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    Home / Recipes / Healthy Drinks

    Pear Lemonade (no sugar)

    Dec 28, 2021 · Updated: Dec 3, 2023 by Dee Dine · Affliate links disclosure.

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    Straight on view of pear lemonade with purple flowers on top.

    A healthy pear lemonade that is homemade and sweetened with fruit and without sugar. It's easy to make in 5 minutes in just a blender with just two whole food ingredients - pears and lemons. A nutritious and delicious summer drink.

    a glass of lemonade with kumquats and a flower

    This pear lemonade skips the sugar and is sweetened with pears! The addition raises this fruity drink to another level. Like my dragon fruit water, my celery juice recipe, my ginger juice, and my infused water recipes, this is an easy to make refreshing drink. And in fact, if dragon fruit is your thing, I even created a yellow dragon fruit lemonade you might want to try. But if classic lemonade is your thing I also have for you a single serving lemonade.

    Jump to:
    • Why You'll Love This
    • Ingredients
    • Equipment Need
    • Step by Step Instructions
    • Storage
    • Substitutions
    • Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting
    • FAQS
    • Other Lemon Drinks
    • 📖 Recipe

    Why You'll Love This

    No sugar but sweet. This pear lemonade is based on water mixed with a 2-ingredient simple syrup made without cooking and without sugar - just blend pears and water. Pears lend a delicious sweetness to this lemonade that leaves a wonderfully clean aftertaste. Like my homemade lime juice and my celery juice, after you drink a refreshing glass of this homemade lemonade, you be saying, "what is that flavor?"

    Easy homemade fruity lemonade. Just juice lemons, chop peel, chop pears, blend and strain. The result will be a flavorful lemonade the likes of which you have never tasted before, except perhaps in Florence, Italy if you've ever tasted European lemonade.

    Nutritious lemonade. Apart from the potent vitamin C from the concentration of lemon juice, the addition of pears packs this fresh lemonade with potassium, vitamin K, copper, magnesium and B vitamins.

    Ingredients

    overhead view of lemons and pears

    Fresh lemons. Choose lemons that are bright yellow. Pale yellows are older and have begun to dry and will be less flavorfull. You also want to avoid green spots which indicate unripe lemons. Lemons should be fairly firm to touch but not rock hard. Rock hard lemons have a thicker bitter white pith and will have a less sweet pulp.

    Fresh pears. Choose ripe pears that are soft to touch, even with soft blemishes. You can cut off the blemishes. Pear flesh that is soft is most sweet and dissolves best into the lemonade. Blend chopped pears with water to make a simple syrup sweetened only with fruit.

    Water. Use ice cold water if you want to serve as soon as you blend this lemonade. Otherwise chill the finished drink later. You can also replace one cup of the final added water with 1 cup ice cubes.

    Garnishes: Slices of lemon and lime and kumquats lend color to the drink's presentation.

    See the recipe card at the bottom for full information on ingredients and quantities.

    Equipment Need

    • Blender or food processor
    • Juicer
    • Pitcher. This Luminarc with a useful pouring lid fits this recipe well and can easily be stored on the door of a refrigerator.
    • Strainer

    Step by Step Instructions

    For more detail, visit the complete recipe at the bottom of this post, but here are general steps.

    Prepare lemons for juicing

    1. Wash the lemons with soap and water, and rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean paper towel.

    2. Put them two at a time in the microwave in an uncovered bowl and microwave for 10 seconds. Do that to the other lemons as well.

    3. Lay a paper towel or flat dish on the counter. Then roll each lemon hard between the counter top and the palm of a clean hand twice. This explodes the inner flesh so you can extract more juice.

    Juice the Lemons

    1. Slice the lemons in half and either squeeze over a bowl by hand, or use a manual juicer.

    Chop the peel

    1. Once the lemons are juiced, remove the inner white pith from some of the peel and chop the yellow part. You want at least ¼ cup of peel, chopped and without pith.

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    2. Spread this peel on a clean flat dish or cutting board, and press hard with the back of a spoon. You are releasing the oils from the peel to add flavor to your lemonade.

    3. Set aside the chopped pressed peel, and go chop and blend up pears.

    steps to make lemonade

    Make a Simple Syrup using Pears

    1. Peel the pears. You can leave little bits of peel if you intend to strain your lemonade. Add the pears to your blender along with two cups of water. Process until the pears are blended.

    make fruit simple syrup with pears

    Make Lemonade

    1. Add the lemon juice and the rest of the water to the blender, and process briefly. You can also use a food processor instead of a blender.

