Creamy Lemon Slush
- Prep + blend
- About 10 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
A creamy frozen lemonade with a bright, tart edge. Spoon it while thick, then sip as it softens.
IngredientsTips are one tap away.
Ingredients
Batches and reset
4 servings · US measures · 1 batch
Blender capacity and batching
Follow your blender's instructions for blending ice, including any minimum load and its marked fill line. If the ingredients will exceed the fill line, divide every measured base ingredient into the same number of equal portions and blend those portions as separate batches. If a portion is below a manufacturer-specified minimum, use a suitable blender or vessel that the manufacturer permits for that load; do not add extra ingredients just to reach the blades.
Original recipe: 4 servings.
Optional extra condensed milk: up to about 2 tbsp for the whole recipe, added only after tasting.
Ingredient substitutionsBefore you blend
- Use an ice-capable blender with its fitted lid. Follow its ice-blending instructions, minimum load and marked fill line.
- If the recipe exceeds capacity, divide every measured base ingredient into the same number of equal portions and blend in batches. Use the selected per-batch ingredient amounts for the steps.
- For a small load, use a suitable blender or manufacturer-approved vessel. Keep the recipe proportions; adding ingredients just to reach the blades changes them.
- Keep each batch's optional extra milk allowance separate. The whole-recipe allowance is shared across batches.
- Stay with the blender and use the texture cues to decide when to stop.
Directions
Time by stage
- Prep
- Included in the total estimate; no separate estimate.
- Blend
- Included in the total estimate; no separate estimate.
- Serve
- Included in the total estimate; no separate estimate.
No heat step
Prep
Get ready
For each batch
Rinse the lemons, finely grate the colored outer peel, and squeeze and strain the juice. Measure about 1 tbsp zest and about 3/4 cup juice; keep the zest aside.
Measure the sugar and base milk, keeping optional extra milk separate. Set out the serving glasses.
For each batch, reserve half its ice for the first addition. Divide the other half into two portions.
Blend
Dissolve the sugar
For each batch
Put the lemon juice and sugar in the blender; keep the zest aside. Fit the lid and blend.
Stop and unplug. Take a small spoon sample and rub it between clean fingertips; it should feel smooth. If it feels sandy, refit the lid and blend briefly, then stop, unplug and check again.
For a smooth drink
Blending sugar with juice before adding ice gives the grains a chance to dissolve.
Blend in half the ice
For each batch
Add about 2/3 cup dairy sweetened condensed milk, about 1 tbsp lemon zest and about 2 cups ice cubes. Keep the optional extra milk aside.
Fit the lid and pulse to break up the cubes, then blend until the mixture circulates and looks creamy with fine ice crystals.
Help the mixture circulate
Starting with part of the ice helps the blades establish circulation before the mixture thickens.
Finish the slush
For each batch
Add the remaining about 2 cups ice in two portions, replacing the lid before each pulse. Stop when the slush is thick and spoonable, with no large hard pieces.
If the blades stall, stop and unplug before moving the mixture with a spatula. Refit the lid before restarting.
Blades stalled?
Stop and unplug before rearranging the mixture with a spatula. Let some ice soften if needed, then refit the lid before blending again.
Taste and adjust
For each batch
With the blades stopped, taste a spoonful. Look for sweet lemon flavor with a tart edge and a creamy, icy texture.
If too tart, add extra dairy sweetened condensed milk about 1 tbsp at a time. Refit the lid to blend, then stop before tasting again. Use no more than about 2 tbsp extra for this batch.
Too thick to pour?
Let a little ice melt, then stir with the blender unplugged.
Already too sweet?
Skip the extra milk. Let some ice melt, then stir with the blender unplugged and taste again. This dilutes the drink but does not remove sugar.
Serve
Serve
For the whole recipe
If you blended in batches, combine them in a pitcher or bowl and stir gently. Divide into 4 servings and serve immediately. Stir any separated liquid back into the slush.
Best served freshly blended
Serve as soon as the slush is ready. Stir any separated liquid back in; the texture changes as the ice melts.
Substitutions
Choose a single swap below, or follow the complete lime version.
lemon zestuseFinely grated lime zest
about 1 tbsp · For the whole recipe
What changes: Adds lime aroma while keeping the lemon juice.
Steps it affects · For each batch
- For each batch, measure about 1 tbsp finely grated lime zest, taking the colored peel and leaving the white pith. Keep it aside until the milk and first ice addition.
- Use the lemon juice as listed, or follow the complete lime variation.
lemon juiceuseFresh lime juice
about 3/4 cup · For the whole recipe
What changes: Adds lime flavor; tartness varies with the fruit.
Steps it affects · For each batch
- For each batch, measure about 3/4 cup squeezed, strained lime juice. Blend it with the sugar, keeping the zest aside.
- Stop and unplug for the spoon-sample smoothness check. Taste with the blades stopped and use the measured extra milk allowance if needed.
granulated sugaruseSuperfine granulated sugar
about 4 2/3 oz · For the whole recipe
What changes: Keeps the sweet flavor with finer sugar grains.
