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Lemonade concentrate canning recipes are one of the nicest ways to tuck summer fruit onto the pantry shelf in a form that is easy to use later. Instead of opening a jar of jam or home canned pie filling, you can turn these into a quick pitcher of homemade lemonade just by adding cold water.
Table of Contents
- Reconstituting Lemonade Concentrate
- Plain Lemonade or Limeade Concentrate
- Blackberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Cherry Lemonade Concentrate
- Peach Lemonade Concentrate
- Pineapple Lemonade Concentrate
- Plum Lemonade Concentrate
- Raspberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Rhubarb Lemonade Concentrate
- Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Watermelon Lemonade Concentrate
- Fruit Syrup Canning Recipes
- Fruit Juice Canning Recipes
These lemonade concentrate recipes let you put up seasonal fruit in a shelf-stable form, but they also make it easy to pull together a quick homemade drink later. Most follow the same basic formula of fruit juice or puree, citrus juice, and sugar, all canned into a concentrate that is meant to be mixed with water before serving.
That’s what makes them a little different from plain juice canning. Instead of opening a jar and drinking it as is, you’re storing a base that can be turned into a whole pitcher of lemonade whenever you want it. Some versions are made with strained juice for a smoother finish, while others use fruit puree for a fuller flavor and a bit more body.
In nearly every case, you can also swap lemon for lime or lime for lemon, which means the same fruit recipe can often become either a lemonade concentrate or a limeade concentrate depending on what you prefer.
Reconstituting Lemonade Concentrate
One of the best things about canned lemonade concentrate is that it is easy to turn into a finished drink whenever you need it. In most cases, these recipes are meant to be mixed with water before serving, so the jars function as a pantry-friendly base rather than a ready-to-drink juice.
For a standard pitcher, mix 1 part concentrate with 3 parts cold water. That means a pint of concentrate makes about a half gallon of lemonade, while a half-pint makes about a quart. You can pour the concentrate into a jar or pitcher, add cold water, and stir well to combine. Serve it over ice, or chill it in the refrigerator before serving.
Of course, lemonade is one of those things everyone seems to like a little differently. Some people prefer it a bit stronger and sweeter, while others like it lighter and more diluted. I usually start with the 1 to 3 ratio, then adjust from there depending on the fruit and how tart the batch tastes.
These concentrates also work well with sparkling water if you want something a little fancier. You can mix them with plain seltzer for a homemade fruit soda, or use them as a base for party drinks, mocktails, or summer punches. Since the concentrate is already made and waiting on the shelf, it is one of the easiest ways to pull together a quick homemade drink.
Plain Lemonade or Limeade Concentrate
The plain lemon version is the classic starting point, and it is the simplest of the bunch. It is essentially a canning-safe sweet lemon concentrate that you dilute with water later, and it is a good basic pantry staple if you want homemade lemonade ready to go at any time.
This is also the recipe that makes the best template for all the fruit variations. Once you understand the plain version, the berry, stone fruit, and melon concentrates all make a lot of sense as seasonal adaptations on the same idea.
Blackberry Lemonade Concentrate
Blackberry lemonade concentrate is a natural fit for canning because blackberries already have a bold flavor that holds up well once mixed with lemon juice and sugar. It makes a darker, richer fruit drink than some of the lighter berry versions, and it’s a nice option when you want something a little more full-bodied than strawberry or blueberry.
Like the other fruit concentrates, this one can usually go either direction depending on your taste. If you prefer a sharper citrus note, it can easily be thought of as a blackberry limeade concentrate instead. Blackberry is also one of those fruits that works especially well in drink form, since it gives you something different from the usual blackberry jam or jelly.
While many recipes use fruit puree, I’m using blackberry juice here so that you get a smooth, seedless concentrate.
Blueberry Lemonade Concentrate
Blueberries make a really nice lemonade concentrate because they bring deep fruit flavor without overpowering the citrus. This version is a good choice when you want something a little different than plain lemonade, but still familiar enough that everyone will drink it.
Like the other fruit versions, this one can also be made as a limeade-style drink if you prefer that sharper citrus note. If you have a lot of blueberries to work through, it also fits nicely alongside other pantry staples like blueberry juice or blueberry syrup.
Cherry Lemonade Concentrate
Cherry is the one fruit here that I absolutely love as a limeade, which makes it a good reminder that these recipes are easy to shift between lemon and lime depending on the flavor you want. Cherry and lime are an especially nice match, but the same idea works beautifully as cherry lemonade too.
When you have a bumper crop of cherries, this is a great option to add to your list of cherry canning recipes since it gives you something drinkable rather than another cherry jam or cherry pie filling.
And, of course, you can juice the cherries without pitting them, so it saves a lot of time in the kitchen.