    2. Set a strainer over a pitcher, and pour the lemonade through the strainer and into the pitcher. Chill the drink or enjoy over ice.

    straining homemade lemonade

    Storage

    Store the homemade lemonade refrigerated whether made with sugar or fruit sweetened or else it could grow bacteria. Freshly made homemade lemonade can be stored refrigerated for 5 days.

    Make ahead. To make it ahead and in bulk, freeze it away as ice cubes, and when ready to serve, fill a pitcher with the ice cubes, and allow them to melt overnight refrigerated. If preparing for a crowd, create lots of lemonade ice cubes and as they freeze, fill ziplock bags to store them for up to three months.

    Substitutions

    To make a sweeter lemonade, you can add maple syrup and it will still remain refined sugar free. Add 1 tablespoon at a time and taste-test between each. The lemonade will be less bright in color with each addition.

    Swap the pears for green grapes. To use green grapes instead of pears wash 1 cup of green grapes, and don't peel, and drop them into the blender with the lemon juice and water. You will need to strain the final lemonade to remove grape pulp. The flavor will be greener, and the sweetness will vary according to the sweetness of the grapes you chose.

    Use bottled juice instead of fresh lemons. If you want to use bottled juice, use a pure unsweetened lemon juice, and choose a high quality organic brand that has only lemons in the ingredients, no other additives. Santa Cruz is a good brand. If possible, get one fresh lemon to complete the peel step or your lemonade flavor will not be as strong.

    a glass of lemonade with kumquats and a flower with a pitcher

    Recipe Tips & Troubleshooting

    1. While peeling lemons, be sure to remove all white area or the lemonade can be bitter.
    2. Be sure to crush the chopped lemon peel, don't just add it to the drink uncrushed. Crushing it releases lemon oils that add a powerful lemon flavor to your drink.
    3. The lemonade might be a bit cloudy from the pears, even after straining. To clear it further, pour it through cheesecloth for a finer strain.
    overhead of 3 glasses of lemonade with kumquats and a flower

    FAQS

    Is drinking homemade lemonade good for you?

    Lemonade is high in vitamin C and antioxidants which boost the immune system, support skin, joints and other body processes. Drinking fruit sweetened lemonade is healthier because of the lack of sugar, and the added micronutrients the fruit provides.

    Is lemonade just lemon juice and water?

    You can make lemonade with lemon juice and water, but you also need a sweetener. Most recipes use sugar, but my fruit sweetened recipe here is healthier using pears or grapes to sweeten it.

    Is it cheaper to make your own lemonade?

    Yes! A 12 ounce bottle of lemonade costs $6-$7 in places like Target or 7-11. That is so much more than the cost of lemons and pears needed for this lemonade.

    Other Lemon Drinks

    • cucumber juice with foam top and sliced cucumbers
      Cucumber Lemon Juice (Blender or Juicer)
    • lemon rinds in a glass of lemonade
      Single Serving Lemonade with Lemon Juice (a glass of lemonade)
    • jar of strawberry water with lemon on one side, strawberry on the other.
      Strawberry and Lemon Water
    • a glass of lemonade with yellow dragon fruit
      Yellow Dragon Fruit Lemonade (Health Benefits)

    If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

    📖 Recipe

    a glass of lemonade with kumquats and a flower

    Pear Lemonade (no sugar)

    Created by Dee Dine
    A healthy pear lemonade that is homemade and sweetened with fruit and without sugar. It's easy to make in just a blender in 5 minutes with just two whole food ingredients - pears and lemons. A nutritious and delicious summer drink.
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe SaveSaved! Rate Recipe
    Prep Time 3 minutes mins
    Cook Time 2 minutes mins
    Total Time 5 minutes mins
    Course Drinks
    Cuisine American
    Servings 5
    Calories 56 kcal

    Equipment

    • 1 hand-held juicer
    • 1 strainer
    • 1 pitcher Luminarc with sealed lid

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1 cup (140g) pear (2-3, roughly peeled, chopped) Buy organic as pears can absorb pesticides more so than many other fruits
    • 6 lemons squeezed for about 1 cup (250ml) juice
    • 5 cups (1250ml) water

    Optional

    • 1 lemon, sliced for garnish
    • 1 lime, slice for garnish
    • 3 kumquats, slice for garnish
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    Instructions
     

    Prepare lemons for juicing

    • Wash the lemons with soap and water, and rinse thoroughly and dry with a clean paper towel.
      6 lemons
    • Put them two at a time in the microwave in an uncovered bowl and microwave for 10 seconds.
    • Lay a paper towel or flat dish on the counter. Then roll each lemon hard between the counter top and the palm of a clean hand twice. This explodes the inner flesh so you can extract more juice.

