Limonada (Brazilian Lemonade)

By Gabriella Lewis

Updated October 11, 2023

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist. Mariana Velásquez.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
10 minutes
Prep Time
5 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Rating
5(2,661)
Comments
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Creamy, frosty and tart, this popular Brazilian drink is a fantastic refreshment for a hot day. In Brazil, it’s also known as limonada Suíça, which translates to Swiss lemonade, because it typically includes sweetened condensed milk, which was marketed by the Swiss company Nestlé in Brazil in the 1940s. Sweetened condensed milk is essential to Brazilian sweets, including desserts like brigadeiros. A shelf-stable dairy product that doesn’t curdle in the presence of acid, it gets blended here with limes, sugar, ice and water to make this tangy beverage creamy. Limonada Suíça always includes condensed milk, but limonada sometimes leaves it out. And even though it’s called lemonade, it often uses limes since the word limão is often used interchangeably for lemons and limes in Portuguese. Pulsing the entire lime into this drink adds an extra layer of brightness and depth from the rind. This drink takes only minutes to blend and is best served immediately.

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Ingredients

Yield:6 servings

  • 4 limes, scrubbed and washed, plus wedges or wheels for serving

  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar

  • 7 ounces sweetened condensed milk (or, for a dairy-free version, use 7 ounces sweetened condensed coconut milk)

  • 4 cups cold water

  • 4 cups ice, plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)

34 grams carbs; 11 milligrams cholesterol; 163 calories; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 3 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 56 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 30 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut off and discard the tips of the limes, then cut the limes in quarters.

  2. Step 2

    Working in batches if your blender is smaller, pulse limes, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, water and ice in a blender 5 to 8 times until the ingredients are just combined. You’re looking to extract flavor from the limes, but not to pulverize them, which can make the drink too bitter. Pieces of lime rind may still be visible.

  3. Step 3

    Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large pitcher or bowl with a spout. Use the back of a spoon to push out as much liquid as possible; discard the solids.

  4. Step 4

    Divide among tall, ice-filled glasses, garnish with lime wedges and serve immediately.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,661 user ratings
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Comments

Jennie

I know we are all thinking this…what alcohol would pair best to make this an adult beverage?

Big Talulah

Ok we made this and it was delicious albeit quite messy… my brother in law then proceeded to just mix storebought limeaid with condensed milk and zested a lime over top, poured it over crushed ice and it was, dare I say better??

Siri C

I have lived in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil for 40 years and have never heard of adding sweetened condensed milk (aka “Leite Moça”) to Limonada Suíça. We blend the cut up line with sugar or sweetener, water and ice and serve in a tall glass with a straw. Very refreshing on a hot day!

Marjorie

Too bitter when made as instructed. Easier & better to zest & then squeeze the limes. No strainer required. Delicious!

Chef Pizza

Definitely a bit messy, but not fussy at all, and very tasty. We made a pitcher for a pre-dinner drink; kids got it straight up, and grown-ups got it with a shot of coconut rum. Both were greatly enjoyed!

Becky

Since I was making this for two people in a small blender, I used only about a cup of water, two cups of ice, half a can of sweetened condensed milk, a scant quarter cup of sugar, and 3 limes. It takes some effort to strain it but the end result is delicious! My husband added golden rum to his and loved it.

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