Coconut Lemonade (Iced Coconut Limonade)
Tart lemon and creamy unsweetened coconut milk shaken into a vegan summer pitcher drink. Serve over ice; top with club soda if you like bubbles.
Equipment
- Large jar or pitcher with tight lid
- Citrus juicer (optional)
Ingredients
For the base
- 1 can full-fat unsweetened coconut milk about 400 ml; chilled if possible
- 3½ to 4 cups cold filtered water start with 3½
- ¾ to 1 cup fresh lemon juice from about 4 to 6 lemons; bottled may be substituted
- ½ to ¾ cup granulated sugar or ⅓ to ½ cup maple syrup or light agave, to taste
- ¼ to ½ tsp fine salt optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
To serve
- Ice
- Lemon wheels or thin wedges
- Optional fresh mint, torn basil, or thin ginger slices for the pitcher
- Optional cold club soda or plain sparkling water to top glasses
Instructions
Build the base
- Pour coconut milk into a sealable jar or pitcher. Add 3½ cups cold water, lemon juice, starting sweetener (try ½ cup sugar or ⅓ cup maple), and salt if using.
- Seal and shake hard 20 to 30 seconds, or whisk until evenly cloudy with no thick coconut streaks at the bottom.
Adjust tart and sweet
- Taste. If too sharp, add sweetener one tablespoon at a time, shaking between additions.
- If flat, add a pinch more salt, then lemon juice by the teaspoon until balanced.
Serve
- Fill glasses with ice. Pour lemonade about three-quarters full. Top with a splash of club soda if desired; stir gently once.
Notes
Shake the coconut milk can before opening if solids and liquid have separated; whisk if still chunky.
If the mix looks grainy after sitting, shake well or strain once through a fine sieve.
Store base in a sealed jar in the refrigerator up to 2 to 3 days; shake before each pour.
For a lighter drink, replace half the still water with unsweetened coconut water and reduce sweetener.
Ice dilutes quickly; large cubes keep flavor longer than crushed ice.
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