How to Make Instant Pot Lemonade

Name: Instant Pot Lemonade
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 14 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice (3-4 large lemons); 1 3/4 cup white granulated sugar; 8 cups cold water

This easy recipe for Instant Pot Lemonade uses just two ingredients (+ water)! Why buy expensive lemonade from the store when you can make the real thing at home (and using real ingredients)?

Two glasses of lemonade, garnished with lemon slices.

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Has anyone else been stuck at home with JUST water, yet craving something sweet and refreshing to drink? I know I have! Since we live in a rural area and have just one vehicle, cravings can't be indulged as easily as they were when we lived in the city. In my years in the country I've learned how to make do and, most of all, how to make my own.

This lemonade is not only made at home using just three ingredients (and one of them is water), but it's also made in the Instant Pot!

Why Use the Instant Pot?

It may seem strange to use the Instant Pot to make something like lemonade, but really it's super easy and super fun! Not only do I get to use my favorite kitchen top appliance, but I also get to keep my house totally cool all summer long. Since the steam is trapped inside the Instant Pot (instead of boiling away on the stovetop), my kitchen doesn't heat up. All the heat and all the work is contained in the electric pressure cooker, and I have to say that I'm totally loving it!

Another good reason to use the Instant Pot is because it's so large! My 8qt Instant Pot is probably the largest pot in my house, so it's great for making triple or quadruple batches of this yummy lemonade (OR Instant Pot Iced Tea).

Ingredients

Lemons: Check for lemons that are free from blemish and seem plump and juicy. You will need 3-4 large lemons to make this recipe, so I recommend that you purchase 4-5 just to be safe! Some lemons have less juice than others. Be sure to measure out your lemon juice before proceeding with the recipe. If you don't have enough lemon juice, you can always half the recipe.
Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar works the best in this recipe, but you can very easily use organic cane sugar or alternative sweeteners if that works better with your lifestyle. I would not recommend using coconut sugar for this recipe, as the stronger taste would be off-putting.
Water: You will need about 8 cups of drinkable quality cold water to make this recipe. It's important to use cold water, since that rapidly cools the temperature of the lemonade. If you use room temperature water, you'll have to wait a lot longer for your lemonade to cool before drinking.

Instructions

To get started, pour 2 cups of cold water into the insert of your Instant Pot.

Then, add in the granulated sugar.

Whisk well until the sugar is mostly dissolved. The water will be cloudy, but once the pressure cooking is done, the water and sugar mixture will be totally clear.

Place the lid on your Instant Pot, flip the valve to "sealing" and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.

Once the Instant Pot has finished the cooking time, hit the "cancel" button and move the valve to "venting."

Do a full manual pressure release. Once the pin drops, carefully remove the lid.

Add the remaining cold water to the Instant Pot (about 6 cups) and whisk well.

Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and whisk again to combine.

Transfer the lemonade to a half gallon sized jar or glass pitcher.

Cover and chill for several hours.

Serving

Serve over ice and garnish with additional lemon slices, if desired.

Instant pot lemonade in a large glass jug.

Recommended Equiptment:

Substitutions

Low Carb/Keto/Sugar Free/Diabetic: Substitute the sugar in this recipe with a keto approved sweetener that measures cup for cup with sugar. I recommend Swerve or Lakanto Monk Fruit Sweetener.

Variations

Instant Pot Limeade: Substitute the lemon juice in this recipe for lime juice. Increase the sugar, since limes are not as naturally sweet as lemons.

Strawberry Lemonade: Sprinkle sugar over 1 cup of chopped strawberries. Allow to sit for 10 minutes. Then, add the strawberries and sugar to a blender and add 1 cup of the water called for in the recipe. Blend until smooth. Add the strawberry mixture immediately after adding the lemon juice. Stir well.

Two glasses of instant pot lemonade, garnished with a lemon slice.

FAQ

Can I use bottled lemon juice for lemonade?

While freshly squeezed lemon juice is the best option for lemonade, bottled lemon juice can be used in a pinch! You may need to taste and adjust for sugar, since bottled lemon juice tends to be more acidic and less sweet that fresh lemon juice.

Can I use alternative sweeteners to make lemonade?

Yes. While the best (tasting) results are made with sugar, you can certainly substitute sugar for sweeteners that fit your dietary needs. Sweeteners that measure cup for cup for sugar are the best choice.

Can I double or triple this recipe?

Yes! If you need to make a larger batch of Instant Pot Lemonade, you can very easily double, triple, or even quadruple this recipe! Just be sure to ensure you are using a large enough Instant Pot, since you want to ensure you do not exceed the "fill" line of the Instant Pot.

I don't have an Instant Pot, can I make this on the stovetop?

Yes, you sure can! Just boil 2 cups of water with some sugar, then add the remaining cool water and lemon juice. Stir, and chill for several hours before serving. Easy peasy!

More Instant Pot Beverages:

Instant Pot Iced Tea
{Starbucks Copycat} Instant Pot Passion Tea Lemonade
Instant Pot Infused Water - TIDBITS by Marci

Instant Pot Lemonade

You're going to love how easy it is to make your very own Instant Pot Lemonade! Just 2 ingredients needed to make this refreshing beverage at home.

5 from 2 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Instant Pot Recipes

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10

Cook Time: 4

Total Time: 14

Servings: cups

Calories: 142kcal

Author: Dorothy Bigelow

Ingredients

▢ 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice 3-4 large lemons
▢ 1 ¾ cup white granulated sugar
▢ 8 cups cold water

Instructions

Add 2 cups of cold water to the insert of your instant Pot.
Add in the sugar, and whisk to dissolve.
Place the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to "sealing."
Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
When the cook time is through, switch the valve to "venting" and release all of the pressure inside the pot.
When the pin drops, indicating the pressure has been fully released, carefully remove the lid from the Instant Pot.
Pour in the remaining 6 cups of cold water and whisk.
Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice to the Instant Pot and whisk again.
Transfer the lemonade to a half gallon size jar or a glass pitcher. Cover and place in the fridge.
Chill completely before serving over ice, garnished with fresh lemon slices (if desired).

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Notes

Storage:

Keep the lemonade in an airtight jar or pitcher in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can freeze any extra lemonade in ice cube trays or in freezer bags, if desired.

Stovetop Method:

Add 2 cups of cold water to a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Stir in the sugar and whisk to dissolve. Remove from the heat.

Add in the remaining 6 cups of cold water and the lemon juice. Whisk to combine and pour into a half gallon size jar or a glass pitcher. Chill completely before serving over ice with fresh lemon slices (if desired).

Instant Pot Sizes:

You can use all sizes of Instant Pot to make this easy Instant Pot Lemonade recipe. If you double, triple, or quadruple the recipe, you may need to transfer the hot sugar and water to a larger bowl or pitcher to add the remaining ingredients. This depends on the size of Instant Pot used. The single recipe is perfectly fine even for the 3 qt. size.