Refreshingly sweet & tart, this ice cold, tangy limeade is what summer dreams are made of! Fill your favorite glass with ice, sweet lime juice, & a straw, and sip away those hot summer days!

a closeup view of one glass filled with ice and limeade with a lime wedge on the rim with a squeezed lime next to the glass. Another glass of the same is in the background.

What Makes This Recipe Work

While it’s easy to buy storebought Simply Limeade, the homemade version is even tastier (& healthier!). Made with just three simple ingredients, this lime juice recipe is quick, easy, with endless options for how to drink it!

Whether it’s over ice, spiked with tequila, or frozen into a popsicle, this sweet lime juice recipe will cool you off, satisfy your sweet tooth, and make your summer super refreshing!

Best part? This simply limeade copycat recipe is made with no artificial flavors, preservatives, or sweeteners, and is vegan (if made without honey), gluten-free, dairy-free, and allergy friendly!

an overhead view of a pitcher of ice water, 6 whole limes, and a jar of honey

How to Make This Simply Limeade Recipe

Ingredient Notes

Limes: Fresh limes are best for this recipe, however, if you need a substitute in a pinch, see “Tips & Tricks” or recipe notes for helpful substitutions.

Water: Use ice-cold water if you’re going to serve immediately, or refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

Honey: If you’re vegan or don’t prefer honey, feel free to use granulated sugar. You can also use your favorite sweetener of choice (granulated monk fruit sweetener, agave, etc).

a hand using a metal citrus juicer to squeeze lime juice into a pyrex measuring cup next to three lime halves.

Step by Step

  1. Juice your limes. 6 limes should yield a little more than a half-cup.
  2. Dissolve your honey (or granulated sugar) to make a simple syrup. Add the 3 tbsp honey to a small bowl along with 1/4 cup water. Microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until the honey is completely dissolved.
  3. Combine! Add ice to a pitcher along with 6 cups of water. Add in the lime juice and the honey simple syrup and stir well.

How to Serve

Serve this refreshing simply limeade in your favorite tumbler or glass over ice with a slice of lime and enjoy!

a black pot filled with hot water and honey with a gold spoon

Other Ways to Use Limeade

Simply Limeade Margarita Recipe: If you want to spike your simply limeade to make a margarita, add 1 shot (1.5oz) of Blanco tequila to a cocktail shaker, along with ice, 4oz of limeaid, and shake for one minute. Rub a wedge of lime over the rim of your glass and dip in salt or sugar if desired. Fill your glass with ice and strain the contents of the cocktail shaker into your glass. Enjoy your simply limeade margarita with a slice of lime for garnish.

Frozen Limeade Margarita Recipe: If you prefer your limeade margarita frozen instead of on the rocks, simply dump the contents of the margarita (ice, tequila, limeaid) into your blender and blend on high for 1 minute. Follow the same instructions for a salt or sugar rim, and pour the contents of the blender into your favorite glass. Garnish with a lime wedge, and enjoy!

Sweet Lime Juice Popsicle Recipe: A fun & easy idea for both adults and kids! Grab a silicone popsicle mold (amazon, walmart, dollar tree, etc), and pour from your pitcher of limeade into each compartment. Freeze for at least 4 hours and serve! Tip: Make sure to grab a mold that also includes the sticks!

a pyrex measuring pitcher pouring lime juice into a clear pitcher filled with ice and cold water.

Mary’s Tips & Tricks

Refined Sugar-Free: I use honey instead of granulated sugar, as it works super well and tastes amazing. Because honey is a natural sweetener, this makes it refined sugar-free. If you’re keto or prefer a sweetener with a lower glycemic index, granulated monk fruit sweetener by brands like Lakanto is also an option (this is a 1:1 sugar substitute). If you prefer not to use honey, regular granulated sugar will work for this, as well. 3 tbsp would be my recommendation. Feel free to add more if you like it on the sweeter side! 

Less Sweet: Reduce the amount of honey to 2 tbsp if you prefer less-sweet lime juice. 

Sugar-Free: To make this limeade copycat sugar-free, omit the honey or sugar completely. It will be very tart, but refreshing!

Double Batch: To increase the serving size, hit “print recipe” and you can adjust the number of servings there. 

Lemonade: This recipe also works with lemons to make homemade lemonade!

Prep your Limes: To get the most juice out of your limes, heat the full limes in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. This will help the cells in the lime burst and will produce more juice! Alternatively, you can roll them on the counter while pressing down.

Lime Juicer: While squeezing fresh citrus juice is totally possible by hand, you actually end up wasting a ton of juice! I LOVE my lime juicer and find it so easy to use, with zero waste and my hands don’t hurt! Get your own handheld lime juicer or regular lime juicer– you won’t regret it!

