Homemade Blueberry lemonade is a refreshing and flavorful beverage perfect for any occasion. The tangy sweetness of fresh lemons and the juicy goodness of ripe blueberries creates a unique twist on classic lemonade. With just a few simple ingredients and minimal prep time, you can whip up a batch of this amazing drink that's sure to please a crowd.
When it's hot outside, there's nothing quite like sipping on a refreshing glass of lemonade. It might just be the nostalgia of childhood but there's also something comforting about a homemade glass of lemonade filled with ice. During the summer months, the produce is extra fresh and flavorful, making it the perfect time to get creative with crafting your own drinks. It's an easy way to bring a smile to everyone’s face and it takes less than 20 minutes to make this delicious drink completely from scratch.
For this recipe, I used a reduction made from fresh blueberries and added it to my perfect lemonade recipe. What makes it so perfect, you ask? It's perfect because it balances sweetness and tart flavors. Some lemonades can be overly sugary and some are even grainy from all the sugar. For my perfect lemonade base, you'll be making a simple syrup to ensure all the sugar is broken down and your drink is perfectly smooth just like you'd get from the store or a restaurant. It's a quick extra step that makes a world of difference.
If you love all things blueberry, use the leftover blueberries and lemons to make my Blueberry Lemon Float! If you're hosting a party and need more drink options, be sure to check out my drink ideas for more fresh recipes such as my easy Watermelon Mocktail and this Summertime Virgin Sangria!
Why You'll Love It
Tangy and Creamy- Blueberries have a slightly tart sweet flavor whereas vanilla ice cream is rich and creamy. When combined the creaminess complements the sweetness of the blueberries creating a delicious balance of flavors.
Simple- With just five ingredients, this float is an excellent choice for a hassle-free treat. It's perfect for a relaxing movie night or a refreshing break outside. Plus, it's easy to make so you can quickly get back to enjoying your day.
Easy to make ahead- This Blueberry Lemon Float is an ideal treat to make in advance. You can prepare the blueberry reduction up to two days beforehand, which means all you have to do when it's time to serve is mix it with soda and add a scoop of ice cream. And if you love blueberries you can double the recipe and save some for a delicious pancake topping the next morning!
Ingredients
Blueberries- Blueberries have a sweet and slightly tart flavor that makes them the perfect choice for these floats. Their natural taste makes an excellent complement to the creamy taste of ice cream. You can use fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries to make the reduction for this recipe.
Lemons- Lemons are used in two ways for this float recipe. The lemons are first zested, which gives your float a concentrated lemon taste that can't be beaten. The lemons are then juiced to give even more citrus flavor to the blueberry reduction and really brighten things up.
Granulated sugar- Granulated sugar adds extra sweetness to the blueberries and really helps their natural flavor shine. Blueberries can vary in sweetness depending on the season so adding a bit of sugar to them while reducing the syrup ensures they'll be just right.
Lemon Lime Soda- You can use lemon-lime soda such as 7-up for this recipe. If you prefer, sparkling water or club soda will work too, it will just not be as sweet.
Vanilla ice cream- Vanilla ice cream provides the creamy base for the float. Feel free to use your personal favorite vanilla ice cream. Look for ice cream with milk or cream as the first ingredient for the best taste.
How to make blueberry floats
Make the blueberry reduction
There are several ways to prepare the blueberries for the floats, but I will show you my favorite way- a reduction. A reduction is essentially cooking down a sauce, in this case, fruit sauce, by heating it. This intensifies the flavors and thickens in the process.
- Place the berries into a saucepan over medium-high heat. For the lemon zest, I like to use a Microplane. It makes it very easy. Just be sure to avoid the pith, the white part underneath the peel. The pith is particularly bitter and can quickly overtake a dish.
- Add the lemon zest, fresh lemon juice, water, and sugar into the pot with the blueberries. Cook the mixture down for several minutes, allowing it to come to a gentle boil. As the berries soften their juice should release, making a dark blue sauce.