Peach Lemonade Concentrate
Peach lemonade concentrate is one of those recipes that feels especially fitting for summer canning. Peaches have plenty of sweetness and aroma on their own, and when they are paired with lemon juice, they make a concentrate that tastes full, fruity, and refreshing once diluted. It is an especially nice option if you want something a little different from the usual berry concentrates.
Like the other fruit versions, peach lemonade concentrate follows the same basic idea of fruit, citrus, and sugar canned into a shelf-stable base for later use. It would also be easy to make as a peach limeade concentrate instead, since peach works well with either citrus.
If you are already canning peaches in syrup, peach jam, or peach pie filling, this is another nice way to put the harvest on the shelf.
Pineapple Lemonade Concentrate
Pineapple lemonade concentrate brings a more tropical flavor to the pantry, but it still fits right into this same style of waterbath canning recipe. Pineapple has a bold, bright taste that holds up well in concentrate form, and when blended with lemon juice and sugar, it makes a drink that feels especially nice for hot weather and summer gatherings.
Pineapple lemonade concentrate would also work beautifully as a pineapple limeade concentrate, since pineapple and lime are such a natural pairing. And, while you can’t add coconut on it’s own, you can safely add a few drops of coconut extract, giving you a lovely pina colada lemonade.
It is the kind of recipe that feels a little more unexpected, but still fits perfectly with the rest of these fruit-based drink concentrates.
- Pina Colada Lemonade (Pineapple Lemonade with optional Coconut Extract)
Plum Lemonade Concentrate
Plum lemonade concentrate has that nice sweet-tart balance that works especially well in canned drinks. Plums already have plenty of tang on their own, so pairing them with lemon gives you something that tastes full and fruity rather than just sweet.
This one is especially nice for late summer preserving, when you are already canning plum jam, and whole plums, and you’re reaching for more options but you’re not quite ready to commit to something off the wall like pickled plums.
It would also make an easy limeade variation if you want a slightly different finish.
Raspberry Lemonade Concentrate
Raspberry lemonade concentrate is one of the most natural berry variations for canning because raspberries already have that bright, tart flavor that pairs beautifully with citrus. When made into a concentrate, they create a drink that is fruity and refreshing, with a little more punch than some of the sweeter berry versions.
Like the other lemonade concentrates, this one follows the same basic idea of fruit, citrus juice, and sugar canned into a shelf-stable base for later use. I’m using strained raspberry juice here, rather than fruit puree, so that it’s seedless and smooth (like this seedless raspberry jam).
It would also work just as well as a raspberry limeade concentrate if you prefer a slightly sharper citrus flavor. If you already make classic raspberry jam or raspberry syrup, this is another nice way to preserve the harvest in a form that is ready to turn into a pitcher of homemade lemonade.
Rhubarb Lemonade Concentrate
Rhubarb is a natural fit for lemonade concentrate because it already has that tart, punchy character that makes a good summer drink. Instead of turning rhubarb into another jar of rhubarb jam or rhubarb pie filling, this version captures it as a bright concentrate that can be mixed up into a quick pitcher whenever you want it.
Believe it or not, rhubarb is plenty acidic, even though it’s technically a vegetable, and it’s also perfectly fine to can rhubarb juice concentrate without the lemon if you prefer.
Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
Strawberry lemonade concentrate is one of the easiest fruit versions because it uses strawberry puree rather than requiring you to extract a clear juice. That gives the finished drink more berry flavor and makes the process feel especially approachable.
This recipe is one of my most popular strawberry canning recipes, and for good reason!
This is a good recipe to make when strawberries are coming in fast and you want something a little different than old fashioned strawberry jam or silky smooth strawberry jelly. It also adapts well to lime if you want more of a strawberry limeade style drink instead.
- Strawberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Strawberry Raspberry Lemonade Concentrate
- Strawberry Kiwi Lemonade Concentrate
- Strawberry Pineapple Lemonade Concentrate
- Strawberry Raspberry Lemonade Concentrate
Watermelon Lemonade Concentrate
Watermelon lemonade concentrate is one of the most summery options in the whole group. Because watermelon needs added acidity for safe canning, turning it into a lemonade concentrate is a practical way to preserve that flavor on the shelf.
This is a really fun one for late summer, especially if you have a lot of melon to use up from the garden. And, it’s a bit more versatile than watermelon jelly or old fashioned watermelon preserves.
Looking for more ways to preserve fruit for homemade drinks? There are plenty of other drink canning recipes like fruit juices and syrups that can be diluted, mixed into sparkling water, or used in homemade sodas and summer drinks.
That makes these concentrates a nice starting point, but not the only option. If you are building out a pantry of drink recipes, it makes sense to pair a few lemonade concentrates with simple canned juices and fruit syrups so you have different styles ready to go.
Fruit Syrup Canning Recipes
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Fruit Juice Canning Recipes