Lime Juice Substitute: Fresh lime juice is really the best for this recipe, but if you only have a few limes on hand, you can supplement the rest with lemons, True Lime packets, or bottled lime juice. Just be aware that each of these will make the taste vary a bit. If you try a substitute and love the taste, let me know in the comments!

two glasses filled with lime juice, water, and honey with a lime wedge on the rim and a half of a squeezed lime next to the glasses.

FAQs

What are the benefits of lime juice?

Limes are high in vitamin C and antioxidants. The juice has been known to improve immunity, reduce heart disease risk factors, prevent kidney stones, aid iron absorption, and promote healthy skin.

How much juice in one lime?

Typically, there is about 2 tbsp of juice in one lime.

How long does fresh lime juice last?

It lasts a few days, but it must be refrigerated. This Simply Limeaid copycat is best if used within 4-5 days and stored in the refrigerator. Stir before serving.

Are there carbs in lime juice?

Yes! In 1/2 cup of lime juice (about 6 limes) there are 10 total carbs in 4 servings. This means the lime juice in this recipe is about 2.5 carbs per serving. The rest of the carbs come from the honey.

Can I make this Simply Limeade keto friendly?

To make this Keto Simply Limeade, use granulated monk fruit sweetener instead of honey. One serving of keto simply limeaid will only be 2.5 carbs and 8 calories!

More Delicious Beverages

Skinny Spicy Margarita

Gluten Free Orange Crush

Strawberry Cucumber Mojito Mocktail

If you try this recipe and love it, a 5-star rating and review below would mean the world. And don’t forget to follow me on InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest!

Sweet Lime Juice (Simply Limeade Copycat!)

Refreshingly sweet & tart, this ice cold, tangy limeade is what summer dreams are made of! Grab a glass of this sweet lime juice & sip away those hot days!
5 from 2 votes
Leave a Review »

Ingredients

  • 6 limes, juiced – makes a little more than 1/2 cup of juice
  • 6 cups water, + 1/4 cup for dissolving honey
  • 3 tbsp honey, can sub 3 tbsp granulated sugar

Equipment

  • drink pitcher

Instructions
 

  • First, juice your limes. To get the most juice out of them, heat the full limes in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. This will help the cells in the lime burst and will produce more juice! Alternatively, you can roll them on the counter while pressing down. 6 limes should yield a little more than a half cup.
  • Next, dissolve your honey to make honey simple syrup. Add the 3 tbsp honey to a small bowl along with 1/4 cup water. Microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until the honey is completely dissolved.
  • Add ice to a pitcher along with 6 cups of water. Add in the lime juice and the honey simple syrup and stir well. Serve over ice with a slice of lime and enjoy!

Notes

Refined Sugar-Free: I use honey instead of granulated sugar, as it works super well and tastes amazing. Because honey is a natural sweetener, this makes it refined sugar-free. If you’re keto or prefer a sweetener with a lower glycemic index, granulated monk fruit sweetener by brands like Lakanto is also an option (this is a 1:1 sugar substitute). If you prefer not to use honey, regular granulated sugar will work for this, as well. 3 tbsp would be my recommendation. 
Less Sweet: Reduce the amount of honey to 2 tbsp if you prefer less-sweet limeade. 
Sugar-Free: To make this limeade sugar-free, omit the honey or sugar completely. It will be very tart, but refreshing!
Double Batch: To increase the serving size, hit “print recipe” and you can adjust the number of servings there. 
Lemonade: This recipe also works with lemons to make homemade lemonade!
Prep your Limes: To get the most juice out of your limes, heat the full limes in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. This will help the cells in the lime burst and will produce more juice! Alternatively, you can roll them on the counter while pressing down.
Lime Juicer: While squeezing fresh citrus juice is totally possible by hand, you actually end up wasting a ton of juice! I LOVE my lime juicer and find it so easy to use, with zero waste and my hands don’t hurt! Get your own handheld lime juicer or regular lime juicer– you won’t regret it! 
Lime Juice Substitute: Fresh juice is really the best for this recipe, but if you only have a few limes on hand, you can supplement the rest with lemons, True Lime packets, or bottled lime juice. Just be aware that each of these will make the taste vary a bit. If you try a substitute and love the taste, let me know in the comments!

Nutrition

Calories: 55kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 19mg, Potassium: 44mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 13g, Vitamin A: 15IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 16mg, Iron: 1mg

This page may contain affiliate links, which means if you purchase something using my links, I may receive a small commission. Thank you for supporting Mary’s Whole Life!