Mint Limeade Recipe

There is nothing better than a cold drink on a hot summer day. Something fresh, tangy, and sweet is what we're looking for, and mint limeade fits the bill. This recipe brought to us by wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn is sure to be your new favorite beverage for anytime of year. 

"I actually make this drink quite a bit during the winter, when my lime tree is in full bloom, and the mint in my garden is plentiful ... and making homemade limeade allows you to control the amount of sugar that you include. Once you have the batch made, people can always add a little more sweetener to their glass, if they prefer it on the sweeter side," Hahn shares. The limeade is nice to serve for a Sunday brunch, birthday party, or baby shower. You can add vodka or tequila for a fun cocktail, or add sparkling water to make it a delicious mocktail.

Our first necessary ingredient of course, is fresh limes. You'll need about 10 limes to get 1 cup of lime juice. If you are using key limes, you'll need several more because they tend to be smaller. "If you are buying the limes in advance," Hahn shares, "store them in the refrigerator where they will last longer. If you leave them on the counter, they harden quickly, and will not provide much juice." Hahn goes on to say, "You can also make this with bottled lime juice instead of fresh in a pinch, but using fresh is always my preferred choice." The other ingredients needed are simple — sugar, water, and fresh mint leaves.

Firstly, pour the sugar into a large bowl or pitcher, then add 1 cup of hot water. "If you want to dissolve the sugar in the [serving] pitcher, just make sure it is made of thick glass, and can tolerate the hot water, or use a heavy bowl for this step," Hahn warns. Stir the mixture for a minute or so, until all of the sugar is dissolved.

Now, we need to juice our limes. Rinse the limes with water to remove any debris on the skins. Cut them in half, and begin squeezing the juice into a measuring cup. "I use a lemon squeezer tool for 2 reasons — it helps get every bit of juice extracted from the limes, and it traps all of the seeds," Hahn shares. You can certainly do this by hand if you don't have a lemon squeezer — just be sure to scoop out any seeds that have made their way into the measuring cup.

Our final step is to add the lime juice to the sugar and water mixture. Add in the cold water, mix the limeade, and put it in the fridge for 1 hour. Once chilled, the limeade is now ready to pour over ice, and serve. Add a few fresh mint leaves and lime wedges to each glass, and enjoy your fresh mint limeade. The limeade will last well in the fridge for up to 2 weeks in an air-tight container.