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This quick and easy Frozen Lemonade will become your new favorite summer dessert. It’s so rich and creamy that it tastes like Chick-fil-A frosted lemonade. But homemade, healthier and sugar-free if you want.
The best frosted lemonade
Growing up in Italy, summer meant “Sorbetto al Limone” in my family. But the truth is, I’ve never been a huge fan of Italian lemon Sorbet. It indeed tastes good, but for me it’s still missing something. I was actually thinking that I did not like frozen lemon desserts at all, until I tried Frozen Brazilian Lemonade from my Brazilian roommate. He made it fresh, using condensed milk and limes. It was so rich and creamy that I instantly fell in love. He always use to keep an extra glass for me, whenever making it. But soon I moved out to live on my own, so I had to come up with my own drink. Satisfied with the result.
This may be the best frozen lemonade recipe? ever. It is sweet and refreshing, with all the good lemon flavors and a creamy texture. The secret is blending the juice of fresh lemons with a dollop of Greek yogurt for extra creaminess. If you have tried them already, this frozen lemonade drink tastes very similar to Chick fil A frosted lemonade, Disneyland lemonade, and Minute Maid frozen lemonade – as a drink. But without all the fats and sugars from ice cream and high fructose corn syrup.
Frozen lemonade ingredients
- Lemon juice. The best whipped frozen lemonade is made with freshly squeezed lemon juice. It has much more taste and flavor. You can also use bottled lemon juice, but you’ll need a bit more than half a cup to compensate for the flavor.
- Lemon zest. This ingredient is key, it gives that extra kick of taste. I recommend zesting half of a fresh lemon, properly washed beforehand.
- Granulated sweetener. You can use any granular sweetener you want, white sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar are all perfect. For sugar free frosted lemonade, choose keto sweeteners such as erythritol, monk fruit sweetener, or xylitol.
- Greek yogurt. Greek yogurt makes this whipped frozen lemonade smooth, rich and creamy like Chick fil A lemonade. I used nonfat Greek yogurt, but you can replace with full fat Greek yogurt, (dairy-free) vanilla yogurt, vanilla ice cream or gelato, or coconut cream.
Recipe variations & Flavors
- Lemon blueberry lemonade: Add a handful of frozen blueberries, nothing tastes better than lemon and blueberries together.
- Frozen strawberry lemon drink: If you are looking for a fruity treat, consider blending in some frozen strawberries. The drink will taste like a smoothie.
- Lemon milkshake: Have a Starbucks experience by replacing one cup of ice and all the water with your favorite milk. We love unsweetened almond milk and oat milk.
- Vanilla frozen lemonade: Swap out Greek yogurt for vanilla ice cream and you’ll make Chick fil A frozen lemonade at home.
- Coconut lemonade: Coconut plus lemon equals heaven. Just blend in some frozen coconut, or add a tablespoon or two of shredded coconut.
- High protein lemonade: Before mixing, add a scoop of your favorite protein powder (I recommend vanilla whey protein powder) for a protein boost. Perfect as a refreshing post workout for summer.
- Sugar free frosted lemonade: Sweeten your whipped frozen lemonade with erythritol, xylitol or monk fruit sweeter for a sugar-free, low carb, low calorie and keto summer treat.
How to make frozen lemonade at home
This recipe for frozen lemonade is very simple, it won’t take you more than 5 minutes. You should start by washing and drying two fresh lemons. Take one of the two lemons and grate the zest of half of it. When ready, squeeze out the juice of the 2 lemons and set aside for later. You can do this with the help of a squeezer, or by hand with a colander to filter the seeds.
After zesting and squeezing, you can make frozen lemonade in a blender or food processor, in an ice cream machine, or in a Ninja Creami. Here’s how:
- Blender method. Place all ingredients into a high speed blender (such as Vitamix), then blend until the frozen lemonade reaches a smooth and creamy consistency. This should take a couple of minutes, depending on the blender you are using.
- Ice cream machine method. Making frozen lemonade in ice cream machine is simple. But it requires a twist, you’ll need to replace the 2 cups of ice cubes with cold icy water. Start with cold equipment, then add all ingredients to the ice cream machine and churn for about 15 minutes. I always recommend following the directions of your own machine, though.
- Ninja Creami method. Add all ingredients to your Ninja Creami, substituting ice cubes with cold water. Churn for about 15 minutes and serve.
Meal prep & Storage
This homemade frozen lemonade recipe can be served directly, or it can be prepared ahead of time. Perfect as a refreshing lemony dessert for outdoor parties, barbecues and picnics.
To store leftover lemonade, place it into airtight containers, leaving a little space at the top for expansion. Seal the containers tightly to prevent freezer burn and then freeze lemonade for up to 3 months. 30 minutes before serving, remove from the freezer and refrigerate to reach its original creamy consistency.
Is frosted lemonade healthy?
Yes, this frozen lemon drink is a delicious healthy treat for summer. First of all, lemon is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, aiding digestion and boosting immunity. Furthermore, this recipe can quickly be made sugar-free, low carb, keto and low calorie. Just replace regular sugar with calorie-free sweeteners. The ideal summer dessert for weight loss. Last but not least, we should not forget that this lemon drink also contains some protein from the Greek yogurt. For more, consider adding a scoop of protein powder.
More healthy summer desserts
- Frozen yogurt
- Protein ice cream
- Butter pecan ice cream
- Low calorie cheesecake
- Protein cheesecake
- Chocolate cottage cheese ice cream
Frozen Lemonade
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice, from 2 lemons
- ⅓ cup granulated sweetener, use sugar or sugar-free sweetener
- zest of ½ lemon
- 2 cups ice cubes
- ¼ cup cold water
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt, or vanilla ice cream
Instructions
- Grate the zest of half a lemon and then squeeze the juice from 2 fresh lemons.
- Add to a high speed blender lemon juice, lemon zest, granulated sweetener, ice cubes, water and Greek yogurt. Blend on high until frozen lemonade reaches the desired consistency. Pour the mixture into glasses and serve right away.
Sounds Delicious ? Definitely Will Be Trying It!
Hey dear Mamie,
thanks a lot for your kind feedback!! I am so so happy to hear that you appreciated my frozen lemonade recipe. Perfect for a hot Summer day, I’m sure you will love it 😉 !
Have a great day,
Matteo
I’m not one to leave feedback often. This was so good though. I didn’t get the full half cup of juice with my two lemons, but I’m glad I didn’t as the 1/3 cup was prefect to my taste! The vanilla Greek yogurt was perfect. Thank you for sharing this recipe. It’s a keeper!
Hey dear Susan,
thank you SO MUCH for your comment! I’m incredibly happy to hear that you liked my frozen lemonade with Greek yogurt. You’re right, the yogurt definitely makes the different. It adds such a creamy texture that is simply impossible to resist. Perfect for summer!
Have a fantastic day,
Matteo
Perfect summer refresher ….quick and easy to prepare!! Thank you Matteo
Hey dear Felix,
thanks a lot for your kind feedback. I am so happy to hear that you liked this refreshing Lemonade recipe!
I wish you a great day,
Matteo
Is very refreshing this frozen lemonade, we need every day here for our hot weather??
Hey dear Liza,
I completely agree with you! Homemade frozen lemonade is a life saver in hot summer days. It feels like drinking dessert with a straw. Refreshing, tasty and also healthy!
Have a great day,
Matteo