Learn how to make home canned lemonade concentrate to store lemon juice for a hot Summer day. Just add water when you are ready to serve!
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I find it funny that lemonade is associated with hot summer days when, at least around here, lemons are in season during the cold Winter months. We drink our fair share of fresh lemonade when the lemons are in season, but I do like to put some up for summer to serve the kids after they’ve been running around in the sprinklers.
One of the easiest ways to save an abundance of lemons is by simply freezing it in ice cube trays. From there you can also make lemonade. We do this every year to have lemon juice for recipes, canning, and making more lemonade, but to save on freezer space, I can a good deal of lemonade for the shelf.
Instead of canning lemonade, I usually opt for canning a lemonade concentrate to get more lemon juice into each jar. This speeds up my preserving process, by not working to can water. Later, I’ll add water and serve. I even like to use this lemonade concentrate to make popsicles with the kids. These boysenberry lemonade popsicles were one of our favorites!
Tools you’ll need to make home canned lemonade concentrate
Ingredients you’ll need to make home canned lemonade concentrate
- Lemon Juice from freshly squeezed lemons
- Sugar
How to make home canned lemonade concentrate
- Wash and sterilize jars.
- Juice the lemons into a pitcher. Strain the juice to remove pulp and seeds and then measure the resulting juice. I like to use the size jar that I will be canning in.
- Measure a one to one ratio of sugar to lemon juice (fore every one cup of lemon juice, add 1 cup of sugar) and pour into a large pot on the stove.
- Gently warm the lemon juice and sugar mixture on the stove, in a large pot. Do not boil, just dissolve the sugar.
- Ladle the hot but not boiling lemonade mixture into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean dish towel. Seal with 2 part canning lids to finger tight.
- Half pints, pints, and quarts are all processed for 10 minutes (below 1,000 feet in elevation.)
- Remove the jars with a canning jar lifter to a dish towel spread out on the counter.
- Wait 12 to 24 hours, then check seals. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use. Properly canned and sealed jars may be stored in the pantry. Refrigerate after opening.
To make concentrate into lemonade (Serving)
When you are ready to use your home canned lemonade concentrate, here’s how you do it. Simply open the jars, pour lemonade concentrate into a serving vessel (like a pitcher), then add double the amount of water.
For every 1 cup of lemonade concentrate, add two cups of water.
- 1 quart of lemonade concentrate, use 2 quarts of water
- 1 pint of lemonade concentrate, use 2 pints of water
Home canned lemonade concentrate tips
- Strain the pulp. Pulp can become bitter after it is canned. Make sure to not skip this step. The result will be a smooth clean lemonade.
- Use fresh lemon juice. This recipe is specifically designed for fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice often times has additives, that wouldn’t suit this recipe.
- Test your recipe first. Lemonade is personal! When mixing lemonade concentrate right before serving taste test to make sure you don’t add too much water. We use a 1:2 ratio for mixing but you might like lemonade sweeter or less sweet. This part is flexible.
- Add less water if you are using ice. When you are mixing the canned lemonade concentrate to serve, the ice will melt and make up for the water.
- Do not check seals until jars are completely cool
Canning lemonade v. canning lemonade concentrate
Both lemonade and lemonade concentrate can be canned. It is important to note that this recipe is for lemonade concentrate. The main difference between canning lemonade and canning lemonade concentrate is water. Lemonade concentrate does not have water added before canning. The water is added at the time of serving.
Canning lemonade, however involves adding the water BEFORE canning which makes it ready to serve by just pouring into a glass.
Lemonade Canning Variations
There are a number of other variations that include fruit puree from other fruits. The canning recipe for strawberry lemonade concentrate in the Ball Blue Book of Canning one of the most well-known.
Be aware that if you add fruit puree to your lemonade, the canning time is considerably longer, and it’s not tested for canning in jars larger than pints. The fruits added should all be acidic enough for canning on their own as well.
If you add fruit juice (instead of puree), then you should still be able to use this recipe, provided the fruit juice is acidic enough for canning. Good choices would be berry juices, cherry juice, or other high acid flavorful juices that are approved for canning on their own.
Commonly asked questions
How do you can concentrated lemonade?
Canning concentrated lemonade is easy since no water is required:
- Wash and sterilize jars
- Make the lemon and sugar solution
- Pour into jars
- Process for 10 minutes
- Store on shelf for up to one year
How do you make lemonade solution?
Lemonade is typically made with a 1:1:4 ratio. 1 cup lemon juice to 1 cup sugar to 4 cups water.
Can I can homemade lemonade?
Yes. Homemade lemonade can easily be canned using a water bath canner, because lemon juice and sugar make an acidic environment. Simply search and follow a recipe that is designed for canning home canned lemonade.
You may also be interested in:
How to Make Freeze Dried Lemons (3 Ways!)
How to Freeze Lemon Juice (The Simple Way)
Boysenberry Lemonade Popsicles
Home Canned Lemonade Concentrate
Learn how to make home canned lemonade concentrate to store lemon juice for a hot Summer day. Just add water when you are ready to serve!
Ingredients
- Lemon Juice from freshly squeezed lemons
- Sugar
Instructions
- Juice the lemons into a pitcher.
- Strain the juice to remove pulp and seeds and then measure the resulting juice. I like to use the size jar that I will be canning in.
- Measure a one to one ratio of sugar to lemon juice (fore every one cup of lemon juice, add 1 cup of sugar) and pour into a large pot on the stove.
Gently warm the lemon juice and sugar mixture on the stove, in a large pot. Do not boil, just dissolve the sugar. - Ladle the hot but not boiling lemonade mixture into prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.
- Wipe the rims of the jars with a clean dish towel. Seal with 2 part canning lids to finger tight.
- Half pints, pints, and quarts are all processed for 10 minutes (below 1,000 feet in elevation.)
- Remove the jars with a canning jar lifter to a dish towel spread out on the counter.
- Wait 12 to 24 hours, then check seals. Store any unsealed jars in the refrigerator for immediate use. Properly canned and sealed jars may be stored in the pantry. Refrigerate after opening.
Wash and sterilize jars.
Notes
- TO SERVE: For every 1 cup of lemonade concentrate, add two cups of water.
- Strain the pulp. Pulp can become bitter after it is canned. Make sure to not skip this step. The result will be a smooth clean lemonade.
- Use fresh lemon juice. This recipe is specifically designed for fresh lemon juice. Bottled lemon juice often times has additives, that wouldn't suit this recipe.
- Test your recipe first. Lemonade is personal! When mixing lemonade concentrate right before serving taste test to make sure you don't add too much water. We use a 1:2 ratio for mixing but you might like lemonade sweeter or less sweet. This part is flexible.
- Add less water if you are using ice. When you are mixing the canned lemonade concentrate to serve, the ice will melt and make up for the water.
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