Cucumber Lemonade (Sugar-Free)

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This fresh and delicious cucumber lemonade is insanely refreshing, easy to make, healthy, and best of all, sugar-free. A thirst quenching and guilt-free glass of summertime. The fresh cucumber juice adds the zen, cooling vibe of spa water to sweet and zingy lemonade. It's the perfect way to cool down on a hot day.

A glass of cucumber lemonade in front of a pitcher.

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Why this is the best cucumber lemonade recipe
Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
Instructions
Equipment
Storage
FAQ
📖 Recipe

This is the ultimate summertime drink, whether it's at a BBQ, a picnic, or simply a refreshing glass to enjoy during a warm evening relaxing on the porch.

And this recipe is an excellent way to use up any extra cucumbers from your garden. Have a pile of zucchinis to use up, too? This lemon zucchini bread with its tasty sweet lemon glaze will solve that problem.

Why this is the best cucumber lemonade recipe

It's healthy, packed with vitamins, and sugar-free! This recipe is also vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, gluten-free, dairy-free, keto, and diabetic-friendly. Almost anyone can enjoy it.
Kids love the flavour and have no idea they're getting a dose of veggies.
You don't need to seed the cucumbers.
You can modify it in so many ways: make it sparkling, make it spicy, make it boozy.. See the variations section below. Also, the sweetness and strength of this cucumber lemonade are completely adjustable.
And finally, because it tastes absolutely amazing.

A pitcher of cucumber lemonade beside lemons.

Ingredients

Lemons
English cucumbers - I recommend using English cucumbers. They are seedless (having very little or no seeds), not bitter, and have a light sweet and fresh flavour. If you use a different kind of cucumber, taste test first to make sure they are not bitter and remove the seeds. Make sure to use cucumbers that are ripe and firm.
Liquid stevia - This sweetener is a 100% natural extract from the stevia plant. It has zero sugar, zero carbs, and zero calories. It is naturally diabetic, keto, and vegan friendly, as well as gluten-free. There are a lot of stevia-blend products available on the market that don't share these amazing attributes. When buying stevia, make sure to check the ingredients label. There shouldn't be a list of extra ingredients.
Cold water
Ice

See the recipe card below for quantities.

liquid stevia

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Substitutions

Stevia can be substituted with sugar in the form of a simple syrup, or a refined-sugar free option, such as honey or agave syrup. Note that each type of sweetener will have a slightly different affect on the flavour of the lemonade.
Limes can be used in place of lemons for a delicious cucumber limeade.
Try using frozen melon balls instead of ice cubes. These won't water down your cucumber lemonade as they thaw and will add a lovely, light melon flavour. I love to use honeydew melon balls in this drink.

Variations

Sparkling: Top up the cucumber lemonade in your glass with a splash of sparkling water. Or, if you want the flavour to be less diluted, swap out the cold water in the recipe for cold sparkling.
Spicy: Add a spicy twist with the addition of jalapeño or your favourite pepper. Blend a small amount in with the cucumber.
Herbs: Fresh mint or sweet basil make a wonderful addition. Blend a small amount in with the cucumber and garnish with a sprig. Keep in mind that this will make the drink a bit greener.
Boozy: Add your alcohol of choice to turn this into an easy, make-ahead pitcher cocktail that is perfect for entertaining. Gin, vodka, or a blanco tequila are excellent options.

Instructions

Note: Lemons vary in size and juiciness, so you will probably need between 8-11 large lemons. I ended up using 8 large lemons and 2 large english cucumbers.

Squeeze lemons until you have 2 cups of juice. Set the lemon juice aside for now.

Freshly squeezed lemon juice in a measuring cup beside halved and squeezed lemons.

Peel and chop the cucumbers, then use a blender to liquify them.

Strain the cucumber purée through a sieve into the pitcher.

Cucumber purée being poured through a sieve into a pitcher.

You can use a spoon to swirl the cucumber purée around, pressing more through the sieve. Discard any solids. You need 2 cups of cucumber juice.

Strain the lemon juice through the sieve into the pitcher to remove any seeds, then stir in the cold water.

Next, add in the liquid stevia a tiny bit at a time. Stir and taste test between each addition. Stevia is incredibly sweet and a little bit goes a long way. I used about 1 ½ teaspoons of stevia. You may need more or less depending on how sweet you like your lemonade. You can also add more cold water now to dilute the lemonade if you prefer.

Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serve in glasses filled with frozen melon balls or ice cubes.

Equipment

To make this recipe you will need:

Blender or food processor
Pitcher
Citrus juicer
Peeler
Knife
Sieve

pitcher

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citrus juicer

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Storage

Store in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator. For the freshest flavour you should enjoy this within 1-2 days of making it.

FAQ

Should you peel the cucumber for cucumber lemonade?

You should peel the cucumber if you want a pretty, light green colour for your cucumber lemonade. Leaving it on will result in the colour looking really green, more like a green juice.

What does cucumber lemonade taste like?

Cucumber lemonade tastes like the sweet and zingy lemonade that you know and love with the added flavour of cool and refreshing cucumber.

Is cucumber lemonade good for you?

Yes! Especially this recipe that is sugar-free. Fresh cucumber lemonade contains vitamins A, B, C, and K, soluble fibre, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants, among other healthy nutrients.

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