Limonada Recipe (Brazilian Lemonade)
Frozen Limonada (Limeade) Recipe – Cold and creamy Brazilian lemonade is made with fresh LIMES and sweetened condensed milk for a sweet, tart, and frosty drink you’ll blend up all summer!
What is Brazilian Lemonade?
Vibrant tangy-sweet Brazilian Lemonade with a hint of bitterness… Limonada is a beverage you must experience!
OK, let’s clear some things up before we get started. You may have noticed I’m calling this “Brazilian Lemonade” and yet limes are in the photos. That is because Limonada A.K.A. Brazilian Lemonade is made with limão, the Portuguese word for limes… and lemons. Yes, I agree, this is confusing. But trust me, no matter what it’s called this Brazilian Limeade drink is absolutely amazing.
The biggest difference between Brazilian limeade/lemonade and American limeade is that the limes are puréed in the blender, including the peel, so it has a zesty bitter note to balance the sweet and tangy flavors. You can remove some of the peel, or all of the peel if you prefer, but I love the traditional bitter flavor at the end of each sip.
Sometimes Brazilian Limonada is thin and served over ice. Yet I like to blend the ice into the liquid to make it a frothy frozen lemonade.
4 Ingredients You Need
- Limes – ripe, so that the fruit has a bit of give when gently squeezed
- Water – pure filtered water is best
- Sweetened condensed milk – the “secret ingredient” to making creamy and frosty limonada
- Ice – I like small cubes that take less time to blend
Equipment
- High-speed blender
- Mesh sieve
How to Make Limonada
Thoroughly scrub the limes to make sure all chemicals and waxes have been removed. Slice off both ends of the limes to remove the stem bits and discard them. Then slice the limes into wedges.
Place the lime wedges, peels and all, into the blender. Add the water, cover, and purée until very smooth.
Set a fine mesh sieve over a measuring pitcher. Pour the lime water through the sieve to strain out all the pulp.
Press the pulp to get out as much liquid as possible. You should have 3 to 3 ½ cups of lime liquid.
Pour the lime water back into the blender. Add the sweetened condensed milk.
Get the Complete (Printable) Frozen Brazilian Limeade Recipe + Video Below. Enjoy!
Purée until smooth.
Now you can either serve the Limonada Recipe over ice cubes OR froth it up by adding the ice directly to the blender.
Purée again and serve!
Limonada Recipe Variations + Serving Suggestions
Make this a lemon-based Brazilian lemonade recipe by simply swapping limes for ripe lemons.
Add 1 ounce of white rum or vodka per serving for an adults-only alcohol frozen limeade.
I suggest garnishing the glasses with a slice of fresh lime. It makes for a super fun and summery presentation!
Pour the mixture into popsicle molds for delicious Limeade Pops!
Frequently Asked Questions
The limonada might be bitter if you do not thoroughly push the lime puree through a sieve. You don’t want any bits of lime peel or pith (the tough stringy inner parts of the lime) making their way into the drink!
Try blending in an extra handful or two of ice to thicken up your frozen Brazilian limeade.
It is best to enjoy the drinks right after making this lemonade recipe. This is especially true if you blend the limeade with ice to make a frozen beverage… The ice will eventually start to melt and make the drink watery.
If you are making the base of the Brazilian limeade recipe, but choose not to blend with ice, the lemonade will keep well for a day or so in the fridge.
Looking for More Refreshing Beverage Recipes? Be Sure to Try:
- 3-Ingredient Cherry Limeade
- Frozen Lemonade with Pineapple
- Mangonada (Mango Chamoyada)
- Chik-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade
- How to Make the Best Orange Julius
Limonada Recipe (Brazilian Lemonade)
Ingredients
- 6 juicy limes
- 3 cups water
- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
- 3-4 cups ice
Instructions
- Thoroughly scrub the limes to make sure all chemicals and waxes have been removed. Slice off both ends of the limes to remove the stem bits and discard. Then slice the limes into wedges.
- Place the lime wedges, peels and all, into the blender. Add the water. Cover and purée until very smooth.
- Set a fine mesh sieve over a measuring pitcher. Pour the lime water through the sieve to remove all the pulp. Press the pulp to get out as much liquid as possible. You should have 3 to 3 ½ cups of lime liquid.
- Pour the lime water back into the blender. Add the sweetened condensed milk. Purée until smooth.
- Now you can either serve the Limonada over ice cubes OR froth it up by adding the ice directly to the blender. Purée again and serve!
My husband grew up drinking this every summer so I was excited to find this recipe. He LOVED it!! My kids did too.
It’s my first time making this at home and it was a hit! We had so much fun! Keeping this recipe, I think it’s perfect for any party.
This was INCREDIBLE! Loved the creaminess and the extra zing from the limes. I don’t think I can ever go back to boring ol’ lemonade again… :)
oh my goodness, this was everything that I needed it to be and more! thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe