Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare the Dragonfruit
- If using fresh dragonfruit, peel and chop the fruit into small chunks. If using frozen, measure out 2 cups and allow to thaw slightly for easier blending. For freeze-dried powder, simply measure out 2 tablespoons. When choosing dragonfruit, look for bright pink skin with even color throughout. A slight give when pressed indicates perfect ripeness.
Blend the Fruit Base
- Place the dragonfruit, pineapple chunks, and white grape juice concentrate in a blender. Blend on high for 30-45 seconds until completely smooth. If using dragonfruit powder instead of fresh, blend it with the pineapple juice rather than chunks. For the most vibrant pink color, use red-fleshed dragonfruit rather than the white-fleshed variety.
Combine with Lemonade
- Pour the blended fruit mixture into a large pitcher. Add the lemonade and stir gently to combine. If using vanilla extract or green coffee bean extract for caffeine, add it at this stage. For homemade lemonade, use 1 cup fresh lemon juice, 3 cups cold water, and 1/2 cup sugar (dissolve the sugar in the lemon juice first).
Adjust Sweetness
- Taste the mixture and add honey or simple syrup as needed. Remember that once ice is added, the flavor will become slightly diluted, so it's better to make it a touch sweeter than you might prefer. Different brands of lemonade vary greatly in sweetness, so start with less sweetener and adjust gradually.
Chill and Serve
- Add ice cubes to the pitcher if serving immediately, or refrigerate for 30 minutes to chill. When ready to serve, fill glasses with fresh ice, pour the pineapple dragonfruit lemonade, and garnish with dried dragonfruit pieces and mint leaves if desired. For an extra special presentation, freeze small pieces of dragonfruit or pineapple in ice cubes to use in your drinks.