Jamaican Lemonade is truly a summertime delight. Also known as limeade, it’s absolutely refreshing.
Lemonade is arguably the most popular Summer beverage, cherished by kids and adults alike. Sweet, tart, and refreshing – there’s a reason youngsters set up lemonade stands to earn extra money.
But you won’t find this boozy Lemonade at the neighborhood lemonade stand, because it is for adults!
Enjoy a refreshing glass of Jamaican Lemonade
If you’ve been on the lookout for a good homemade alcoholic lemonade recipe, you’ve found it.
Made with Vanilla and Citron Vodkas mixed with fresh lemon and lime juices, there is a wonderful complexity of flavor in this delicious Caribbean lemonade cocktail.
Alternately, you can serve it with rum or without the alcohol altogether!
Add a splash of vanilla and Angostura Bitters for a delightful flavor boost.
Garnish with lemon and lime wheels, and a sprig of mint, and you have a pretty cocktail that you’ll be proud to serve to every adult in your life.
And seriously, if you haven’t mixed lemonade with bitters before, you’re missing out.
It’s so good!
Bring the fixings to serve Jamaican lemonade at any summer get-together.
Whip up a batch of this old-time Jamaican lemonade recipe, and enjoy!
From 4th of July celebrations to Summer birthday parties, this lemon-lime ade is a welcome choice.
Just be sure you have some lemonade on hand for the younger crowd, too.
Even better, consider setting up a lime lemonade stand!
Is this the same Jamaican lemonade they serve at Lazy Dog?
Lazy Dog’s recipe is really different, although theirs is really good too!
There’s has different citrus juices – like orange and pineapple juices, along with lime naturally.
Lazy Dog also adds some pomegranate juice and coconut milk with some sour mix.
It’s also non-alcoholic!
So if you’re looking to recreate that particular drink at home, start with our mocktail recipe.
Then add a splash of orange juice, pineapple juice, and pomegranate juice.
Add a touch of coconut milk, and top it off with some club soda.
And of course, if you want to spike it, you can. It’s great with rum!
How do you make lime lemonade from scratch?
Well, we’re going to show you how to make lemonade with limes from scratch.
If you want to just make lemonade rather than including the limes, omit the limes and make up the volume with fresh squeezed lemon juice.
And if you want to make lemonade with limes only, you can do the opposite.
Omit the lemons and double the lime juice.
I find with making pure limeade that you may need a bit more sweetener than with lemonade.
Ingredients:
- Vanilla Vodka
- Citron Vodka
- Fresh Lime Juice
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Water
- Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Angostura Bitters
- Sprig of Mint
- Lemons, for squeezing and garnish
- Limes, for squeezing and garnish
To make the drink, you will also need: cutting board, knife, citrus squeezer or press, cocktail shaker, bar spoon, and beverage glasses.
Can I make the drink with rum instead of vodka?
Yes, you can absolutely substitute rum for the vodka.
Since we’re using both vanilla vodka and citron (lemon flavored) vodka, you may want to make an adjustment if using rum.
Add a little more vanilla extract and another squeeze of lemon to replace the flavor from the vodka.
Can I make the drink with Jamaica lime juice?
Sure!
It’s a helpful short cut, especially if you don’t have any fresh limes.
Jamaica Lime Juice is a commercially prepared lime juice concentrate.
It’s basically concentrated lime flavored sugar water.
If you run across some at the store, it’s great to pick up to keep on-hand for drinks if you use a lot of drinks with lime.
Particularly if you end up needing limes more often than you shop for fresh produce.
You’ll find that you can also use Jamaica lime juice in margaritas and mojitos too in a pinch.
It’s a great mixer.
You can use it similarly to how you would use a sweet and sour mix as well.
Since it’s a concentrate, a little goes a long way.
I recommend adding a bit at a time, give it a taste, and adjust from there to see how much you like to use.
Can I make the drink without alcohol?
Yes! You’ll end up with a delicious lemon-limeade.
It’s so refreshing!
Simply omit the vodkas.
You may want to add a touch more vanilla extract.
Now, the Angostura bitters have a teensy bit of alcohol content.
It’s up to you if you want to add a drop to the drink.
It adds a lot of flavor, but if you’re serving the mocktail version to someone who is sober, you will want to leave it out.
How to make homemade lemon limeade:
Begin by squeezing the lemons and limes to make fresh juice.
If you’re serving the drink right away, fill the cocktail shaker halfway with ice.
Measure the liquid ingredients, and add all of them except the Angostura Bitters to the cocktail shaker.
Add the sugar to the shaker and give it a good shake.
Open up the shaker and taste it to see if you have added enough sugar.
Add more to taste if you think it needs it.
Close it up and shake again.
Pour the drink or chill it to serve later.
If you’re serving it immediately, fill your beverage glasses with ice, pour the drink over the ice, and garnish it with a lemon and lime wheel and a nice sprig of fresh mint.
More great lemonade and citrus drinks to try:
try it and share!
Please let us know how you enjoy our Jamaican Lemonade recipe.
If you make it yourself, please let us know on Pinterest that you tried it and tag us with #champagneandcoconuts on your Instagram photo.
If you haven’t had a chance to make it yet, be sure to save the recipe on Pinterest so you’ll remember where you found it.
Jamaican Lemonade
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Measuring cup or jigger
- Citrus Squeezer or Press
- Cocktail Shaker
- Bar Spoon
- Beverage Glasses
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Vanilla Vodka
- 1 oz Citron Vodka
- 2 T Fresh Lime Juice about 2 limes
- 2 T Fresh Lemon Juice about 2 lemons
- 4 oz Water
- 1 T Sugar
- Dash Vanilla Extract
- Dash Angostura Vitters
- Lemon wheels
- Lime Wheels
- Sprig of Mint
Instructions
- Add all of the liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker, except the Angostura Bitters. Add the sugar to the cocktail shaker. Shake until the sugar is completely dissolved.
- Taste it for sweetness and adjust if needed by adding more sugar.
- Chill until it’s ready to serve or serve immediately.
- Fill your cocktail glass with ice and a lemon and lime wheel.
- Pour the drink over ice and add a drop of bitters to taste. We recommend starting with one drop.
- Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Notes
Nutrition
Hi, I’m Jennifer. I love to cook and entertain. I have a lot of fun sharing traditional food and drink recipes as well as putting a new spin on the classics. I strive to provide easy to make recipes that are perfect for the home cook, bartender and entertainer.
That’s what I’m talking about! This limeade was awesome!