Iced Coconut Limeade

By Yewande Komolafe

Published August 18, 2025

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
20 minutes
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Rating
5(326)
Comments
Read comments

Modeled after Brazilian lemonade, this drink is sure to cool you off on the hottest days with an almost mouth-puckering bite. It may at first taste remind you most of tonic water, but it goes further in its blend of bitter, sharp and sweet. Unsweetened coconut milk or cream is used here, along with sugar, fresh herbs and lots of ice. A quick whiz in a blender and a strain through a fine mesh sieve will produce a frothy base that can last in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. To serve, fill a glass with ice, pour in the drink and serve immediately with fresh basil, mint leaves and a crack of black pepper for garnish.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 to 6 servings (about 4 cups)

  • 7 limes, scrubbed

  • 1 (13 ½-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk or unsweetened coconut cream

  • 1¼ cups sugar

  • 2 cups fresh mint leaves, plus more for garnish

  • 1 cup fresh basil leaves, plus more for garnish

  • 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns or ½ teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more for sprinkling

  • ½ teaspoon flaky sea salt, plus more for sprinkling

  • 4 cups ice cubes or pebble ice, plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 to 6 servings)

55 grams carbs; 326 calories; 1 gram monounsaturated fat; 12 grams saturated fat; 14 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 183 milligrams sodium; 3 grams protein; 43 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Cut off and discard the tips of the limes, then cut the limes in quarters. Reserve 4 lime wedges for garnish.

  2. Step 2

    Using a blender and working in batches if needed, pulse the limes, coconut milk, sugar, mint, basil, peppercorns, salt and ice until just combined and the limes are coarsely puréed. You should still be able to see large chunks of lime. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a small pitcher or a bowl with a spout. Use a spoon to push out as much liquid from the limes as possible. Discard the solids.

  3. Step 3

    To serve, divide the limeade among 4 glasses and add ice. Garnish each glass with a lime wedge, a pinch of salt, black pepper, mint and basil leaves.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
326 user ratings
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Comments

Yespat

“Put the lime in the coconut and drink it all together. Put the lime in the coconut and drink it all down. Put the lime in the coconut and call me in the morning.” Harry Nilsson

Melanie

Lime and coconut? Let's go with rum.

Bologna

Yes, and it adds a wonderful aroma. The addition of the peels gets you all of those awesome essential oils they contain and, as long as you follow the instructions to keep the blending quite coarse, will add only very minor (pleasant! necessary!) bitterness. This technique is a riff on Brazilian lemonade (also delicious, and with fewer ingredients, if you want to just dip your toes into this style of beverage).

Becky

This is verrrry good. I did a flat one cup of sugar because I generally like less sweet things but didn’t want to cut too much with all the lime. I also wasn’t going to serve right away (and honestly didn’t read the instructions properly) so instead of blending with ice, added about a cup and a half of water. Even so, it was still very strong and needed some diluting, so still served it with a lot of ice. Will be serving this next time I have guests over on the summer!!

cocomero

When this drink was first completed, it was delicious. However, within minutes, it became much too bitter due to the lime zest and pith, I guess. Also, I thought it would taste more herbaceous, which was a disappointment. I thought I was going to love this, but I didn’t. I think it’s a lot of work for the end result, and it was pretty messy in the kitchen. I do like the overall idea, however, so I could see buying high-quality limeade and just whirring everything together in a blender next time.

cocomero

@cocomero My ultimate take away is that I like the taste of coconut milk with limeade. Before combining them, to simplify things, I’ll just muddle some mint (and maybe basil) in a glass. I’m not sure if this is worth all the effort and mess in the kitchen. I have been peeling the limes completely before putting them into the blender because the pith and zest was making the drink too bitter. It’s turning out a lot better that way. I’ve made this a couple times due to an abundance of basil and mint in my backyard. After straining everything, it’s pretty good, but it’s still pretty thick. I think ultimately this is really a beverage that needs some alcohol to thin things out.

Katya

Halve the sugar. Skip the ice, refridgerate what is strained. Drink with 2 parts limeade, one part falernum.

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