Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Juice the Lemons
- Roll lemons on counter with your palm before juicing to release more juice. Juice the lemons and strain through a fine-mesh sieve to remove seeds and pulp. You should have about 1 ½ cups of fresh lemon juice.
Dissolve the Sugar
- In a large pitcher, combine the fresh lemon juice and granulated sugar. Stir vigorously for 1-2 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.
Add Water and Pickle Juice
- Add 6 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir well. Start by adding ½ cup of pickle juice, stir, and taste. Add more pickle juice in ¼ cup increments until you reach your desired flavor intensity.
Chill
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld together.
Serve and Garnish
- Serve over ice in tall glasses. Garnish with lemon slices, fresh dill sprigs, and pickle spears. Optional: rim glasses with coarse sea salt for extra flavor.
Taste and Adjust
- Before serving, adjust to taste: Add more sugar if too tart, more lemon juice if too sweet, more pickle juice for stronger flavor, or more water if too intense.
Notes
- Fresh lemon juice is essential
- Bottled juice doesn't provide the same bright flavor
- Use dill pickle juice only; avoid sweet pickle brine for this recipe
- Start with less pickle juice and add more to taste—it's easier to add than remove
- The pickle flavor should enhance, not overpower, the lemonade
- Different pickle brands vary in saltiness, so always taste and adjust
- For a fizzy version, replace 2-3 cups of water with sparkling water
- Can substitute sugar with honey, agave, or your preferred sweetener
- Store in refrigerator for 3-4 days; flavor improves after first day
- Make pickle juice ice cubes to avoid diluting the drink
- Recipe easily doubles or triples for parties