Limonata

Homemade Lemon Cordial Recipe

Irresistibly refreshing, our delicious and effortless homemade Limonata is the ultimate guilt-free soft drink!

Craving a super refreshing, fizzy lemonade? 🍋 🍋 Then simply mix a splash of our zesty homemade lemon cordial with sparkling water, toss in a few ice cubes and a fresh lemon slice and enjoy the perfect Limonata! Salute!

PUBLISHED: 20 Aug '24

This post may contain sponsored content and/or affiliate links.

Why We Love It!

Easy: This super Limonata recipe requires just a few ingredients and is absolutely... uhum... easy peasy lemon squeezy!
Versatile: We use our homemade lemon cordial for more than just Limonata! We jazz it up for a tasty mocktail, pour it into hot water for a cozy, warming lemon tea and even drizzle a splash into a salad as a zesty vinaigrette...
Storage-Friendly: We make it in large batches. It’s made in one go and, because of its acidity, it lasts for months. This Limonata recipe is for about 1 liter. Simply double up the quantities in our 'recipe' card below, if you want to make some extra.
Must-Have: So it's an absolute staple in our kitchen. When we're down to just one bottle, we’re rushing to the store for lemons!
Guilt-Free Soft Drink: Although we use sugar in our lemon cordial, we dilute it with plenty of water!

What Is Limonata?

Limonata - lemonade in English - is a classic Italian sparkling or non-sparkling lemon drink and is typically made with lemon juice, sugar, and water. It’s cherished in Italy and around the world for its bright, citrusy flavor and is commonly enjoyed as a refreshing, thirst-quenching beverage, especially during hot weather. We make ours a bit more concentrated, turning it into a lemon cordial with a hint of ginger. Our Limonata is incredibly refreshing with a bold, intense lemon taste. Its concentrated form makes it versatile for various uses, and you can easily adjust how strong you want your drink to be. Just pour a splash over ice cubes, add sparkling or still water, top with a slice of lemon and voilà - enjoy the most deliciously refreshing Limonata!

Ingredients

Limonata

left to right top to bottom - check the 'Recipe' card below for quantity info

Lemons: The fresher the lemons, the tastier the result.
Water
Ginger: Make sure to use fresh ginger for the best flavor.
Sugar

How To Make Limonata

6 steps

Chop & Cut

First, peel and finely chop the ginger into small cubes and cut the lemons in half.

Juice

Then, juice the lemons.

Assemble

pouring lemon juice in skillet with chopped ginger

Next, add the sugar, ginger, fresh lemon juice and water to a large pot - preferably a bigger one to prevent it from boiling over.

And bring the mixture to a boil.

Strain

Once it starts boiling, turn off the heat and pour the cordial through a sieve to catch the ginger.

Bottle

Then use a funnel to transfer it into a very clean, heat-resistant bottle. Allow it to cool.

Whip Up!

Finally, pour a splash of the lemon cordial over ice and a slice of lemon into a glass. Top up with sparkling water and enjoy your wonderfully refreshing Limonata!

Serving Tips & Pairings

Chill: Keep the Lemon Cordial cool, and chill any garnishes in advance, as cold temperatures will enhance the refreshing qualities of the Limonata.
Lemon Water: Put a dash of lemon cordial in a glass and pour warm water over it, for wonderfully cozy and warming hot lemon water!
Seafood: Limonata's zesty flavor complements seafood dishes like Scampis Diaboliques perfectly.
Desserts: It pairs wonderfully with Macedonia di Frutta... or simply add a splash of lemon cordial to elevate it!
Mocktails & Cocktails:
- Mocktail: Serve in a highball glass or a fancy tumbler to make it feel as en extra special mocktail. We love to add some raspberries, a slice of orange, or herbs like mint or basil for a unique twist on flavor.
- Limonata Ginn Fizz: Substitute tonic for our Limonata for a delightful and less sweet twist on a classic gin & tonic.
- Prosecco: For a sparkling, celebratory drink, mix the lemon cordial with Prosecco or any other nice sparkling wine. The combination makes a zesty and bubbly cocktail, perfect for any occasion!

Substitutions & Variations

Sugar: Use cane sugar, coconut sugar or honey for a different flavor variation.
Sugar-free: Swap sugar for any sugar substitute!
Raspberries: Throw a handful of raspberries into the pot before boiling everything up for beautifully pink and refined Limonata.
Lemon: Use lime instead of lemon, it's slightly different but equally delicious, or use a mix of both.
Hot: Add some black pepper to the mixture, before cooking all up, it gives an irresistible punch!

FAQs

We make Lemon Cordial because it allows you to create both fizzy and still Limonata to your taste, and you can adjust the proportions yourself!

We boil it to preserve the homemade cordial and this way we can enjoy our fresh Limonata longer.

Bottle the homemade lemon cordial in ultra clean bottles. When stored flat and cooled, they will remain for about 3 months.