Sparkling Lemonade Recipe

We all love fresh lemonade in the summer. There is nothing quite as refreshing as a big, cold glass of homemade lemonade. Or is there?

Sparkling lemonade may just be even better than regular lemonade. It has bubbles, it has fizz and it has excitement. Doesn't sound that great?

If you are drooling just thinking about sparkling lemonade, then you definitely have to make this sparkling lemonade recipe. We promise it is everything you hope it will be.

What is Fizzy Lemonade?

Fizzy, sparkling lemonade is simply lemonade that is carbonated. If you buy bottled sparkling lemonade, the lemonade is likely carbonated with carbon dioxide to make it bubbly. If you make it at home, all you need to do is add your own carbonation to homemade lemon juice.

Our sparkling lemonade recipe uses sparkling water, lemon juice and honey to get the perfect sweet lemonade with just the right amount of fizz. Let us tell you all about it!

Ingredients in Sparkling Lemonade

Homemade sparkling lemonade can be made with just three ingredients. Yes, you read that correctly! You only need three, simple ingredients to make a perfect sparkling ice lemonade.

All of the ingredients can be easily found in any grocery store. Here is what you will need.

• Sparkling Water- Any brand of sparkling water will work fine. We like to use plain sparkling water so the flavor of the lemonade is pure and clean. However, you can definitely use lemon sparkling water or lime flavored sparkling water.
• Lemon Juice- Fresh squeezed lemon juice will give your sparkling lemonade drinks the best flavor. Four lemons will give you plenty of juice.  You can use bottled lemon juice in a pinch.
• Honey- Honey is the perfect natural sweetener. It will give your lemonade a rich, vanilla like flavor. Honey also has natural antioxidants and minerals that gives your sparkling lemonade a nice healthy boost.

Such simple ingredients can make such a fantastic drink. With so few ingredients, this sparkling lemonade is also very economical. Great, non alcoholic drinks don't need to be expensive!

How to Make Sparkling Lemonade

We wanted to keep our sparkling lemonade recipe as simple as possible. There is really not much to do other than measure and stir! Here is a quick look at how to make sparkling lemonade in just a matter of minutes.

1. Measure the lemon juice and honey in a small bowl and stir to dissolve the honey.
2. Pour the honey lemon juice into a pitcher.
3. Add the sparkling water to the pitcher and stir the mix three or four times. Over stirring will make the carbonation disappear so you don't want to stir too much!
4. Chill the mix in the fridge for an hour or pour over ice and enjoy right away!

Seems pretty easy, right? Absolutely anyone can make this delicious sparkling lemonade. Even kids will be able to make this refreshing drink.

Substitutions and Variations

There are so many ways to tweak this recipe and make it even more incredible. A simple addition or switch can make whole new lemonade drinks! Here are our favorite variations on our sparkling lemonade.

• Make sparkling pink lemonade by adding 1 cup of raspberry puree. You can also make strawberry sparkling pink lemonade using a cup of strawberry puree.
• Replace the sparkling water with sprite for a sweeter, more powerful sparkling lemonade.
• Replace the honey with regular sugar. Add the lemonade and ½ cup sugar to a small pot and bring the mix to a simmer to dissolve the sugar.
• Use seltzer in place of sparkling water. Plain seltzer or flavored seltzer adds a great twist to the drink. It adds a nice sweetness that can make the sparkling lemonade really pop.
• Use half lemon juice and half brewed black tea to make a refreshing, sparkling Arnold Palmer drink. An Arnold Palmer is a classic mix of lemonade and iced tea. It is a great summer drink and is just made better by the addition of fizzy bubbles.

Let us know if you come up with any tasty variations of our sparkling lemonade drink. We know that our readers are pretty creative so we are sure you will think of something fantastic!

How Much Juice is in One Lemon?

One medium sized lemon has about ¼ cup or 4 tablespoons of juice. We love using fresh lemon juice to make our sparkling lemonade because it really has the best texture and flavor. Fresh lemon juice will have lots of pulp and a very tart taste. Many bottled lemon juices are very thin and not quite as strong. While bottled lemon juice can work to make homemade sparkling lemonade, it will not be as flavorful as fresh lemons.

How to Juice A Lemon

We have a few tips and tricks to help you get the most juice out of your lemon. Take a look at these little tricks before you start juicing lemons for homemade lemonade.

1. Put the lemon in the microwave for 5-10 seconds. This will soften the lemonade and make the juices flow out of the lemon easier.
2. Press the lemon on your countertop and roll it back and forth a few times while pushing down. This will help break the membranes inside and get the juices flowing.
3. Slice the lemon in half vertically. Use a citrus juicer to press into the lemon. Twist the juicer while pushing it into the lemon to really get out all the juice.
4. If you do not have a citrus juicer, try using a fork to press the flesh of the lemon and extract the juice.

You will be surprised by how much juice comes out of your lemons using these tricks. You may even get more than ¼ cup lemon juice per lemon! It’s always a good thing to have extra lemon juice so you can make even more sparkling lemonade drinks.

Give our sparkling lemonade recipe a try and let us know what you think. Make pink sparkling lemonade by adding some strawberry puree. Maybe add maple syrup instead of honey for an even richer, more interesting sparkling lemonade. No matter how you make it, this yummy, refreshing drink is sure to become a favorite. Enjoy!