Pineapple Lemonade Recipe

Prepare pineapple puree

Place the fresh pineapple chunks in a blender. Add 1/4 cup of the cold water to help blend. Puree on high until smooth, about 45–60 seconds. If you prefer a very smooth drink, strain the puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing with a spoon to extract as much juice as possible. Reserve the strained juice and discard or reserve the solids for another use.

Combine lemon and sugar

In a large pitcher, pour the fresh lemon juice and add the granulated sugar. Stir vigorously until the sugar begins to dissolve (about 30–60 seconds). If sugar does not dissolve fully, warm 2 tablespoons of water, dissolve the sugar in it to make a quick syrup, then add the syrup to the pitcher.

Assemble lemonade

Add the pineapple puree and the remaining cold water (about 3 3/4 cups if you used 1/4 cup for blending) to the pitcher with lemon juice and sugar. Stir thoroughly to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness: add up to 2 tablespoons of simple syrup or extra sugar if you want it sweeter.

Chill and dilute

Add ice cubes to the pitcher or pour the mixture into a container and chill in the refrigerator for 30–45 minutes to let flavors meld. If you prefer a lightly fizzy lemonade, just before serving stir in up to 1 cup sparkling water to taste.

Fill 4 serving glasses with ice. Pour pineapple lemonade evenly into each glass. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice, a pineapple wedge on the rim, and 2 mint leaves. Serve immediately.

Storage: Refrigerate leftover pineapple lemonade in a covered pitcher for up to 3 days. Stir before serving. If separated, shake or stir well; add fresh lemon or simple syrup to adjust brightness and sweetness if needed.