Dragonfruit Lemonade Tropical Sip

Featured in Sweet Treats and Baked Delights.

Pour up a glass packed with the punchy color from real pink dragonfruit, lots of lemon, and just a hint of sweetness. After you strain out the pulp, you're left with a silky-smooth sip that smells like vacation. Stir in your homemade syrup, pop it in the fridge, and let it chill down good. When it's time for fun, finish with lemon slices, sprigs of mint, or chunky dragonfruit cubes on top. It looks festive and feels super refreshing—ideal when you're craving something bright on a hot day or want to jazz up your weekend hangouts.

Home Delicious Recipes
Updated on Tue, 10 Jun 2025 18:56:19 GMT
Pink lemonade in a glass with a slice of lemon on the rim. Pin it
Pink lemonade in a glass with a slice of lemon on the rim. | homedeliciousrecipes.com

Brighten your day with this gorgeous dragonfruit lemonade. Real fruit and citrus come together for a drink that’s extra fun. I love making this when I’m craving a taste of summer or need a showstopper for a family get-together. That bold pink color? All dragonfruit, nothing artificial needed.

I whipped this up in the middle of a heat spell last summer and my crew hasn’t stopped talking about it. Every single pitcher ran out in no time.

Inviting Ingredients

  • Ice cubes: Toss in for an ice-cold sip Want your drink to sparkle? Use big, clear cubes
  • Cold water: Helps cool everything down and brings it to the right texture Try filtered for best results
  • Dragonfruit cubes (optional): Bright pops of color and crunch Hold some pieces for later if you want extra fun
  • Granulated sugar: Gives sweetness to balance the dragonfruit's flavor Dissolve it well with warm water before mixing
  • Lemon slices and mint leaves (optional): Make it look fancy Grab the greenest herbs and glossiest lemons
  • Fresh lemon juice: Gives the drink its zippiness Use plump, heavy lemons when squeezing
  • Pink dragonfruit, peeled and chopped: The star! Pick one with vivid magenta inside and a firm peel for best color

Detailed Instructions

Chill and Serve:
Cover up the pitcher and tuck it in the fridge for a couple hours Let those flavors blend and cool off When you’re ready, give it a quick mix, throw in lots of ice, and dress it up with extra lemon slices, mint, and leftover dragonfruit cubes for a party vibe
Strain and Blend in Color:
Set a fine strainer over your pitcher and pour the dragonfruit blend in Gently press to push through the liquid and leave seeds behind Stir it up so all the pink swirls in
Mix the Lemonade Base:
Grab your biggest pitcher, add fresh lemon juice, the cooled syrup, and the rest of the cold water Stir everything until it’s super smooth Taste it—now’s the time to tweak for more sweet or more tang if you want
Make the Simple Syrup:
In a little pot, toss in the sugar and a cup of water Warm it slowly and stir till crystal clear and the sugar’s gone Take it off the heat and let cool a bit
Blend the Dragonfruit:
Chop up your peeled dragonfruit and pop it in a blender Add a splash of warm water and blitz it till it’s totally smooth Warm water makes blending way easier
A cup of bright pink drink topped with a wedge of lemon. Pin it
A cup of bright pink drink topped with a wedge of lemon. | homedeliciousrecipes.com

What I love most? That dragonfruit does all the work for you with its color and kids are always amazed My niece was convinced it was magic the first time and now insists on being my lemonade helper

Keep it Fresh

Pour any extras into a sealed container and stash in the fridge for a max of three days Keeps its bright look as long as it’s covered Add your ice and that fancy garnish right before serving to keep stuff crisp

Switch It Up

No luck with fresh dragonfruit? Frozen cubes in the freezer aisle work great—just thaw them before blending Honey or agave syrup can swap for sugar if you prefer, and Meyer lemons add a mellow sweetness instead of lots of tart zing

How to Serve

A brightly colored pink drink in a glass, topped with lemon wheels. Pin it
A brightly colored pink drink in a glass, topped with lemon wheels. | homedeliciousrecipes.com

Pour into glasses packed with ice, then top with lemon wheels and mint leaves for an instant mood boost Craving bubbles? Splash in sparkling water Extra leftovers? Freeze into popsicles for a snack that little ones will love

Dragonfruit Lemonade Backstory

Dragonfruit’s roots go back to Central America, but these days it’s a favorite all across tropical Asia I first tasted a drink like this on a Thailand getaway, where fruit coolers pop up everywhere on the street

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How do I get it extra colorful?

Go for super ripe pink dragonfruit and really blend it up for the brightest color. Straining lets you get a crisp, clear look in your glass.

→ Can I switch the sweetness level?

Sure thing—mix in as much or as little sugar as you like while cooking the syrup. Keep tasting it, or swap to honey or agave if you want.

→ Is it okay to use frozen dragonfruit?

Fresh gives the punchiest flavor and color, but if all you’ve got is frozen (just thaw it), it’ll still work fine.

→ Which lemons taste the best here?

Standard lemons or Meyer lemons are both good picks. Meyer lemons throw in a sweeter, slightly floral note.

→ Could I prep this in advance?

Yep—just make it and stash it in the fridge up to a day before. Don’t add ice or toppers until right before you pour it so everything stays crisp.

→ Can I give it some fizz?

Totally! Swap out some or all of the plain cold water for bubbly water after mixing and you’ll get a gentle sparkle.

Dragonfruit Lemonade Tropical Sip

Bright pink lemonade starring dragonfruit, zesty citrus, and a splash of tropical. Made without any fake colors or flavors.

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
5 Minutes
Total Time
15 Minutes

Category: Desserts & Baking

Difficulty: Easy

Cuisine: American

Yield: 4 Servings (About 1 litre total (good for 4 people))

Dietary: Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

→ Base

01 60 ml warm water for blending up dragonfruit
02 1 medium-sized pink dragonfruit, peeled and diced up

→ Citrus

03 240 ml squeezed lemon juice (roughly 6–8 lemons worth)

→ Sweetener

04 120–180 g plain sugar (add to taste)

→ Liquid

05 960 ml cold water, split as needed

→ Serving and Garnish (optional)

06 About 140 g (1 cup) ice cubes
07 Fresh lemon rings
08 A few mint sprigs
09 Extra dragonfruit pieces

Instructions

Step 01

Pop ice cubes in the glasses or pitcher, right before you pour. Top with mint sprigs, lemon rings, and some dragonfruit chunks if you feel like it.

Step 02

Stick the pitcher in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Give it time to cool down and let those flavors come together.

Step 03

Strain your dragonfruit mixture with a fine strainer straight into the pitcher. Mix well so everything plays nice together.

Step 04

Pour the squeezed lemon juice, the cooled syrup, and the rest of the cold water into a big jug. Give it a really good stir.

Step 05

In a pot, warm up a bit of the cold water with sugar on medium, stirring until the sugar totally disappears. Set it aside to cool off.

Step 06

Toss the chopped dragonfruit and warm water into your blender and blend them up until there aren't any lumps left.

Notes

  1. You can always use less sugar first and add more after mixing. It’s easy to tweak the sweetness so it tastes just right for you.
  2. If you want your drink to pop with color, grab dragonfruit with deep, bright pink insides.

Tools You'll Need

  • Blender
  • Fine strainer
  • Hand juicer
  • Pot
  • Big jug
  • Spatula or spoon

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 110
  • Total Fat: ~
  • Total Carbohydrate: 28 g
  • Protein: 1 g