Brazilian Lemonade

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Introducing your new favorite summer drink: Brazilian Lemonade! It’s a creamy and ultra-refreshing treat made by blending whole limes with condensed milk, ice, and water.

Cool down this summer with even more refreshing drink recipes, like my Dalgona Whipped Coffee, Guava Pear Mimosa, or Mango Pineapple Smoothie.

2 glasses of Brazilian lemonade garnished with lime and lemon wedges, mint leaves, and green striped straws.

Have you heard of Brazilian Lemonade yet? The recipe is quickly growing in popularity all over the world! But for me, someone who grew up in a small village in Brazil, this has been a refreshing and almost dangerously good drink I’ve been sipping on for years.

My authentic Brazilian lemonade recipe is a refreshingly creamy drink you’ll want to sip all summer long. It’s very different from my Pineapple Lemonade and Strawberry Chia Lemonade because it isn’t actually made with lemons. Instead, quartered limes, condensed milk, water, and ice are blended until frothy, smooth, and creamy.

Brazilian limeade (lemonade) is not only fun to drink but also fun to customize. I added mint leaves for an extra refreshing element, but you can easily play with the recipe to find your perfect flavor, level of sweetness, and amount of acidity. Feel free to add a few ounces of your favorite spirit, too!

Table of Contents

What is Brazilian lemonade?

Brazilian lemonade (also called Swiss lemonade or limonada suíça) is a refreshing and cooling summer drink from Brazil. It’s made from blended limes, condensed milk, ice, and water, although some variations also include sugar for extra sweetness. All versions, though, have a rich and creamy consistency with tart and refreshing flavors, making it the ultimate cooling drink for the hot Brazilian weather.

ingredients for Brazilian lemonade on a small wood board.

Ingredients needed

This is an easy 4-ingredient lemonade recipe that isn’t actually made with lemons! Instead, whole limes are blended to give this drink a bright and tart lime flavor you’ll quickly fall for. Here are the ingredients you need:

Limes - No juicing or zesting required! Quartered limes are blended with water, leaving behind a tart and acidic limeade. The leftover peel and pulp are strained from the drink before serving, so the finished result is nice and smooth.
Water
Condensed milk - This thick and almost syrup-like dairy product adds the creamy quality that sets Brazilian lemonade recipes apart from regular homemade lemonade. Using sweetened condensed milk will also help sweeten the batch, although regular condensed milk works for a less-sweet variation.
Ice - To give the lemonade a slushy consistency that’s too good to pass up.
Mint leaves - This is a not-so-authentic addition but I love how the leaves add life and extra refreshment to every sip.

How to make Brazilian lemonade

The only tools you need are a blender and a fine-mesh strainer to make this refreshing drink at home. Here’s how it’s done:

Step 1 - Pulse the limes and water in a blender for only 30 to 40 seconds. Blending too much will make the citrus and lemonade taste bitter.

Step 2 - Strain the lemonade, then pour the liquid back into the bender.

Step 3 - Add the condensed milk, ice, and some mint leaves to the blender. Pulse a few times, then pour into a glass. Garnish with more mint and lime wedges, then enjoy!

overhead view of 2 glasses of Brazilian lemonade garnished with lime and lemon wedges, mint leaves, and green striped straws.

Variations

One of the best parts of this recipe is how easy it is to play with. Check out these ideas if you need inspiration:

Without condensed milk - You can make Brazilian lemonade without condensed milk, but I recommend replacing it with a can of full-fat coconut milk to replicate the same luscious and creamy consistency.
Sweeten it - Some variations of Brazilian lemonade involve sweetening the drink with sugar or sweetened condensed milk. If my version isn’t sweet enough for your taste, blend in 1 to 3 tablespoons of granulated white sugar, simple syrup, or agave syrup.
Instead of mint - Use fresh basil leaves.
Use lemons instead of limes - Replace the 6 limes with 3 lemons instead.
Make it a cocktail - Make this drink with 4 to 6 ounces of white rum, vodka, or Brazil’s most popular spirit, cachaça!

3 glasses of Brazilian lemonade garnished with lime and lemon wedges, mint leaves, and green striped straws.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make this with lime juice instead of whole limes?

The only way to make this recipe is by blending fresh, whole limes. It’s what gives this drink its show-stopping, lip-puckering lime flavor, which sets it apart from other lemonade recipes!

How much lemonade does this recipe make?

This recipe makes enough for 4 glasses of Brazilian lemonade or enough to fill 1 pitcher. It can easily be doubled or tripled if you need to serve a crowd!

Can you make it ahead of time?

No, I don’t recommend making Brazilian condensed milk lemonade ahead of time. The lime peels/zest become bitter very quickly and will make the lemonade off-tasting if it’s made more than a few hours in advance.

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