- For a recipe like this, I prefer to strain the blueberry syrup. I use a fine mesh strainer and push as much berry through as I can. Then, return the blueberries to a pan and continue to cook until the sauce is thick and tasty. When done, it should coat the back of a spoon. The next step is allowing the reduction to cool.
Making the Blueberry Lemon Float
- Once your reduction is cooled, pour it into a large pitcher.
- Slowly mix in the lemon-lime soda or 7 up. I like to mix these two first, rather than adding them separately over the ice cream because they blend better. There's no need to stir the soda quickly, otherwise, it can lose carbonation. A rubber spatula will work well for this.
- To serve, we love using steins for this but you can use smaller mugs or a mason jar as well. I like to chill them too for a nice frosty look. Add your ice cream to the stein or mug.
- Pour the soda mixture over the ice cream and enjoy!
Can you see why I name these the HARD TO RESIST blueberry lemon floats? They are so good and really hard to resist. It is a beautiful and vibrant treat that everyone will love!
Tips and Substitutions
- Switch up the flavors of this float by using raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries.
- Garnish your float with a few additional strawberries or a slice of lemon.
- For an extra lemon flavor, enjoy this blueberry lemon float with a few scoops of lemon sorbet or lemon ice cream. Or even blueberry ice cream for extra berry flavor!
- Be sure not to stir the soda too quickly or it can cause it to go flat.
FAQ Blueberry Lemon Float
Leftover blueberry soda can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days but it's best enjoyed immediately to prevent it from going flat. If you're making a small batch, you can keep the soda and blueberry mixture separate until you're ready to serve. Simply pour the desired amount of soda and blueberries into a separate glass, rather than a pitcher, to prepare for serving.
You can use whatever your preferred ice cream is for this float. Just keep in mind that blueberries have a specific flavor that doesn't complement all ice cream flavors so choose one that will taste good together.
You can use bottled lemon juice, but it won't quite have the fresh fruit flavor. You'll need lemons for the zest but if you can't get a hold of any or simply want to skip a trip to the store, you can omit the zest and use bottled lemon juice. While the flavor isn't quite the same, the acidity will still brighten up the blueberry reduction and taste delicious.
Hard to resist blueberry lemon float
Ingredients
- 4 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest Make sure and wash your lemon well first before zesting.
- ⅓ cup fresh lemon juice
- ⅓ cup sugar
- 2 liter 7up, or other lemon lime soda
- vanilla or lemon ice cream we used about ½ gallon
Instructions
- Add blueberries, lemon zest, lemon juice, and sugar to a medium saucepan. Mix well. Place over medium heat. Heat until it comes to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally
- Continue to cook over medium-low for a few more minutes until the berries are very soft and have released their juices.
- You have 2 choices at this point, either strain the skins out or simply blend them in a food processor. I blended them. If you want a smoother float, strain them out.
- With either method you used, add the blueberry sauce back into your saucepan. Now we will start the reduction. Cook over a medium-low, stirring occasionally until the sauce has reduced slightly and thickened slightly. Mine took about 10 minutes. This will depend on the sauce, the thickness of your pan, and the actual temp of your medium-low, as everyone's cooktop is different.
- Once it has thickened and reduced, remove it from heat. Pour into a bowl or container to cool. That pan will hold on to residual heat, so I like to remove it from the pan.
- Once it has cooled, you can use it right away. If you want to save it for another time, this is simple. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. I used a mason jar. It will hold for up to 4 days.
- When you are ready to use, we will make a mix of blueberry reduction and soda. The exact ratio will depend on your palate and preference. I used 1 part blueberry to 2 parts soda. Taste as you make and adjust as needed.
- Next, add your ice cream to the serving glasses. We like high ice cream-to-liquid ratio, so don't skimp! Then pour your blueberry soda mixture over the ice cream and go for it!
Notes
- Switch up the flavors of this float by using raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries.
- Garnish your float with a few additional strawberries or a slice of lemon.
- For an extra lemon flavor, enjoy this blueberry lemon float with a few scoops of lemon sorbet or lemon ice cream. Or even blueberry ice cream for extra berry flavor!
- Be sure not to stir the soda too quickly or it can cause it to go flat.
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