Homemade Mint Lemonade

Cool down with a glass of naturally sweetened Mint Lemonade. This classic twist calls for very few ingredients and is refreshing on any warm day. Makes 1 glass of lemonade, but can easily be turned into a pitcher drink.

Two glasses of Mint Lemonade are ready for drinking, surrounded by ice, lemons and mint leaves

I don’t know about you, but I want something that’s going to cool me down as the temperature rises daily.

The impending summer scorch has me craving lemonade.

When I worked in Mississippi as a staff photographer, I stumbled upon the most charming little lemonade stand when I was searching for “wild art.”

What’s wild art, you say? When there were holes that needed to be filled in the paper, the photographers are sent out to drive around town and find something fun to make photos of… and I lucked out with a lemonade stand because it was hopping!

I haven’t seen any lemonade stands pop up in my neighborhood just yet, but I know it’s only a matter of time because the heat of summer is creeping toward us.

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    Other refreshing summertime drinks: Blackberry Mint Spa WaterArnold Palmer Iced Tea Lemonade MocktailBlackberry Mint SpritzerSweet Sunrise MocktailBlueberry LemonadePomegranate Ginger Orange Sparkling MocktailFresh Squeezed Lemonade | Watermelon Lemonade | Lavender Lemonade

    Looking for another refreshing summer drink? Be sure to check out my Nonalcoholic Drinks Recipe Index and The BEST Lemonade Recipes for Kids!

    Ingredients and tools for the summer mocktail are shown from above

    What you need to make this recipe:

    The Speckled Palate participates in affiliate programs. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Please refer to my disclosure page for more information about these affiliate programs.

    Let’s talk ingredients!

    In addition to the tools above, you’re going to need some ingredients to make this recipe, too! Chances are, you might already have some of them in your fridge or pantry. Scroll down to the recipe card for the full measurements and instructions.

    Here’s what you need:

    • Fresh mint leaves — to make lemonade with mint, you’re obviously going to need some mint! Any type of mint works here, so long as it’s fresh. Grab it from your garden or from the grocery, if you’re not growing it in your yard.
    • Lemon — please use fresh juice from a lemon or grab the freshly squeezed stuff from the refrigerated part of your grocery store. Shelf-stable lemon juice won’t give you the same flavor.
    • Agave nectar — this is going to sweeten our lemonade. I like my lemonade tart. If you like yours sweeter, start with the measurements listed here, give it a taste and then add more, if necessary. You could easily use another type of liquid sweetener if you’d rather, like simple syrup, honey simple syrup or even maple syrup. Lavender Simple Syrup would be really interesting here, too.
    • Water — you may use tap water or bottled. Either works!
    A woman drops a mint leaf into a glass

    How to make Mint Lemonade

    This recipe seriously only takes about 5 minutes, when all is said and done. The most time intensive part is juicing your lemon and measuring that out. πŸ˜‰

    So first… Decide if you’re making an individual drink or a pitcher.

    Depending on which you choose, where you make the lemonade will change.

    Personally, I like to make individual lemonade for myself to sip on a warm summer afternoon, but if you’re having friends over or want to let your kids sip, too, it’s better to make a pitcher. (And quite honestly, I’m reaching the point where I should probably just make a pitcher because my 4-year-old is a lemonade monster.)

    A woman muddles mint in a glass

    Muddle the mint

    In either a cocktail glass or a pitcher, muddle the mint leaves using a muddler. (I linked to my favorite one above, as well as in the recipe card below.)

    What does does it mean to muddle?

    Use the tool to press the mint leaves against the bottom and sides of the glass. You want to break them apart a little bit without turning them into mush. It’s important to use a gentle hand, as mint can become bitter if over-muddled.

    Muddling helps release flavors from the leaves, as well as make them a little easier to drink. Nobody wants to have to chew when they’re sipping lemonade.

    A woman juices a lemon into a glass

    Juice the lemon.

    Use a citrus reamer or juicer to juice a lemon. You’ll only need one lemon to make a glass of this mint lemonade recipe.

    Pour the juice on top of the muddled mint, and swirl it together.

    Tips and Tricks for Juicing a Lemon

    • Don’t juice a cold lemon. A cold lemon won’t give as much juice as a room temperature one. If you keep your lemons in the fridge, let it come to room temperature, or pop it in the microwave for 20 seconds to get it to warm up.
    • Roll the lemon on the countertop. This will bring the juices to the surface.
    • Slice your lemon down the equator, not from the stem to the tip.
    • Don’t just squeeze it with your hands… use a lemon reamer or a juicer to get that good juice out of it. Personally, I like a lemon reamer better, and I’ve shown it in the photos here. (I also linked to it above and in the recipe card.)
    • Run the juice through a fine mesh strainer if there is pulp and seeds in it before pouring into the glass.
    A woman pours agave nectar into a glass

    Add the sweetener.

