Lemonade is nearly the perfect refreshing drink for summer. The lemons are bright in a way that seems to reflect the season. Add some mint and ice and now we’ve hit the jackpot with frozen mint lemonade.

My family had a lemon tree in the backyard growing up, so I have a deep fondness for lemonade. That tree would give such a crop of enormous lemons that we would have to get creative to use them all. And even after moving out when I still lived close I would drop by to pick up some lemons if needed. Did you know that lemon trees can have flower buds out at the same time the previous crop is still fruiting? We had lemons nearly year-round.

This drink feels like sitting on the porch in the late afternoon as the sun starts slipping down to the horizon. I’ve made it not overly sweet, to let the tartness of the lemons shine through alongside the cool mint. Blended together it turns into a lime green, mint-speckled concoction. For even more flavors of lemonade, try my rainbow lemonade recipe.

Pair this drink with food from the grill for supreme summer feasting. Burgers, grilled steak with gorgonzola, kebabs, halibut. Whatever you feel like grilling will work with this. So get ready to quench your thirst in the best way possible.

Making Mint Lemonade

Most interestingly, I peel the lemons like you would an orange. I’m not sure if many people would think to approach it this way. But it is fast, easier than juicing, and you use up as much of the lemon as possible. I do not know where or how I learned or decided to start doing this, but whenever I make frozen lemonades it is my go-to move.

So I’m a little lazy (maybe that’s where just peeling the lemons came from…) and don’t get the seeds out of the lemon before blending it up. The Vitamix I have can handle the seeds like a champ and chops them to smithereens. If your blender is not powerful enough, then you can either split the lemon open and fish out the seeds or use the juice of two lemons as a replacement.

But after peeling the lemons, all that you have to do is combine everything in the blender. Turn it on high and let it mix up. You may have to make some slight adjustments once it is in the blender. I recommend starting with smaller amounts of ice and then adding more if needed. Because if you add too much ice then you have to try and dilute it with a little water to get it to a pourable consistency.

If you somehow don’t drink it relatively soon after blending, the drink will start to separate and settle and melt. Just blend it back up again, or drink it like it is – it still tastes delicious. But usually, this is not a problem because it gets gulped down so quickly. Unless you’re having it outside and it is super hot. Some stirring or swizzle sticks can also help, letting you stir the drink back together as it starts to separate.

Note – for a large gathering you will definitely need to multiply the recipe and likely whip up several batches. It will be in high demand.

Frozen Mint Lemonade

Recipe by Marc PetersonCourse: DrinksDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking timeminutes

Total time

5

minutes

This refreshingly thirst-quenching drink pairs lemonade with mint, ice, and the blender for the ultimate summer frozen mint lemonade.

Ingredients

• 1 large lemon

• 10 mint leaves

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup water

• 2 to 3 cups ice

Directions

• Peel the skin from the lemon like you would peel an orange
• Put the lemon, mint, sugar, water, and 2 cups of ice in the blender
• Blend on high until smooth, and then add more ice if necessary until it comes to a slushy yet pourable consistency
• Pour and enjoy

Notes

• If you let it sit, it begins to melt and the bottom will be all liquid with no ice. You can just put it back into the blender and blend it up again, adding ice if needed.

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