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GET IT NOWMy Healthy Sugar Free Lemonade Tastes Like Summer Without All The Refined Sugar
There’s just something about a cold glass of lemonade that instantly feels like summer, and this sugar free lemonade does for me more than ever. I made it to get that classic sweet-tart flavor I grew up with, just without the sugar crash afterward.
And while I’ve been making this recipe for years ever since, the first time I made it with Powdered Besti changed everything. Here’s why you’ll want a pitcher of this zero sugar lemonade on repeat:
- Tastes just like classic lemonade – It’s sweet, tart, and refreshing in all the right ways, with real lemon juice and no weird aftertaste.
- Simple, clean ingredients – Most grocery store versions are made with artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or other weird fillers, but not mine! Just a 2 real food ingredients, plus water and ice.
- Super light, with no refined sugar – My healthy lemonade has just 8 calories per serving and only natural sweetener. You get all the sunny vibes without all the sugar.
- Quick and easy for summer – This recipe comes together in minutes, so you can whip it up for all your summer events. I serve it for BBQs, picnics, pool days, just sipping in my backyard, or when my kids want a sweet drink.
- Easy to customize – Make it stronger, sweeter, more tart, sparkling, or even fruity.
Whether you’re making this zero sugar lemonade to go with a grilled main (hello, juicy burgers or grilled chicken!), sipping it on a hot day, or serving it for the 4th of July, it always hits the spot. Grab some lemons and make it with me!
“This lemonade surprised me by how delicious it was (not too sweet, not too sour). I served it at a dinner with friends, and everyone loved it!”
-Erin
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my sugar free lemonade recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
- Besti Powdered Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – This is my go-to because it dissolves completely, has no aftertaste, and won’t crystallize when storing. Other sweeteners can resist dissolving (settle at the bottom), crystallize over time, or have a bitter aftertaste. I say this as someone who used to make this recipe using other alternatives (before Besti existed), and it wasn’t even close! I’ve also had success using the same amount of my zero sugar simple syrup, if you prefer a liquid sweetener that you don’t have to dissolve at all. Or you can use powdered allulose, but you’ll need to increase the amount to 1 1/3 cups.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice makes the best sugar free lemonade, hands down. (I sometimes use bottled when I need a small amount in recipes, but here fresh makes a huge difference.) I like using a lemon squeezer like this to make it quick and easy!
- Ice & Water
How To Make Sugar Free Lemonade
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Make a simple syrup. Simply simmer the powdered Besti and water until dissolved. You can also just measure out 1 cup of my sugar free simple syrup instead.
- Add lemon juice. Combine the simple syrup, lemon juice, and more cold water in a pitcher. Taste and adjust as needed. I usually just check the sweetness here, but you can add more water or lemon juice to your taste, too.
- Enjoy! I like to pour this sugar free lemonade over ice and garnish with fresh lemon slices.
My Recipe Tips
- Heating the simple syrup is actually optional, but makes the process faster. Powdered Besti will dissolve in cold water too, so heating is not strictly required, but I find it’s faster if I heat it. You can also just use my sugar free simple syrup to avoid the extra step.
- You’ll need about 5-6 lemons. This zero sugar lemonade recipe calls for 2/3 cup of lemon juice, and I recommend going by volume rather than lemon count, but I’m sure the lemon quantity is helpful so you know how many to get. Since one lemon usually yields about 2 tablespoons of juice, that’s about 5-6 fresh lemons.
- I recommend squeezing the lemons into a glass measuring cup. This lets you see how much more you need as you go without making a mess.
- Adjust to your taste. Too sweet? Add more water and/or lemon juice. Too sour? Stir in more powdered Besti. Not enough flavor? Add more lemon juice.
- If you have time, chill before serving. This sugar free lemonade tastes best nice and cold! You can pour it over ice immediately, but I like to let it sit in the fridge for at least 30 minutes first if I have the time.
- You can make it ahead, but wait on the ice until the last minute. Like any drink, the ice will water it down as it melts.
- Try a variation: Sometimes I blend this lemonade with fresh strawberries or use sparkling water instead of regular.
Sugar Free Lemonade
My healthy, sugar free lemonade tastes sweet and refreshing, with natural ingredients and no aftertaste. Easy to make and enjoy on a hot day!
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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In a small saucepan, combine the powdered Besti with 1 cup of water and simmer until fully dissolved. For a shortcut, you can use the same amount of Wholesome Yum Zero Sugar Simple Syrup instead.
