrition noise by providing real-life, nourishing tips for body and mind. Learn more about Alex.

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    1. Pam H.
      August 10, 2022 AT 4:17 pm

      So refreshing! Great after some weed pulling in my garden.

    2. Sandi Hemming, RDN LD
      August 7, 2022 AT 10:58 am

      So good! Great recipe! The pineapple pulp strained out made delicious pina collada muffins too!

      1. Alex
        August 8, 2022 AT 6:21 am

        Ohhhh I love that idea!

    3. Cindy K.
      August 7, 2022 AT 4:39 am

      Made this while my grandkids were visiting for a week. They asked me to make it every day!

    4. Shivakumar S
      August 1, 2022 AT 5:47 am

      We tried Sugar-Free Lemonade for the first time and it was great and very tasty

    5. Jan
      July 28, 2022 AT 4:38 am

      Sounds yummy and I love that it is sugar-free! Do you think it could be made with frozen pineapple?

      1. Alex
        August 1, 2022 AT 8:14 am

        I’m not sure if the frozen pineapple won’t make this more like a smoothie instead of a beverage?

    6. Gracelyn Ladd
      July 22, 2019 AT 5:39 pm

      We loved this lemonade!! My husband was feeling a little under the weather today and this was a lovely summer pick-me-up. We added a handful of frozen berries, and strained using the bag I got for nutmilks. So fun, pretty, tasty, and healthy. Thanks, Alex!

      1. Alex
        July 23, 2019 AT 6:34 am

        So glad you liked it! Love the idea of adding in frozen berries as well.