This Egyptian lemonade is the most refreshing drink you will make all summer and the secret is something most lemonade recipes will never tell you. You blend the whole lemon, peel and all, which is exactly how it is made in Egypt and exactly where all the flavor lives. Bright, minty, slightly creamy, and perfectly tart.
The coconut milk is not traditional but it is personal. When I was pregnant and living in Egypt, my mother-in-law would add it to soften the sharpness of the lemon and make the drink feel more nourishing. Smoother, creamier, and gentler on the stomach. I have made it this way ever since and now I cannot imagine it any other way. 🤍
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
The whole lemon technique: Peel and all, blended until smooth then strained. This is the Egyptian way and it gives you a depth of lemon flavor.
Creamy without being heavy: The coconut milk rounds out the tartness and gives the lemonade a silky body.
💁 Ready in 5 minutes: Blend, strain, pour. That is genuinely the whole recipe.
Egyptian Lemonade Video
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Ingredient Notes
Whole Lemons: This is the technique that makes Egyptian lemonade different from every other lemonade you have had. Instead of juicing the lemons, you chop them into chunks, remove the seeds, and blend the entire fruit including the white pith and the peel. The peel contains essential oils that give the lemonade a complex, fragrant, almost floral lemon flavor that juice alone cannot produce.
Coconut Milk: Not traditional but deeply personal. My mother-in-law added it during my pregnancy in Egypt to soften the sharpness of the lemon and add a gentle creaminess that made the drink more nourishing. One full can of full fat coconut milk gives you that silky body and slightly sweet, tropical undertone that rounds out the tartness beautifully. Full fat is important here. Light coconut milk is mostly water and will not give you the same creaminess. If you want to keep it completely traditional, swap the coconut milk for an extra cup of cold water. Still delicious. Just different.
Fresh Mint: Eight leaves goes into the blender with everything else. Fresh mint adds a cool, herby brightness that lifts the whole drink and is very much part of the Egyptian lemonade tradition. Do not use dried mint here. The flavor is completely different and will not work the same way. If you love a strong mint flavor, add a few extra leaves.
Granulated Monk Fruit: My sweetener of choice because it dissolves well in the blender and does not spike blood sugar. Regular granulated sugar works perfectly here too, as does honey or agave if that is your preference. Add it gradually and taste as you go since lemon tartness varies by fruit and what tastes balanced to one person tastes sour to another.
Pro tip
The Bitterness Factor
This is the most important thing to know about Egyptian lemonade and almost no recipe will tell you. Because you are blending the peel, the drink will become increasingly bitter as it sits and the peel oils continue to release into the liquid. Drink it within 3 hours of blending for the best flavor.
Substitutions & Variations
No monk fruit? Regular granulated sugar, honey, or agave all work well. Start with the same quantity and adjust to taste. Simple syrup also works beautifully if you want it to dissolve even more smoothly.
No coconut milk? Replace with an extra cup of cold water for the traditional Egyptian version. The drink will be lighter, less creamy, and more sharply tart. Both versions are delicious.
Want it extra minty? Double the mint leaves. The mint flavor is subtle with 8 leaves so if you want it front and center, go up to 12 to 16 leaves.
Want to make it a mocktail? Top each glass with a splash of sparkling water right before serving for a fizzy version that is very good for summer entertaining.
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⭐️ Recipe
Egyptian Lemonade
Ingredients
- 3 large lemons cut into chunks
- 1 cup ice
- 3 cups cold water
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- ½ cup granulated monk fruit sweetener or sweetener of choice adjusted to taste
- 8-10 fresh mint leaves
Instructions
Prep the lemons
- Cut each lemon into rough chunks, about 6 pieces per lemon.3 large lemons
Blend
- Add the lemon chunks, ice, cold water, coconut milk, granulated monk fruit sweetener, and fresh mint leaves to a blender. Blend on high speed for a full 60 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth and the lemon peel is fully broken down. The mixture will look pale and slightly foamy. That is exactly what you want.1 cup ice, 3 cups cold water, 1 can full-fat coconut milk, ½ cup granulated monk fruit sweetener or sweetener of choice, 8-10 fresh mint leaves
Strain
- Set a fine mesh sieve over a large pitcher or bowl. Pour the blended lemonade through the sieve. Once most of the liquid has passed through, use the back of a large spoon to press the pulp firmly against the mesh. Keep pressing until no more liquid comes through. Do not skip the pressing step. The most flavorful part of the lemonade is in that pulp and pressing extracts every last drop of it.
Taste and adjust
- Taste the lemonade. It should be bright, slightly tart, creamy from the coconut milk, and well balanced with the sweetener. If it tastes too tart add a little more sweetener one teaspoon at a time. If it tastes too sweet add a small splash of cold water. Lemon tartness varies from fruit to fruit so trust your palate.
Serve
- Pour immediately over ice in tall glasses. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a slice of lemon if you want to be fancy about it. (You do haha) Serve within 3 hours of blending for the best flavor. After that the lemon peel oils continue to release into the liquid and the bitterness takes over.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!