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Combine the simple syrup, lemon juice, and remaining cold water in a pitcher. Taste and adjust sweetener as needed. You could also add more water or lemon juice to taste.
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Pour over ice to serve. Garnish with fresh lemon if desired.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: ~1 cup
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to help you make this sugar free lemonade as easily as possible.
- Storage & meal prep: As long as you don’t add the ice, this keeps well in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Sugar Free Lemonade
46 Comments
Erin
1This lemonade surprised me by how delicious it was (not too sweet, not too sour) I served it at a dinner with friends and everyone loved it! I add more water depending on what my need or craving is. Thanks so much for sharing!! 🍋🍋
Wholesome Yum D
0That’s wonderful to hear, Erin! I’m so glad it was a hit with everyone.
Nora
1Hi I just wanted to say how much I have learned from you not to mention all the great recipes, the amazing app that is helping me on my keto, low carb journey I just wanted to ask about adding fresh strawberries to this recipe and about how many lemons does this need? Thank you for giving me something that can keep me on track it was so Hard giving up Dr Pepper:)
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Nora, If using fresh lemons, you will need about 5 large lemons. Strawberries sound like a nice addition. I hope you enjoy!
Beth Register
1This was delicious! I’m trying to improve my water intake but sometimes I want to drink something with flavor and I don’t care for tea or diet drinks. This is perfect. So refreshing and lemons are very healthy. I added a dash of cayenne to mine because that’s what my grandmother added to her fresh lemonade when I was growing up. Gives a nice little kick and cayenne has some health benefits, too. Thank you for this recipe!
Jessica
1This was perfect for serving to the kiddos- no sugar, but still tastes great. So refreshing!
Kimberly W.
1Absolutely delicious and so much fun! My kids spotted a lemonade stand on this hot summer day, but I didn’t like the idea of pumping them full of sugar. We squeezed the lemons together, followed the recipe, and all really enjoyed the finished product. I’ve been doing keto for seven months and a refreshing glass of lemonade was such a nice treat!
Jaime
0This lemonade is DELICIOUS! My daughter and I made it together. The only thing we did differently is we used monkfruit/erythritol blend for the simple syrup as that’s what we had on-hand. It turned out perfect! We’ll definitely be making this often!
David
0How much water did you use? The ingredients list the water in a weird way.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi David, This recipe uses 1 cup of water to make the simple syrup and then 2 1/2 cups to make the lemonade. You can add more water to your taste if needed. Hope this helps!
Robert R
0I am so confused I put this recipe in Cronometer and I came out with a much different amount than you did. I got a total of 60 grams of total carbs per cup. Even when I used your measurement on the back of BESTI POWDERED MONK FRUIT SWEETENER WITH ALLULOSE I got 144 total carbs per cup of your sweetener. I took 3g per tsp and multiplied that by 48 that’s how many tsp are in a cup. I would like to know where you are getting your calculations from.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Robert, Nutrition facts are provided as a courtesy. If you have questions about calculations or why you got a different result, please see our nutrition policy.
Bobbi
0Great recipe. I used half Bocha Sweet and allulose and it dissolved nicely!
Janis Strahan
0I love this lemonade. However, after one glass, I developed horrific abdominal gas. It took hours to get out of my system. I know it was the allulose. I normally use a stevia blend.
Chad Wichterman
0I hate the taste of sweeteners, so i would like to see a different way to make lemonade.
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Chad, Did you try the lemonade with the recommended Besti sweetener? It dissolves and tastes just like real sugar. We reserve the rating process for those that actually test the recipe.
Robin A. Lee
0Excellent!
claudia
0Hi. I am confused. How can this have only 2 net carbs if 1 lemon has at least 4g? Am I missing something? I am new to Keto and I would love to be able to drink lemonade
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Claudia, Lemon juice has about 16 grams net carbs per cup. We are using 2/3 cup in this recipe, and diluting with water, so it comes out to slightly over 2g net carbs per serving. Hope this helps!
Lianne
0How much would be needed if I used your wholesome cellulose zero calorie liquid sweetener instead of making simple syrup? Just too lazy, lol
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lianne, I am sorry, I don’t know. You could probably add the amount of sweetener needed by taste.
Taryn
0Very refreshing!
