Brazilian Limeade / Lemonade (No Refined Sugar)

Brazilian limeade (also known as lemonade) combines fruit juice, vegan condensed milk and mint to create a refreshing drink with no refined sugar! Make this Brazilian lemonade recipe to help you cool down from the summer heat!

Alright, this has to be my new favorite summer drink. Yes, it’s blazing hot out there and this limeade recipe cannot have come at a better time. Trust me, you’ll want to make batches and batches and batches.

Quick info about this recipe! Brazilian limeade is also known as Brazilian lemonade. This is because in Brazil, where the native language is Portuguese, they use the same word, limão, for lemon and lime.

Also, Brazilians sometimes call the drink Limonada Suíça, which translates to “Swiss Lemonade”. Why is anyone’s guess because Switzerland is nowhere near Brazil. Haha.

Anyway, it is a creamy, slightly tart, sweetened milk drink and it’s a very popular drink in Brazil. AND they serve it right here in UTAH, at Tucanos Grill. It’s a drink that is so incredibly refreshing, you’ll want to sip on it all day long. The heat of summer is no match for this one!

Vegan Brazilian limeade

Now, if you don’t have an aversion to dairy products, you can make a pitcher of the limeade using the recipe’s traditional sweetener, which is condensed milk.

But I’m keeping things dairy-free and vegan for this recipe. So, we’ll sweeten the drink using my super easy recipe for vegan condensed milk!

 

INGREDIENTS AND SUBSTITUTIONS

• limes – Be sure to use traditional limes and not key limes, because their flavor profiles are different.
• water – I prefer filtered water but good old fashioned tap water works too.
• monk fruit sweetener, granulated sugar, or sweetener of choice
• sweetened condensed milk or vegan condensed milk. If you don’t want to make the milk, you can buy it. This is the vegan condensed milk brand that I recommend using.
• Fresh mint leaves and lime slices, to garnish

 

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash the limes.

You’ll want to use a vegetable brush and hand or dish soap to scrub the skin. This is to remove any pesticides or wax.

Then, slice each lime into 4 quarters and add them to the blender with HALF of the sweetener and HALF of the water.

 

2. Blend the ingredients

Place the lid on your blender, and pulse about 5 times.

3. Strain the mixture.

Place a fine-mesh strainer over a pitcher or large bowl and pour the blended lime mixture through the strainer.

Then, use your hands to push the rest of the liquid through the strainer into the bowl or pitcher. Discard the pulp and repeat with the remaining limes, sugar, and water.

4. Blend again.

Pour the strained lime mixture back into the blender and add the condensed milk. Pulse again to blend.

Alternatively, pour the strained lime sugar mixture into a larger pitcher, then stir in the condensed milk with a spoon. Add ice and stir again.

 

5. Garnish

Garnish with mint leaves and extra lime slices, if desired.

Serve immediately or keep the Brazilian limeade in the fridge for no longer than one day. To avoid diluting the Brazilian lemonade, refrigerate it without any ice.

How to make vegan condensed milk

There are just a few simple ingredients that you’ll need to create the condensed milk. To print the recipe, see my vegan condensed milk post.

• 2 cups full fat coconut cream or coconut milk
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup agave or 1/3 cup powdered sugar substitute
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of sea salt

1. Bring to a boil and then reduce and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. To make sugar free condensed milk, add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum to thicken.

 

OTHER LEMON AND LIME DRINKS TO MAKE:

• Key Lime Pie Smoothie (Keto and Vegan Option) – This smoothie is very refreshing! Key limes are in season for a short time, so when you find them in the store, squeeze the juice and freeze it to use whenever you want!
• Zingy Turmeric Ginger Lemonade with Mint – If you’re feeling a little cold coming on, swap out your afternoon coffee or tea routine for some of this lemonade. You’ll feel better in no time!
• Homemade Fruit Kvass – This fermented drink is delicious and can help improve your digestion and boost your metabolism!

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Now, who’s thirsty? May your cup overfloweth!

Cheers,

LC