    Next, pour the agave nectar into the glass.

    This is going to add some slight sweetness to the mint lemonade without it being overwhelmingly sweet.

    That said, if you like your drinks on the sweeter side, you’ll probably want to add more agave nectar. Only do this after you taste the final lemonade (but before you add the ice) because you can’t take out the extra sweetness once it’s added.

    Stir with a cocktail spoon until everything is combined.

    Water is poured into a glass with other ingredients

    Finish the mint lemonade, and enjoy.

    After that, add the water, and stir until combined.

    Add ice, garnish with additional mint leaves and a lemon wheel, and enjoy!

    Horizontal image showing a close up of two glasses of Mint Lemonade

    Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

    If you’re hosting friends, make a large pitcher of this mint lemonade and keep it in the fridge.

    How do I suggest to turn this recipe into a pitcher?

    • 28 mint leaves
    • ¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons agave nectar
    • 5 cups cold water

    Make it in advance. Mint lemonade is incredibly refreshing, and the flavors become more intense the longer you let them hang out.

    Close up of Mint Lemonade in a glass, surrounded by ice

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can I turn this mint lemonade into a pitcher drink?

    Absolutely! I recommended what I would do above in the entertaining section, which is simply quadrupling the recipe.

    What is the easiest way to store lemonade?

    If you’re making a pitcher of lemonade, it will keep for a week in the fridge. Just pop it in there, and let it hang out!

    That said, you don’t want to ice the lemonade if you’re putting it in the refrigerator because it will become diluted.

    Overhead of a glass of Mint Lemonade, surrounded by ingredients

    More family-friendly summer drinks:

    Pinterest image of Mint Lemonade, featuring a close up of a glass and text

    Now here’s how you can make this crisp, tart mint lemonade at home:

    Mint Lemonade // The Speckled Palate

    Mint Lemonade

    Erin Parker, The Speckled Palate
    Cool down with a glass of naturally sweetened Mint Lemonade this summer. This tart and refreshing twist on a classic calls for very few ingredients, but doesn't call for granulated sugar or a simple syrup. Including lemon juice, water and muddled mint leaves, this lemonade is incredibly refreshing to sip any warm day.
    5 from 2 votes
    Servings 1 drink
    Calories 78 kcal
    Prep Time 5 minutes
    Total Time 5 minutes

    Ingredients
      

    • 7 mint leaves
    • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 teaspoons agave nectar
    • 1 ¼ cups cold water

    As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Instructions
     

    • Muddle the mint leaves using a muddler in a tall drinking glass.
    • Juice the lemon with a citrus reamer or a citrus juicer. Strain the pulp and seeds out of it, if necessary.
    • Pour the juice on top of the muddled mint.
    • Pour in the agave nectar and stir with a cocktail spoon until just combined.
    • Pour in the water when the ingredients are mixed.
    • Stir the drink until combined.
    • Add ice, garnish with additional mint leaves and a lemon wheel, then enjoy immediately.

    Notes

    The longer you let this drink steep, the more minty it will become!
    Make it a pitcher drink! Quadruple (or more!) the ingredients used in this recipe, and mix in a pitcher. Let it steep in the fridge and chill before serving over ice to guests with the same garnishes of fresh mint leaves and lemon wheels.
    I suggest using the following measurements for a pitcher drink:
    • 28 mint leaves
    • ¾ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
    • 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons agave nectar
    • 5 cups cold water

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1gCalories: 78kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSodium: 47mgFiber: 6gSugar: 9g
    Keyword easy lemonade, easy mocktail, lemonade, lemonade recipe, mint lemonade, naturally sweetened drink, naturally sweetened lemonade, sugar free drink, summer drink, summer mocktail
    Course Mocktails & Nonalcoholic Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    The photos and recipe for this Mint Lemonade recipe were originally published on April 30, 2014. The photographs, along with the text of this blog post, were updated and republished on June 25, 2019.

    A woman with dark curly hair wearing a black tank top in front of a white wall

    About the Author:

    Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her

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    5 Comments

    1. This looks super refreshing and delicious! I’ve made homemade lemonade before but never added mint, which I really love. πŸ™‚ Pinned to make. πŸ™‚
      It was getting warmer here in CT but now it’s cool and rainy. πŸ™

    2. Gorgeous, Erin! I love the simplicity of this refreshing drink… it looks stunning in the glass too! Great job for using agave, so many homemade lemonades are choc-full of refined sugar from what I’ve seen. I hope you’re loving the warmer weather! xx

    3. Wow this looks refreshing! Also the stunning photos you have just make it look THAT much better! Thank you for sharing πŸ™‚ I hope Texas heat isn’t treating you too bad. This is just the beginning πŸ˜‰ lol

    4. Yes, please! This lemonade sounds like the best possible way to use a handful of the mint that is running wild in my garden right now. Super refreshing!

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