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Homemade lemon lime soda beats Sprite and 7UP every time: fresh-squeezed citrus, real fizz, and no corn syrup! Here’s my 5-minute recipe and how the store brands compare.
When it comes to citrus drinks, here’s the thing: 7 Up doesn’t hold a candle to homemade lemon lime soda! I try not to keep cans of soda in the house, but I’m all about making homemade sodas from scratch.
This sparkling Lemon Lime Soda is incredible: the citrus pop from the fresh squeezed citrus is absolutely incredible. You’ll swear off the store-bought brands immediately.
5 Star Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ “I used realemon, realime, and a 1:1 sugar/water simple syrup, and it turned out great. I’ll have to try this with my Meyer lemons once they’re ready to be picked.” -Ray
Ingredients In Lemon Lime Soda
Lemon lime soda is a category that includes canned soda like 7 Up, Sprite, and Sierra Mist, and even more intensely flavored drinks like Mountain Dew. The canned soda versions are intensely sweet and have artificial flavors added.
Ever tried a homemade lemon lime soda? It’s like an entirely new drink: bubbly and zingy, just sweet enough to make the citrus pop. Try it as a party drink, or even you’re trying to soothe an upset stomach (as this drink is sometimes used). It’s also a healthy alternative for pop if you’re making a cocktail or mocktail recipe that calls for it. Here are the ingredients you’ll need:
- Fresh lemon juice: One medium lemon yields about 2 to 3 tablespoons, so plan on half a lemon per drink (see how much juice is in one lemon).
- Fresh lime juice: This is the sharper, more aromatic partner.
- Simple syrup: A 1:1 mix of sugar and water. Here’s how to make simple syrup.
- Soda water: The bubbles; read more below.
The Best Carbonated Water For Fizz
There are several types of carbonated water you can use to make a lemon lime soda: and the names can get confusing! What you’ll want here is any non-flavored sparkling water. You may see it labeled as one of the following at the store:
- Sparkling water, aka seltzer, soda water, or carbonated water is water with no additives, carbonated by injecting carbon dioxide (CO2). It’s the base for brands like La Croix, or what comes out of a SodaStream.
- Sparkling mineral water is water from a natural mineral spring that’s been carbonated. Examples of brands are Perrier or Topo Chico.
- Club soda is carbonated water infused with added minerals, which give it a salty or lightly sweet flavor. (Club soda is often used for cocktails, mocktails and Italian sodas.)
Make sure to avoid tonic water: it has added flavor from quinine and sugar and is a totally different product. (Use it for a Gin and Tonic instead!)
Homemade Vs. Store Bought Lemon Lime Soda
When it comes to store-bought lemon lime soda, here are the most popular brands and how they stack up against homemade:
- Sprite and 7UP both list high fructose corn syrup as the second ingredient and both carry 38 grams of sugar per 12-ounce can.
- Starry, PepsiCo’s replacement for Sierra Mist, is another variation.
- The newer prebiotic sodas from Olipop and Poppi have less sugar overall. The marketing plays up gut health (you’ll have to delve more into that research on your own).
- This homemade version has 30 grams of sugar and no high fructose corn syrup; a nice reduction from store-bought sodas.
Drinks That Use Lemon Lime Soda
There are several cocktails and soda fountain drinks that use lemon lime soda as a basis for the drink. Use this homemade recipe as a stand-in for the canned stuff, and the drink is even better! Here are a few classic drinks that use lemon lime soda:
- The classic Shirley Temple mixes it with grenadine (though drink is often made with ginger ale)
- A Wisconsin Old Fashioned adds it to brandy
- A Classic Shandy features it with beer
- Some versions of the Blue Lagoon and Aqua Velva use lemon lime soda with vodka and Blue Curacao
- A Dirty Shirley Drink adds vodka to the traditional mocktail
Make Ahead And Storage
To make ahead, you can mix the juices and syrup ahead and refrigerate for up to 3 days. For each glass, pour in 4 oz batched juice and top with the 8 oz soda water.
Once you’ve made the homemade soda, drink it right away; the bubbles disappear after about 30 minutes.
More Soda Recipes To Try
Love making homemade sodas? They’re easy and incredibly tasty! Here are some fun ways to make sparkling drinks at home:
- Make an Italian Cream Soda with syrup, soda water and heavy cream
- Go for simple with Lemon Soda or Grapefruit Soda
- Opt for a showy Orange Cream Soda
- Add coffee and soda water for a Coffee Soda
- Make a homemade Strawberry Soda with strawberry syrup
- Mix up Sparkling Lemonade with lemon juice and soda water
Lemon Lime Soda
Homemade lemon lime soda beats Sprite and 7UP every time: fresh-squeezed citrus, real fizz, and no corn syrup! Here’s my 5-minute recipe and how the store brands compare.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Soda
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 ounce* lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 1 ounce lime juice, fresh squeezed
- 2 ounces simple syrup (or agave syrup)
- 8 ounces soda water (aka club soda)
Instructions
- Pour the lemon juice, lime juice and simple syrup in a glass. Add the soda water and enjoy.
Notes
*To convert to ounces, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons
I used realemon, realime, and a 1:1 sugar/water simple syrup, and it turned out great. Weighed everything on a kitchen scale to make sure it’s precise.
I’ll have to try this with my Meyer lemons once they’re ready to be picked.
I was thinking Meyer lemons with key limes would be good too. Many possibilities here.
It’s good but if you’re using maple syrup it has a very strong maple syrup. I would recommend using less syrup if you’re using maple syrup. Other than that, great recipe.
Great tips. Thanks. Planning to go more natural drinks with the kids.
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