    Juice the lemons

    • Slice the lemons in half and either squeeze over a bowl by hand, or use a manual juicer.
      6 lemons
    • Once the lemons are juiced, remove the inner white pith from some of the peel and chop the yellow part. You want at least ¼ cup of peel, chopped and without pith.
    • Spread this peel on a clean flat dish or cutting board, and press hard with the back of a spoon. You are releasing the oils from the peel to add flavor to your lemonade. Scoop the chopped and crushed peel into the blender.

    Make syrup from pears

    • Peel the pears. You can leave little bits of peel if you intend to strain your lemonade. Add the pears to your blender along with two cups of water. Process until the pears are blended.
      1 cup (140g) pear (2-3, roughly peeled, chopped)

    Make the lemonade

    • Add the lemon juice and the rest of the water to the blender with the pears, and process everything briefly. You can also use a food processor instead of a blender.
      1 cup (140g) pear (2-3, roughly peeled, chopped), 6 lemons, 5 cups (1250ml) water
    • Set a strainer over a pitcher, and pour the lemonade through the strainer and into the pitcher. Chill the drink or enjoy over ice.

    Storage

    • Lemonade needs to be refrigerated whether made with sugar or fruit sweetened or else it could grow bacteria. Freshly made homemade lemonade can be stored refrigerated for five days.
      1 lemon, sliced for garnish, 1 lime, slice for garnish, 3 kumquats, slice for garnish

    Video

    Notes

    To make a sweeter lemonade, you can add maple syrup and it will still remain refined sugar free. Add 1 tablespoon at a time and taste-test between each. The lemonade will be less bright in color with each addition.
    Swap the pears for green grapes. To use green grapes instead of pears wash 1 cup of green grapes, and don't peel, and drop them into the blender with the lemon juice and water. You will need to strain the final lemonade to remove grape pulp. The flavor will be greener, and the sweetness will vary according to the sweetness of the grapes you chose.
    Use bottled juice instead of fresh lemons. If you want to use bottled juice, use a pure unsweetened lemon juice, and choose a high quality organic brand that has only lemons in the ingredients, no other additives. Santa Cruz is a good brand. If possible, get one fresh lemon to complete the peel step or your lemonade flavor will not be as strong.
    While peeling lemons, be sure to remove all white area or the lemonade can be bitter.
    Be sure to crush the chopped lemon peel, don't just add it to the drink uncrushed. Crushing it releases lemon oils that add a powerful lemon flavor to your drink.
    The lemonade might be a bit cloudy from the pears, even after straining. To clear it further, pour it through cheesecloth for a finer strain.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 56kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 2gFat: 0.4gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.04gSodium: 15mgPotassium: 216mgFiber: 2gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 37IUVitamin C: 70mgCalcium: 44mgIron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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      Iced Strawberry Latte (Strawberry Coffee)
    • coffee syrup in a bottle.
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    Comments

    1. Ela says

      July 31, 2019 at 11:32 am

      5 stars
      This healthy pear lemonade looks so refreshing and delicious! I have to give it a try. 🙂

      Reply
      • Dee says

        August 02, 2019 at 11:53 am

        Ela, thank you! It is very easy to work with pears.

        Reply
    2. Melissa G. says

      April 28, 2018 at 5:41 pm

      I love this healthy alternative to sugar-laden lemonade! I'm going to have to try this with my kids this summer!

      Reply
      • Dee says

        April 28, 2018 at 8:15 pm

        I am happy you like this idea!

        Reply
        • Dale says

          April 09, 2019 at 10:35 am

          I sweeten it with with dates. Just soaka few dates in the 1/2c of water overnight, then blend with the lemon juice -- voila!

        • Dee says

          April 09, 2019 at 12:13 pm

          Thanks for sharing Dale!

    5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




    Straight on view of pear lemonade with purple flowers on top.
    dee dine

    My name is Dee Dine and I’m a two-time cookbook author and certified nutritionist. Here you’ll find easy, healthy recipes made with few ingredients and always egg free, dairy free, & gluten free. About Dee →

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