How to make Homemade Watermelon Lemonade (4 ingredients)

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Watermelon Lemonade is a fresh and delicious summer drink that is perfectly balanced. Made with fresh watermelon and three other simple ingredients, this watermelon drink recipe is perfect for sharing. Mix up a batch this summer! Makes 6 servings.

Four glasses of watermelon lemonade on marble

Watermelon is one of my all-time favorite summer flavors, and oh my goodness, y’all.

This Watermelon Lemonade recipe is legit.

I love homemade lemonade so much. Not only is it nostalgic, but it also is just really refreshing summer drink, which is something I crave when the temperature climbs closer to 100.

(And let’s be clear: It’s hit that here a few times already this summer, so lemonade is necessary for cooling off.)

Why I love this recipe:

My entire family could not stop raving about this Watermelon Lemonade recipe because it is absolutely delicious.

You know the kind of lemonade that’s straddles the line between sweet and tart? This is it.

And oh boy, it is a total treat.

We get natural sweetness from the juicy watermelon and a pop of tartness from the lemon juice. The simple syrup sweetens it up just enough to where these flavors blend beautifully.

It’s hard to stop sipping once you start, and it’s the perfect chilled, refreshing drink to enjoy on a hot summer’s day.

Want to host your friends this summer? Head on over to my Outdoor Entertaining Recipe Index for some ideas!

A bowl of cubed watermelon with other lemonade ingredients on marble

What you’ll need to make this recipe:

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Sharp knife and cutting board
Citrus juicer or reamer for juicing the lemons
Blender or food processor to puree the watermelon
Large pitcher

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:

Watermelon — you want the freshest seedless watermelon you can get your hands on it. Make sure to remove the rind. Use a sharp knife to cut it in a ½” dice for uniformness.
Freshly squeezed lemon juice — the shelf-stable variety you can find at the grocery store won’t do. Juice the lemons yourself or find the cold pressed fresh lemon juice at the store. It normally hangs out by the pre-cut fruits in the refrigerated section.
Water — to dilute the lemon juice
Simple syrup — this is going to provide the sweetness and mixes a lot easier than plain ‘ol white sugar.

Collage showing how to blend and strain fresh watermelon

How do you make Watermelon Lemonade?

Dice the watermelon. Remove the rind, too!

You don’t need it to be evenly sliced since we’re blending it, but you do want it to be a small enough so you can measure it easily.

Juice the lemons and set that lemon juice aside. If you’re using a citrus reamer, make sure there are no lemon seeds in the juice. (I like to juice my lemons over a fine mesh strainer to catch excess pulp and seeds, but you do you.)

Next, blend the watermelon cubes in a blender or food processor.

Strain the watermelon juice.

There will be a lot of pulp in it, so using a fine mesh strainer helps remove this and makes for a smoother drink. I like to strain mine directly over the pitcher that we’ll store and serve it in, but you do you.

Pour the lemon juice into the watermelon juice. Add cold water and simple syrup.

Chill the lemonade or serve over ice cubes!

Collage showing how to mix and serve watermelon lemonade

Erin’s Easy Entertaining Tips

This Watermelon Lemonade recipe is an easy one to make during the summer months because it requires very little time and skill.

Quite honestly, it’s perfect for entertaining because the most time you’ll spend on this recipe is juicing the lemons.

Serve it at a backyard barbecues and at-home tailgates. It’s great for both kids and adults, too!

I can also see it going over well at a kid’s birthday party, a bridal shower or a baby shower, too, because it would fit well in a large drink carafe.

Here are a few tips and tricks for making entertaining with homemade lemonade a little easier.

Squeeze the lemons in advance… or purchase a jar of freshly squeezed lemon juice in the refrigerated fruit section of your grocery. This’ll make it easier to put the lemonade together before guests arrive.
Blend the watermelon and strain it early, too. Between this and the lemon juice, these are your major time consumers in this recipe.
Make the lemonade before guests arrive, and pop it in the fridge to chill.
Make two pitchers if you’re hosting more than 6 people or keep extra ingredients in the fridge at the ready in case you run out.

Close up of a glass of watermelon lemonade from above on an ice-covered tray

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use a seedless watermelon in this recipe?

If you want to use a regular watermelon with seeds, you sure can, though I will say this recipe is easier to make if your watermelon is seedless. However, you can (and will!) strain the watermelon pulp from the juice, so it’s not the end of the world.

What happens when you mix watermelon and lemon?

It makes a delicious drink!

What mixes well with watermelon flavor?

Watermelon is the quintessential summertime flavor. It goes wonderfully in a lot of drinks, like this lemonade.

Four glasses of watermelon lemonade on a tray with ice and lemons and watermelon wedges

Quick tips for juicing lemons for homemade lemonade

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 because this will bring the juices to the surface.
Slice the lemon down the equator, not from the stem to the tip.
Don’t just squeeze it with your hands… use a citrus reamer or a juicer to get that good juice out of it. Personally, I like a lemon reamer better.

Other watermelon drink recipes to try this summer:

6 servings

Watermelon Lemonade

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

6 cups cubed watermelon (36 oz.)
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 cups chilled water
¾ cup simple syrup

Instructions

Dice the watermelon and remove the rind. It does not need to be perfectly diced, but you do want it to be small enough to where you can measure it accurately.
Juice the lemons and set that lemon juice aside. (Make sure that there are no lemon seeds floating in the juice.)
Next, blend the watermelon in a blender or food processor.
Strain the watermelon juice. There will be a lot of pulp in it, so use a fine mesh strainer to remove this. I like to strain mine directly over the pitcher that we store and serve it in.
Pour the lemon juice into the watermelon juice. Add water and simple syrup. Give it a good stir.
Chill the lemonade or serve over ice!

Notes

How to store Watermelon Lemonade: Keep in a pitcher in the fridge for up to a week. Give the watermelon a stir with a spoon before pouring into cups because the watermelon juice will separate from the lemon-water-simple syrup mixture.

This recipe is easily doubled if you’re sharing it with a crowd. I recommend making two separate pitchers because it makes a large batch of lemonade, and chances are, your pitcher is not large enough to hold a double batch. 😉