Sylvia
0Do you have to use that particular sweetener? Could I use a monk Erythritol blend?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Sylvia, You could try it, but I generally don’t recommend using a sweetener that contains erythritol, because it doesn’t dissolve as well – it will likely partially dissolve even when heating. The best options are powdered monk fruit allulose blend or powdered allulose.
Layla
0I’m confused…the post says this recipe is unlike others because it doesn’t requiring heating or extra steps, just mixing everything in a blender, but step one of the instructions is to bring sweetener and water to a simmer… am I missing something?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Layla, Making the sweetener and water mixture on the stovetop just ensures that the sweetener gets fully dissolved. You can skip this step if you would like.
Ward Stanford
0Maya, I think you have an error in your recipe, or im misunderstanding it. The recipe states 1.75 cups of water, separated into 1 cup and 2 1/2 cups. The separated sums to either 2 cups or 3.5 cups, depending on how you interpret the 2 1/2 cups (two half-cups or 2 and a half cups). Am I missing something? (I only did a 2 cups recipe quantity.)
Ward Stanford
0Correction to my post…I stated I did the 2 cup recipe quantity. I meant I did the 2 serving recipe quantity.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Ward, The notes don’t change if you alter the scale of the recipe. The recipe was written as a 4 cup yield, so that’s what the notes are referring to. To make this work for 2 cups, you will dissolve the sweetener in 1/2 c of water and add that (to taste) to your lemonade mixture.
Phil
0Do you use the original flavor or the lemon flavor monk fruit sweetener for lemonade?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Phil, I used original but I’ll be the lemon one would be amazing!
Glory C'Dealva
0Hi Maya,
I am new to keto and let me say, I love all your recipes! Just wondering why there is 1 gram of sugar in the lemonade recipe and where does it come from? The lemon itself? Also, I made a simple syrup with water and erythritol and lavender. Heated on the stove it worked well and tasted divine!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you, Glory! Yes, the small amount of sugar would be from the lemon juice. Good to know it works with simple syrup, too!
Karen Thomas
0Your lemon juice link is bad. I am very curious, which lemon juice did you use?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Karen, Thanks for noticing! I fixed the link. Fresh squeezed is also great but sometimes I use the bottled for convenience.
Karen Thomas
0I agree fresh squeezed is best, but I too love the convenience of bottled. I will encourage you to research Volcano Bursts lemon juice as it is organic and not from concentrate.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for sharing, I’ll take a look!
Patricia Swenson
0What sweetener do you recommend for those allergic to monkfruit and stevia?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Patricia, Sorry, for this recipe I don’t know of one that doesn’t have either of those. But for most recipes needing sweetener you can use erythritol. It just doesn’t hold up to cold beverages very well since it doesn’t dissolve enough.
Chrissie
0You can dissolve some erythritol with hot water to make a syrup before adding it to a cold drink – same deal with most other granulated sweeteners 🙂
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thanks for sharing, Chrissie! In my experience erythritol has a hard time dissolving even in hot liquids, at least compared to sugar, but it does definitely work better than cold. It’s worth a try here! Powdered erythritol will dissolve better as well, so use that if you can.
Jan Gage
0Maya – First let me tell you how much I appreciate you! Your recipes are absolute lifesavers. They help me stay prepared with goodies in the fridge at all times.
Next, I’m wondering why I never see Splenda in Keto recipes? I’ve used Splenda forever, actually since it first came out. But, I’m thinking you must know something I don’t so I’m curious.
Thanks again……Your faithful follower…… Jan
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Thank you so much, Jan! I don’t use the original Splenda (sucralose) because it’s artificial and also has dextrose and/or maltodextrin as a filler (these are sugars). However, I do use Splenda Naturals, which is an erythritol and stevia blend.
Michelle K
0Have you tried liquid Allulose sweetener? Some keto people I follow on YouTube and Instagram tested that, along with several other sweeteners (including monkfruit), and they liked Allulose the best. It also comes in granulated, and in liquid maple and honey flavors. You can get it on Amazon, or I’ve found it in a few stores here in Texas.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Michelle, I haven’t tried that yet. I’ve heard promising things about allulose but since it’s fairly new I think we need more time to know its effects for sure. If you want to use it, I would test on yourself to see how it affects blood sugar and/or ketone levels if you’re keto.
Healthy Kitchen 101
0That’s the same way I make lemonade or orange juice, except that I use sugar xD Anyway, juice truly is a hero for thirsty summer days.
– Natalie Ellis