Blackberry Limeade

Our easy Blackberry Limeade recipe is the perfect refreshing drink to cool off with. You only need 5 ingredients to get started!

The weather is warming up where we live, and it’s already got me thinking about summer. It’s almost time for summer parties, barbecues,

This yummy blackberry mocktail is as beloved by kids as it is by grown-ups. It’s bright, vibrant, and totally refreshing. Plus, this blackberry limeade recipe is made with just 5-INGREDIENTS!

Here’s what you need to make homemade blackberry limeade…

Start With Just 5 Ingredients!

• Blackberry Simple Syrup. We’re starting our homemade blackberry limeade with blackberry simple syrup. It’s SUPER easy to make with equal parts sugar and water, along with fresh or frozen blackberries and some fresh mint.
• Fresh Lime Juice. Next up is plenty of fresh lime juice! I don’t recommend bottled lime juice here as it tends to run bitter and acidic. An inexpensive squeezer like this $6 lemon squeezer makes juicing limes SO EASY! Trust. It’ll change your life!
• Water. To dilute the simple syrup and lime juice, you’ll finish the drink off with plenty of water. I usually still make my limeade a bit strong because I like to add ice and don’t want to dilute it too much when the ice melts. On that note…
• Ice. I use 3-4 cups of ice in my pitcher to keep this yummy blackberry limeade ice cold. The ice will melt with time, which will get the limeade to the perfect dilution of flavor–not too strong, not too weak.
• Pretty Garnishes. Lastly, I love to finish off my pitcher or each glass with a few fresh garnishes. Here, I’m mimicking the flavors in the drink by using sliced limes, blackberries & sprigs of fresh mint, but feel free to play around!

Fresh Or Frozen! Feel free to use fresh blackberries or frozen blackberries to make this limeade. Either will work great!

How To Make Homemade Blackberry Limeade, Step By Step

Start With The Blackberry Syrup

1. Combine Sugar, Water, Blacberries, and Fresh Mint Leaves in a small saucepan.
2. Bring To A Simmer. Heat the simple syrup over medium heat, whisking to help dissolve the sugar. Bring the syrup to a simmer (not a boil!), and simmer the ingredients for about 5 minutes, or until the berries have softened and the sugar is completely dissolved. You can mash the berries a bit with a spatula or the back of a wooden spoon to break them up a little.
3. Steep The Syrup. Turn off the heat and let the mint and blackberries steep and infuse the syrup for at least 15-30 minutes.
4. Strain & Store The Syrup. Then, strain the mint and seeds out of the simple syrup mixture by pouring it through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl or liquid measuring cup. Press gently on the blackberries to extract as much blackberry juice as possible. Discard the mint and blackberry pulp & use the syrup right away or store for later. Blackberry simple syrup will keep 3-5 days in the refrigerator.

Then, Make Your Blackberry Limeade

1. Start With Ice. Now, you’re ready to make your limeade! Add 3-4 cups of ice to a large pitcher.
2. Add Simple Syrup, Lime Juice & Water. Pour in the blackberry simple syrup, fresh lime juice, and water.
3. Stir & Tase Test. Give the limeade a stir to combine everything evenly. Taste test the blackberry limeade to see if you need more water (to dilute it), more mint leaves, etc. 
4. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs or leaves, blackberries, and lime slices or wedges as desired.

Pretty Garnish Ideas

I’m a sucker for a good mocktail garnish. Even a tiny touch of something makes a big impact! Play up the flavors in the drink with some of these garnish ideas:

• Blackberries. Muddle in some fresh or frozen blackberries for a more rustic or “freckled” look, or add whole berries for a cleaner look.
• Lime Wheels Or Lime Wedges. Some slices of lime look gorgeous. Cut a slit in each wheel to add them to the side of your glass, or simply drop them into your pitcher or cup.
• Fresh Mint Leaves. I loooove a little sprig of mint in a drink. So pretty, so fresh.
• Pretty Ice Cubes. Add blackberries, lime slices, or mint leaves to your ice cubes, or go big with edible flowers. Or, simply choose a fun shape with these round ice cubes, or a fun ice tray.
• Sugar Rim. Always a happy option! Rub some lime zest or fresh mint into the sugar for even more flavor.
• Lime Zest. Use a big zester like this to cut large swirls of lime zest. It looks gorgeous!

FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The BEst Blackberry Limeade

How Many Limes Do You Need For 1 1/2 Cups Lime Juice? 1 large lime has about 2 Tablespoons of juice, so you’ll need about 12-14 large limes for 1 1/2 cups lime juice. If your limes are smaller, get a few extra so you’re sure to have enough.

Can I Make This As Lemonade Instead? You bet! If you prefer blackberry lemonade to blackberry limeade, feel free to use fresh lemon juice instead. It works like a charm and tastes delicious!

In A Rush? Use A Blender! It won’t give you quite the same intensity of flavor as making the blackberry syrup, but if you’re in a rush, you can add the sugar, 1 cup water, lime juice, blackberries and mint leaves to a blender and blend or puree until the sugar is dissolved. Strain the mixture with a fine mesh sieve, then finish the recipe with ice and water, as directed.

Making This In Advance? Read This! If you’re mixing up this limeade in advance, I recommend NOT adding the ice until right before serving. Instead, just mix up the blackberry syrup and fresh lime juice. Store this in the fridge, then, finish the drink right before serving with cold water and plenty of ice. That way it won’t water down!

🌟 Leave a star review below when you try our Homemade Blackberry Limeade recipe! We can’t wait to hear what you think!

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