Creamy Frozen Lemonade
Cool, creamy, and perfectly sweet-tart, this Creamy Frozen Lemonade is the easiest way to beat the summer heat. Made in minutes with just three ingredients, it’s like a lemonade slushie meets lemon cream pie—no fancy ingredients or equipment required.
There’s something about the combination of tart lemons and sweetened condensed milk that hits all the right notes. Think lemon icebox pie… but blended with ice into a creamy, frosty drink. When the summer heat rolls in, this Creamy Frozen Lemonade is my go-to treat.
It’s been swelteringly hot so far this summer, and this is exactly the treat you need. It’s cold, icy, super lemony, and a little indulgent. Somewhere between a lemon slushy and a frozen lemon pie, the creamy-tart blend is completely addictive! Now it’s my go-to when I want a quick frozen treat that still feels a little special.
This is also one of those “right now” recipes: just blend, pour, enjoy. The texture is spot-on before the ice starts to melt too much, so don’t plan on making this ahead of time. But it’s so fast and so simple, that’s never a problem.
Whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue or just need a quick treat on a hot day, this frozen lemonade always disappears fast. Bonus: you can easily spike it with a little vodka or limoncello for the grownups!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Just 3 Ingredients: No syrups or special ingredients needed, just pantry staples.
- Tart, Sweet, and Creamy: It’s the perfect balance of bright lemon flavor and creamy richness.
- Ready in Minutes: Throw it all in the blender and it’s done in under 5 minutes.
- Customizable Texture: Add more ice to thicken or a splash of water to thin to your preference.
- Totally Refreshing: A cool and creamy treat that hits the spot during the hottest months.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Lemons: Use both the zest and the juice from fresh lemons (don’t try to substitute with bottled lemon juice!) For a creamsicle version, try using orange zest and orange juice.
- Sweetened Condensed Milk: Make sure to use sweetened condensed milk and not evaporated milk!
- Ice: Crushed ice blends more easily than whole cubes.
- Cold Water: Helps loosen the mixture if your blender needs a little help.
- Whipped Cream: Optional, but a delicious garnish!
How to Make Creamy Frozen Lemonade
- Zest and Juice the Lemons: Always zest first, then juice!
- Add Everything to the Blender: Combine the cold water, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, and ice in a blender.
- Blend Until Smooth: Blend until the ice is broken down and the drink is creamy and thick.
- Serve Immediately: Pour into glasses, top with whipped cream and a lemon slice if desired, and enjoy right away.
Dreamy Creamy Texture
If you thought to yourself, “wait a second, adding an acid to milk results in curdling, right?” – congratulations! You’re thinking like a scientist! (We all know about the trick of adding lemon juice to milk to mimic clumpy buttermilk, right?) But sweetened condensed milk behaves differently. We can learn why with my favorite subject… kitchen chemistry!
Kitchen Chemistry
Sweetened condensed milk is heat-processed to remove excess water and stabilized with added sugar, which prevents curdling when mixed with acidic ingredients like lemon juice. Instead of separating, the lemon juice slightly thickens the milk, creating a smooth, creamy base.
The high sugar content and lower water activity of sweetened condensed milk means it can handle acids much better than regular milk or cream. This is why we use sweetened condensed milk in citrus recipes like key lime pie bars or lemon pie, where the citrus juice helps thicken the mixture into a custardy pie.
The acid in lemon juice thickens the proteins in condensed milk, giving this frozen lemonade a rich, velvety, creamy, dreamy texture.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Frozen Lemonade
- Use Fresh Lemon Juice: It makes a huge difference in flavor – when lemon juce is the key ingredient, you want to use fresh squeezed!
- Don’t Skip the Zest: It adds a great burst of lemon flavor without adding more acidity.
- Adult Version: For a fun adult beverage, add in a little lemoncello or vodka.
- Serve Immediately: The texture of this frozen lemonade is best for the first 10 to 15 minutes after blending.
- Adjust Texture: If the lemonade is too thin, add more ice; if it’s too thick, add a little extra cold water.
- Garnish: A lemon wedge and a dollop of whipped cream makes the lemonade feel extra sepcial!
- Recommended Tools: Blender | Microplane Zester | Citrus Juicer
More Drink Recipes:
Creamy Frozen Lemonade
Cool, creamy, and perfectly sweet-tart, this Creamy Frozen Lemonade is the easiest way to beat the summer heat.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (224 grams) freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 4-5 large lemons)
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 14 ounces (397 grams)) sweetened condensed milk, chilled
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) cold water
- 6 cups of ice cubes
- Lemon wedge, for garnish
- Whipped cream, for garnish
Instructions
- Use a microplane zester or the fine side of a grater to zest two of the lemons.
- Juice the lemons until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain to remove any seeds.
- Add the ingredients to the blender in the following order: cold water, lemon juice, sweetened condensed milk, lemon zest, and finally ice.
- Secure the lid and start blending on low speed, then quickly increase to high (or use the Frozen Drink setting if your blender has one). Bend until the mixture is smooth. You may need to use the blender's tamper or stop and scrape down the sides once or twice.
- Pour into tall glasses with a dollop of whipped cream, a lemon wedge, and any additional lemon zest for garnish. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon juice, not bottled Freshly squeezed lemon juice has a much better flavor!
- For an adult version, blend in lemoncello or vodka.
- The texture of this lemonade is best for the first 10 to 15 minutes after blending, so serve it immediately.
- If the lemonade is to thin, add a little more ice; if it's too thick for the blender, add in a little more ice cold water.
- Recommended Tools: Blender | Microplane Zester | Citrus Juicer
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