Sparkling Pineapple Lemonade

In the south, we take our summer beverages seriously, and there is never any shortage of lemonade or sweet tea around.  Nothing refreshes you on a hot and humid summer day like a tall glass of ice cold lemonade.   You can make it even more summery and delicious by adding some tropical pineapple to the mix!  This sparkling pineapple lemonade is the perfect beverage to serve at a party, shower, barbecue, or just to make for yourself!  It's all freshly squeezed and super easy to make (I promise!)

Here's what you need for a large pitcher of lemonade:

2 cups cold water

1 cup of sugar

12 lemons

1 large pineapple (you can cut up the pineapple on your own or get a pre-cut pineapple)

2 cups sparkling water, club soda, or sprite

*a handheld citrus squeezer is also super helpful, and cuts your prep time down immensely 

Begin by cutting up all your fruit.  Cut all your lemons in half and cut your pineapple into small slices (I got pre-cut pineapple in the produce section because cutting a whole pineapple was intimidating!).  

Add two cups of water to your pitcher.  You can now juice all your fruit right into the pitcher using the handheld citrus juicer (or whatever juicing tool your have!).

You can even juice your pineapple with this thing- just cut it into small chunks and place it inside like you would with the lemons!

Stir in the sugar to taste (you can add a little at a time to make sure it's not too sweet for you, or add more than a cup if it's still not sweet enough).  Finally add the sparkling water, club soda, or sprite.  I used two cups of sparkling water but if you use club soda or sprite you may want to adjust the amount depending on your taste (especially with sprite since it will be sweeter).  

 Mix it really well after you have added all your ingredients and place it in the fridge to chill for at least an hour or longer.  You can serve over ice or without ( I added a slice of pineapple inside each glass too!).  Don't be afraid to customize all the measurements to your tastes depending on how tart or sweet you like your lemonade- taste test it throughout several times.  You can even use it as a mixer to whip up a fun summer cocktail!  I think it would be fabulous with champagne for a tropical twist on a Mimosa.  Cheers and enjoy!

xoxo

Emily