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Ginger lemonade is zingy with a spicy kick! This summertime drink is a great way to use fresh ginger root.

Ginger Lemonade
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Got a load of ginger on hand? Let’s make Ginger Lemonade! Adding fresh ginger root to this popular beverage makes it even more irresistible: the spicy ginger is just the right pair with the acidic pop of the lemon! This ingredient gives it a complexity that makes it taste almost like a cocktail. We’re obsessed with homemade lemonade flavors (strawberry, cucumber, mint), and this one has jumped to the top of our list. Here’s how to make it!

Ingredients for ginger lemonade

Ginger lemonade is simple to whip up using a blender. Blend fresh ginger root with sugar, then mix it with lemon juice to form lemonade! You don’t even need to peel the ginger, which is a big plus if you’re used to working with this knobby ingredient. Here are the ingredients you’ll need, outside of water:

  • Ginger root
  • Lemons
  • Sugar
Ginger root

Note on the level of ginger

This ginger lemonade can be customized based on how strong you’d like the ginger to be. Personally, we love quite a spicy kick in this type of drink: but we know not everyone does (especially if you’re serving kids!). Here’s what to use as a guide:

  • Use ¾ cup ginger (sliced) for a spicy ginger finish. You definitely get a little throat burn with this one: which is what we were looking for! It was a little too spicy for our 5 year old son.
  • Use ½ cup ginger (sliced) for a milder flavor. The ginger is not quite as pronounced and there’s less of a spicy burn.

How to make ginger lemonade (basic steps)

The kick of the spicy fresh ginger in this lemonade is instantly memorable! It’s quick and easy to whip up ginger lemonade at home: the only part that takes some time is juicing the lemons! Here are a few tips to how to put together this beverage (or jump to the recipe below for the ingredient quantities):

  • Juice the lemons. Our recommendation for quickly juicing lemons? A press juicer! It gets out the most juice and saves your fingers from getting tired of squeezing.
  • Blend the ginger, sugar and boiling. Give it a whiz in the blender: you’ll want it to be fully combined into a uniform liquid.
  • Strain it with a fine mesh strainer! This step is key! It removes the ginger peels, making for a smooth lemonade (otherwise sediment will float to the top).
  • Mix the pitcher. Mix the ginger syrup with lemon juice and water in a pitcher. That’s it!
Ginger Lemonade

Variations on this recipe

This ginger lemonade is delicious as is: but there are a few ways to vary it to make it even more fun! Here are a few ideas:

More lemonade flavors? Try Cucumber Lemonade, Mint Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Raspberry Lemonade or Watermelon Lemonade.

More ginger recipes

Fresh ginger root is a versatile ingredient you can use for soups, curries, cocktails, and more! Here are a few great ginger recipes:

Dietary notes

This ginger lemonade recipe is vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

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Ginger Lemonade

Ginger Lemonade
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5 from 2 reviews

Ginger lemonade is zingy with a spicy kick! This summertime drink is a great way to use fresh ginger root.

  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 8 drinks 1x
  • Category: Drink
  • Method: No Cook
  • Cuisine: Lemonade
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup fresh ginger root* (3 to 4 ounces)
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar, divided
  • ½ cup boiling water
  • 1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (4 large lemons)*
  • 4 cups cold water

Instructions

  1. Wash the ginger, leaving it unpeeled. Slice it into rounds. Add the ginger to a blender with ½ cup of the sugar and the boiling water. Blend until it’s fully smooth, about 1 minute. Pass the liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher.
  2. To the pitcher, add the lemon juice, the cold water, and the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Stir to combine.
  3. Add 2 handfuls of ice to the pitcher and serve.

Notes

*¾ cup makes a very spicy, forward ginger flavor. Use less if you prefer a milder flavor.

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About the authors

Alex & Sonja

Hi! We’re Alex & Sonja Overhiser, authors of the acclaimed cookbooks A Couple Cooks and Pretty Simple Cooking—and a real life couple who cooks together. We founded the A Couple Cooks website in 2010 to share seasonal recipes and the joy of home cooking. Now, we’ve got over 3,000 well-tested recipes, including Mediterranean diet, vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, smoothies, cocktails, and more!

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4 Comments

  1. Paige C says:

    I used sparkling lime seltzer and zero-calorie sweetener. This was fantastic!






  2. Sonja Overhiser says:

    Let us know if you have any questions!






    1. Rose Knop says:

      How long do you think Ginger Lemonade can stay good and safe in the refrigerator?

      1. Alex Overhiser says:

        It’s best within 24 hours.