Celebrate apple season with this naturally sweetened apple lemonade. It's juicy, fresh, and perfectly sweet. It's also easily customizable, simple to make with just a few ingredients, and ready in just 5 minutes!

Have an abundance of apples? Use them up in our apple pancakes, kale apple salad, or delicious apple guacamole.

a pitcher of apple lemonade

When we think lemonade, apples don't often come to mind. The surprisingly delicious combination of fresh apple and lemon juice is perfect for autumn and apple season!

Since apple juice is naturally quite sweet, you can adjust the sweetness or make it a sugar-free lemonade simply by omitting the maple syrup. It's delicious without it, and kids will love it either way!

How to make apple lemonade

This apple lemonade is so refreshing and easy to make. Here's how it comes together in just TWO simple steps:

  1. Start by mixing the apple juice, lemon juice, and maple syrup in a large pitcher.
  2. When you're ready to serve it, add ice and apple and lemon slices to the pitcher. That's it!

Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.

Ingredients

This delicious drink is made using just 5 ingredients. Here's everything you'll need to make this apple lemonade at home:

  • Apple juice – preferably unfiltered.
  • Lemon juice – freshly squeezed is best.
  • Maple syrup – to sweeten things up and balance it out.
  • Apple + lemon slices – for garnishing.
looking down on a pitcher of apple lemonade

Variations to try

Here are some of our favorite ways to add a spin to this delicious apple lemonade:

  • Add fresh ginger juice for extra flavor and kick.
  • Stir in some fresh herbsmint or thyme taste great with the apple and lemon juice.
  • Use lime slices in place of some of the lemon slices for a more complex citrus taste.
  • Add in warming spices like a cinnamon stick or star anise.
  • Spike it! Make it a crown apple lemonade by adding crown royal, or bourbon works well, too.
    • Serve it with a maple rim – moisten the rim of your glass with a lemon slice and roll the rim in maple sugar. Yum!

FAQS

Can I use honey instead of maple syrup?

Yes, you can. But when honey meets cold apple juice, it thickens and doesn't mix well. We recommend warming the apple juice slightly in a pot and then stirring the honey into the warm juice before adding it to the pitcher.

Ideas for serving apple lemonade

This is a great recipe to make during apple season when it's easy to find fresh, unfiltered apple juice. We love serving it anytime as an afternoon refresher or as a healthy non-alcoholic drink with dinner. Kids will love it, too!

Here are some other ideas for serving it:

  • Make a big batch for your thanksgiving dinner with some of our other festive favorites:
  • For fall birthday parties, weddings, baby showers, or special occasions.
  • Make it sugar-free for a refreshing after-school drink for kids!
  • To keep you hydrated in the garden during harvest season!
two glasses of apple lemonade
looking down on a pitcher of apple lemonade

Apple Lemonade

Celebrate apple season with this naturally sweetened apple lemonade. It's juicy, fresh, and perfectly sweet. It's also simple to make and ready in 5 minutes!

If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!

4.92 stars (23 ratings)
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Ingredients

  • 6 cups apple juice, preferably unfiltered
  • 1 cup lemon juice, fresh squeeed is best!
  • ½ cup maple syrup, optional
  • Apple and lemon slices, to serve

Instructions 

  • Add the apple juice, lemon juice, and maple syrup to a large pitcher and stir well.
    6 cups apple juice, 1 cup lemon juice, ½ cup maple syrup
    image for recipe instruction
  • When you're ready to serve the lemonade, add ice and apple and lemon slices to the pitcher.
    Apple and lemon slices
    image for recipe instruction

Notes

Apple juice is naturally quite sweet, so you can easily make this a sugar-free lemonade simply by omitting the maple syrup. It's delicious without it, too.Ā 
Serving: 1 lemonade, Calories: 147kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 10mg, Potassium: 265mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 31g, Vitamin A: 4IU, Vitamin C: 13mg, Calcium: 39mg, Iron: 1mg
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If you love lemonade as much as we do, make sure to check out all of our lemonade recipes!