A from-scratch blackberry sugar syrup mixed with fresh lemon juice and served over ice. A Southern summer favorite.
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
Simple syrup-based– No need to worry about sugar dissolving with this easy blackberry syrup. And no blender!
Make-ahead– When you’re planning a summer party, the more you can make ahead the better.
Versatile!– Add club soda and a splash of lemon vodka for a fresh summertime cocktail.
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
You’ll need the following for this classic drink:
- fresh blackberries (or frozen if they’re not in season)
- granulated sugar
- water
- freshly squeezed lemon juice
- cold water
- more fresh lemons, blackberries, and mint leaves for garnish
🥣 Equipment
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- strainer or fine mesh sieve
- saucepan
- large pitcher
🍴Instructions
Step One: cook the berries
Heat the berries, sugar, and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and heat for 5 minutes until berries break down and a syrup is formed.
Step Two: strain the syrup
Place a mesh strainer over a bowl and strain your berries through it. Press down on them to get as much juice out of those little gems! When you’re done, you’ll just discard the solids, so don’t worry about smashing them. Cover the mixture so that they have time to chill in the refrigerator for an hour. (Let it cool a bit at room temperature first.)
Step three
Combine the berry syrup, and lemon juice, and add water to a pitcher. Serve over ice cubes in a large pitcher. Garnish with lemon slices, fresh blackberries, and mint leaves.
🥫 Storage instructions
If you have any leftover lemonade, tightly cover the pitcher and store it in the fridge for 3-4 days.
🔍 FAQs
Sure! You can make the whole recipe, start to finish and keep it in the fridge for 24 hours. Or you can make just the syrup and refrigerate or freeze it then, then mix everything else up right before serving.
You can use an artificial sweetener. Or, try boiling the blackberries in half water and half apple or grape juice. This will sweeten them up without adding white sugar.
You can use raspberries, ollalieberries, or strawberries too. You might want to reduce the sugar a tad since these have more natural sugar.
Not Meyer lemons, just “regular” ones.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Use fresh lemons! Freshly squeezed lemon juice is so much better for homemade lemonade.
- Use a pitcher with lots of ice. Pour the homemade blackberry lemonade into a large pitcher and fill it up with plenty of ice cubes to keep everything cold.
- Include more ingredients! You can add club soda and a splash of vodka to give this homemade blackberry lemonade a fun twist.
📘 Related Recipes
- Bundt cake with blackberries is so simple and delicious.
- If you’re in the mood more a non-lemonade drink, try this recipe for Southern Blackberry Sweet Tea
- And if you prefer an adult drink, try Blackberry Mojitos or a Blackberry Old-Fashioned
🍽 Serve it with
Having a fun summer party? Lucky you. Try these:
- Grilled marinated chicken drumsticks
- Pasta salad with mozzarella and summer veggies
- Cucumber salad
- Easy pineapple and mandarin orange cake
🍅 make it along with me
Follow along step by step. The slides will turn every 7 seconds, or you can click ahead.
📖 Here’s the recipe
Blackberry Lemonade (From Scratch!)
Equipment
- strainer
Ingredients
- 1 cup blackberries frozen is fine
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup water for the syrup
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups water for mixing
Instructions
- Make the blackberry syrup. Heat the berries, sugar, and ½ cup of water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and heat for 5 minutes until berries break down and a syrup is formed.
- Strain. Place a strainer over a bowl and strain the syrup through a mesh strainer, pressing down to get as much of the syrup as possible. Cover the berry syrup and chill in the fridge for an hour.
- Mix and chill. Combine the berry syrup, lemon juice, and 3 cups of water in a pitcher and chill. Serve over ice
Notes
Nutrition
