I can’t wait to share my frozen lemonade made with just three everyday ingredients that quietly became the star of my Iced Drinks Recipes.
I never liked plain lemonade much, but this frozen creamy lemonade flipped my expectations. This drink balances fresh lemon juice with sweetened condensed milk and ends up part slushy, part dessert, totally addictive.
It’s bright and tangy, yet somehow rich, and you keep guessing how it stays so silky. I tell people it’s one of those Iced Drinks Recipes that instantly makes summer feel cooler, and honestly it’s a Fun Drink Recipe to serve when you want jaws to drop.
Don’t overthink it, try a sip first, youll know what I mean. Trust me youll be curious at first.
Ingredients
- Bright, tart, high in vitamin C, gives the drink its sour, refreshing backbone.
- Very sweet and creamy, adds lots of sugar and some dairy protein, no fiber.
- Adds richness and smooth mouthfeel, boosts calories and fat, a little protein.
- Cools and thins the mix, controls texture, no nutrients but lots of refreshment.
- Tiny splash lifts flavor, rounds edges of sour and sweet, mostly aroma.
- Just a pinch brightens sweetness and balances tartness, nearly no sodium hit.
- Pretty garnish, adds aroma and a hint of herbal freshness, optional but nice.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 to 6 lemons)
- 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 cup whole milk or light cream for extra creaminess
- 4 cups ice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Pinch of salt
- Lemon slices and fresh mint for garnish (optional)
How to Make this
1. Juice about 4 to 6 lemons to get 1 cup fresh lemon juice, strain out seeds and big pulp, save a few thin lemon slices for garnish.
2. Dump the whole 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk into a blender, add 1 cup whole milk or light cream, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if you want that little extra roundness.
3. Start the blender on low and slowly pour in the lemon juice so it mixes without getting weird textures, pulse a few times until it’s smooth.
4. Add 4 cups ice in two or three batches so your blender doesnt get overloaded, then blend on high until it’s smooth and creamy and slushy, stopping to scrape the sides once or twice.
5. Check texture and taste: if it’s too tart add a splash more sweetened condensed milk or an extra tablespoon of whole milk, if it’s too thick add a little more milk, if it’s too thin add a few more ice cubes and reblend.
6. If you want extra cold glasses put them in the freezer for 10 minutes before serving, helps keep this from melting fast.
7. Pour the frozen creamy lemonade into chilled glasses right away, the texture changes fast so serve immediately.
8. Garnish with the reserved lemon slices and a sprig of fresh mint, or stick a straw in and enjoy.
9. Leftovers: the mixture without ice freezes ok in an airtight container for up to a week, when you want more just break it up and reblend with a little milk and ice to bring it back to slushy life.
Equipment Needed
1. Blender (powerful enough to crush ice, dont overfill)
2. 1-cup measuring cup plus measuring spoons (for vanilla, salt)
3. Citrus juicer or handheld reamer
4. Fine-mesh strainer (to catch seeds and big pulp)
5. Can opener
6. Rubber spatula or sturdy spoon (to scrape the blender)
7. Ice scoop or large measuring cup for adding ice in batches
8. Cutting board and paring knife (for thin lemon slices and mint)
FAQ
Frozen Creamy Lemonade Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Fresh lemon juice: bottled lemon juice (use the same 1 cup, it may be a bit less bright) or lime juice (1 cup, flavor will change but still tart)
- Sweetened condensed milk: canned coconut sweetened condensed milk 1:1 for a dairy free version, or make a quick swap by simmering 1 cup evaporated milk with 1 cup sugar until thick
- Whole milk or light cream: half and half (1 cup) for similar richness, or full fat coconut milk (1 cup) if you want dairy free, or thin Greek yogurt (about 3/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup water) for extra tang
- Ice: use frozen lemonade or lemon juice ice cubes so it won’t get watered down, or swap the 4 cups ice for 4 cups frozen fruit (strawberries or pineapple) for sweetness and body
Pro Tips
1) Zest a little lemon before you juice them and toss about 1/2 teaspoon of that zest into the blender, it adds bright lemon flavor without more acidity. Just avoid the bitter white pith when you zest.
2) Chill the milk/cream and the sweetened condensed milk in the fridge first, it helps the blender make a smoother, creamier slush. If you want ultra creamy add 1 tablespoon mascarpone or full fat Greek yogurt, but go slow so it doesn’t get too heavy.
3) Freeze some of the base (minus ice) in an ice cube tray so you can re-blend single servings later, or freeze a few lemon-juice cubes to keep flavor without watering it down. Works way better than just throwing in more ice.
4) Balance the tartness carefully: a tiny pinch of baking soda will neutralize excess acidity if it tastes harsh, and a small pinch of salt brings out the sweetness. Taste as you go, add sweetened condensed milk or a splash of orange juice in tiny amounts until it feels right.
Frozen Creamy Lemonade Recipe
I can't wait to share my frozen lemonade made with just three everyday ingredients that quietly became the star of my Iced Drinks Recipes.
4
servings
370
kcal
Equipment: 1. Blender (powerful enough to crush ice, dont overfill)
2. 1-cup measuring cup plus measuring spoons (for vanilla, salt)
3. Citrus juicer or handheld reamer
4. Fine-mesh strainer (to catch seeds and big pulp)
5. Can opener
6. Rubber spatula or sturdy spoon (to scrape the blender)
7. Ice scoop or large measuring cup for adding ice in batches
8. Cutting board and paring knife (for thin lemon slices and mint)
Ingredients
1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 to 6 lemons)
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup whole milk or light cream for extra creaminess
4 cups ice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Pinch of salt
Lemon slices and fresh mint for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Juice about 4 to 6 lemons to get 1 cup fresh lemon juice, strain out seeds and big pulp, save a few thin lemon slices for garnish.
- Dump the whole 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk into a blender, add 1 cup whole milk or light cream, a pinch of salt and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if you want that little extra roundness.
- Start the blender on low and slowly pour in the lemon juice so it mixes without getting weird textures, pulse a few times until it's smooth.
- Add 4 cups ice in two or three batches so your blender doesnt get overloaded, then blend on high until it’s smooth and creamy and slushy, stopping to scrape the sides once or twice.
- Check texture and taste: if it’s too tart add a splash more sweetened condensed milk or an extra tablespoon of whole milk, if it’s too thick add a little more milk, if it’s too thin add a few more ice cubes and reblend.
- If you want extra cold glasses put them in the freezer for 10 minutes before serving, helps keep this from melting fast.
- Pour the frozen creamy lemonade into chilled glasses right away, the texture changes fast so serve immediately.
- Garnish with the reserved lemon slices and a sprig of fresh mint, or stick a straw in and enjoy.
- Leftovers: the mixture without ice freezes ok in an airtight container for up to a week, when you want more just break it up and reblend with a little milk and ice to bring it back to slushy life.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 219g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 370kcal
- Fat: 10.7g
- Saturated Fat: 6.6g
- Trans Fat: 0.13g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.38g
- Monounsaturated: 2.5g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
- Sodium: 127mg
- Potassium: 399mg
- Carbohydrates: 61g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Sugar: 57g
- Protein: 9.9g
- Vitamin A: 225IU
- Vitamin C: 23mg
- Calcium: 283mg
- Iron: 0.5mg
