Made with fresh lime juice, lime zest, and sweetened condensed milk, Brazilian Lemonade is a rich, luscious, and super refreshing family-friendly drink. Perfect for hot summer days!
We love having something delicious to drink when we have friends over! Some of our other favorites include Strawberry Lemonade and Horchata.
Refreshing Brazilian Lemonade Recipe
If you’ve never tasted Brazilian Lemonade, you are missing out!
Unlike traditional lemonade made with lemon juice, Brazilian Lemonade uses fresh limes. It has a unique and refreshing taste from combining tangy limes with sweetened condensed milk, giving it a smooth, creamy texture and rich luscious flavor.
The first time I tried this, I knew I had to make it for the family – but I did make one change. Traditional Brazilian Lemonade is made by blending the entire lime, skin and all, then strained through a sieve. While all that lime zest does add a lot of flavor, I still find it to be bitter because of the pith.
So I make it with just the juice and a little zest. The end result is still perfectly lime-y and tangy, just with no bitter undertones. It’s become one of our go-to summer drinks, due to the refreshing taste.
Why You’ll Love This Drink
Here are a few reasons this easy Brazilian lemonade recipe is a huge hit in our house.
- Quick and easy. Since I take a few shortcuts when preparing this drink, this Brazilian limeade comes together in just a few seconds.
- Perfect for crowds. Our recipe makes 6 drinks but you can easily double this for your next summer gathering.
- Kid-friendly. There’s no alcohol in this drink (although you can add some!), so everyone can enjoy it.
- Refreshing flavor. Cool and refreshing, it’s just the family drink to enjoy on a hot summer day!
What Is Brazilian Lemonade?
Brazilian Lemonade, also known as Brazilian Limeade, is a refreshing drink made with fresh lime juice, lime zest, and sweetened condensed milk. It has a rich, luscious flavor and smooth, creamy texture that’s perfect for summer.
One thing to note about Brazilian lemonade is that even though it’s called lemonade, you use limes not lemons. In Portuguese “limão” is the same word for lemon and lime, so it’s just translated to lemonade. That said, you will see some people refer to it as Brazilian limeade as well. It’s all the same drink!
Ingredients Needed
You’ll need just 3 main ingredients, plus water and ice, to make this creamy, refreshing lemonade.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Cold water
- Granulated sugar – The sugar helps to balance out the tanginess of the limes.
- Fresh lime juice – You’ll need about 5 or 6 limes, depending on the size. Choose limes with smooth, thin skin – they tend to be the juiciest and have less chance of making the drink bitter.
- Lime zest – Adds more lime flavor to the lemonade.
- Sweetened condensed milk – Adds the rich, creamy texture and flavor.
- Ice
Easy Variations
Here are a few fun ways you can switch up this limeade recipe.
- Add some liquor. To turn this into a Brazilian lemonade cocktail, simple add your favorite vodka or white rum to the pitcher.
- Use a different sweetener. In place of the granulated sugar, you can use honey or agave. It’ll give the drink a different flavor but it’s still tasty.
- Make it vegan. You can swap the sweetened condensed milk for coconut milk. It’ll have a much different flavor but still a rich, creamy texture and still be super refreshing.
How to Make Brazilian Lemonade
The wonderful thing about this refreshing Brazilian lemonade recipe is just how quick and easy it is to make.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
- Prepare the limes. Scrub and wash the limes really well, then dry them. Zest one lime, then juice all of them. (It’s much easier to zest a lime before juicing it.)
- Combine the ingredients. Stir together the cold water and sugar. Add the lime juice and zest, sugar-water, and sweetened condensed milk to a blender. Blend until smooth. Taste test and add more sugar if necessary.
- Enjoy. Pour in glasses over ice and garnish with a lime slice. Enjoy immediately.
Why Is My Brazilian Lemonade Bitter?
If your lemonade is bitter, you likely got some of the pith (the white part of the peel) in with the lime zest. When you’re zesting the lime, be sure to only zest the outer green peel as the pith can be quite bitter. (This is why I don’t make mine the traditional way, which does include blending in the pith.)
Also, be sure to choose limes that have a smooth skin, as those tend to be less bitter.
If you notice your Brazilian limeade is more bitter than you’d prefer, add more sugar or condensed milk to balance it out.
An Easy Shortcut
Pssst. Want to make this Brazilian lemonade even easier? If you’re really short on time, you can cheat even further with this shortcut – buy Simply Limeade and mix in the condensed milk. It tastes very similar with fewer steps and dishes to wash!
Proper Storage
If needed, you can prepare this Brazilian limeade in advance. Just prepare as directed and keep it in a sealed pitcher in the fridge for a day or two. Give it a good stir with a wooden spoon before serving, then pour over ice as directed.
More Family-Friendly Summer Drinks:
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Brazilian Lemonade
Ingredients
- 7 cups cold water
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup fresh lime juice (from about 5 or 6 limes)
- Lime zest from 1 of the limes
- 1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
- Ice
Instructions
- Make sure your limes are scrubbed/washed really well, and dried. Juice all the limes and zest 1 of them.
- Stir together the cold water and sugar; set aside.
- To a blender, add the lime juice, lime zest, sugar-water, and sweetened condensed milk. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the sweetness if the drink tastes at all bitter.
- Pour over ice in glasses with a lime slice or wedge. Enjoy immediately.
This was delish!! I don’t think I’ve ever had a drink like this. I made a big batch for Memorial Day with friends and we all loved it.
I’ve never had anything like this and loved it! Will be great for summer parties. Thanks for sharing!