The Brazilian Blender Drink That Beats Any Store-Bought Lemonade
Whole limes, sweet strawberries and a splash of condensed milk turn one blender into a five-minute party trick.
Dowell Cooks5 min readPrint this post
Sweet, tart, cold, done in five minutes flat. That's the whole pitch.
Hey friends! If your kitchen is hot, your patience is short, and you just want something cold in your hand in the next five minutes, this is it. Brazilian strawberry limeade is basically a blender doing all the work while you stand there looking relaxed. Whole limes, sweet strawberries, a little condensed milk, and ice. That's it. That's the drink.
Lime isn't just the sour note here, it's actually the ingredient doing the most flavor matchmaking in the whole glass.
LimeSweetened Condensed Milk
Score 88Key lime pie filling.
LimeIce
Score 78Mojito and caipirinha base.
LimeStrawberry
Score 72what to serve it with
This drink is sweet enough to basically be dessert, so I like putting it next to something salty or savory to balance the table out. Think grilled chicken thighs with a char on them, cheesy pão de queijo if you want to lean into the Brazilian thing, or honestly just a big bowl of salty tortilla chips at a summer cookout. The sweetness needs a partner, not another sweet thing sitting next to it.
what to buy
Grab regular limes, not the tiny key limes, you want four good-sized ones with smooth, tight skin (no soft spots, no wrinkles). For strawberries, fresh is nice in summer but frozen works completely fine here since everything gets blended anyway, so don't stress if the fresh ones at the store look sad. One can of sweetened condensed milk covers this recipe with plenty left over for your coffee tomorrow.
mix it up
No strawberries in the house? Swap in raspberries or blackberries and you'll get a similar fruity depth, just a little more tart. Want it lighter for a weeknight instead of a party? Cut the sugar in half and lean harder on the lime, the drink stays plenty sweet from the condensed milk alone. Feeling fancy? A splash of coconut milk instead of some of the water gives it a real Brazilian beach vibe.
- Contains
- milk
- Fits
- Vegetarian, Pescatarian, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free, Halal, Kosher
Halal and kosher also depend on how the ingredients are sourced and certified.
Substitutions that still taste like the recipe.
Missing something from your cart? Here's what stands in without wrecking the drink.
- lemon
- grapefruit↓ sour
Less aromatic.
- yuzu
Brings fruity notes; lacks the tangy notes.
- raspberry
Less sugary.
- blackberry
Lacks the buttery notes; less sugary.
- blueberry
Lacks the buttery notes.
- custard
- vanilla pudding mix
- pudding
- club soda
Brings tangy notes.
- seltzer
- chamomile
Brings piney, citrusy, fruity, creamy and coconutty notes; drier.
- Produce
- $8.91
- Baking
- $1.06
Common questions
Can I make this without a fine mesh strainer?
Is this drink actually keto friendly?
Can I make it ahead of time?
What if I don't have fresh strawberries?
Five ingredients, one blender, zero stress, and a drink that tastes like summer vacation. That's the whole point of cooking around here. Make a batch, pour it over ice, and go sit outside for a minute. You earned it.
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