Steps it affects · For each batch
- For each batch, weigh about 4 2/3 oz superfine granulated sugar. Blend with the juice before adding zest or ice.
- Stop and unplug before taking a spoon sample. Follow the smoothness check before adding ice.
sweetened condensed milkuseSweetened condensed coconut milk
about 2/3 cup · For the whole recipe
What changes: Adds coconut flavor; sweetness and thickness vary by product.
Steps it affects · For each batch
- For each batch, measure about 2/3 cup sweetened condensed coconut milk and keep optional extra separate. Add the base with the zest and first ice.
- Use the same coconut product for adjustments. With the blades stopped, taste; if too tart, add about 1 tbsp at a time, blending and tasting between additions, up to about 2 tbsp extra for this batch.
- Choose sweetened condensed coconut milk; unsweetened evaporated milk has different sweetness and concentration.
For a plant-based version, use sweetened condensed coconut milk for both the base and any extra. Check the chosen product's ingredients and allergen information for your needs.
ice cubesuseCrushed drinking-water ice
about 15 1/2 oz · For the whole recipe
What changes: Keeps the drink icy; smaller pieces may blend differently.
Steps it affects · For each batch
- For each batch, weigh about 15 1/2 oz crushed drinking-water ice because it packs differently from cubes. Add half with the milk and zest, then the rest in portions.
- Use this weighed ice in place of the listed cubes. If the blades stall, stop and unplug; let some ice soften, and refit the lid before blending again.
Variations
Creamy Lime Slush
Use lime juice and zest for a lime-led version with the same creamy, icy texture.
Changed ingredients
For the whole recipe
- Finely grated lime zest
- about 1 tbsp
- Fresh lime juice
- about 3/4 cup
Keep the sugar, dairy sweetened condensed milk and ice cubes as listed.
For each batch
Direction changes
Get ready
For each batch
Rinse the limes, finely grate the colored outer peel, and squeeze and strain the juice. Measure about 1 tbsp zest and about 3/4 cup juice; keep the zest aside.
Dissolve the sugar
For each batch
Put the lime juice and sugar in the blender; keep the zest aside. Fit the lid and blend.
Blend in half the ice
For each batch
Add about 2/3 cup dairy sweetened condensed milk, about 1 tbsp lime zest and about 2 cups ice cubes. Keep the optional extra milk aside.
Taste and adjust
For each batch
With the blades stopped, taste a spoonful. Look for sweet lime flavor with a tart edge and a creamy, icy texture.
Follow the remaining main-method instructions, including the safe sampling, ice additions and serving steps.
Keep the same dairy condensed milk for the base and any optional extra.
Follow the per-batch amounts and texture cues above.
Look for sweet lime flavor with a tart edge.
About this recipe
Research preview: these details come from our sourced research and haven't been reviewed by our chef yet.
Taste
- Sweet
- Sour
- Salty
- Savory
- Heat
bright lemon, tart edge, milky sweetness · creamy, icy, thick and spoonable when fresh, pourable as it softens · frozen
Skill level
Allergens
Contains: milk
Sweetened condensed milk is a packaged product: check the pack for its own allergen statement.
Diets
Vegetarian: Fits as listed Vegan: Doesn't fit as written Pescatarian: Fits as listed Dairy: See the allergen lines Gluten: See the allergen lines Lactose: See the allergen lines
Occasions
Summer, Cookout
Serving and keeping
Best served: Immediately after blending Spoon it while thick, then sip as it softens; stir any separated liquid back in.
Food safety
- Rinse the lemons before grating the peel.
- Stop and unplug the blender before sampling or moving the mixture with a spatula; refit the lid before restarting.
- Use ice made from drinking water.
- Don't leave a milk-based drink at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F).
- Follow the pack for storing any opened condensed milk.
We make no cross-contact statement for home kitchens. Check packaged ingredient labels.
For your food tracker
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- Recipe url
- https://isthebestrecipe.com/drinks/creamy-lemon-slush
- Name
- Creamy Lemon Slush
- Servings
- 4
- Recipe yield
- 4 servings
- Recipe ingredient
- 3/4 cup fresh lemon juice, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk, 1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest, 4 cups ice cubes
- Nutrition information
- Calories
- 300 calories
- FatContent
- 4.5 g
- SaturatedFatContent
- 3 g
- CholesterolContent
- 17 mg
- SodiumContent
- 70 mg
- CarbohydrateContent
- 64 g
- FiberContent
- 0 g
- SugarContent
- 62 g
- ProteinContent
- 4 g
Sources
- Swiss lemonade (Wikipedia (English))
- Limonada suíça (Wikipedia (Portuguese))
- Food Allergies (major food allergens under FALCPA and the FASTER Act) (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2026-03-11)
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex II: substances or products causing allergies or intolerances (text as adopted) (European Parliament and Council; text read from legislation.gov.uk (The National Archives) copy of the adopted EU text, 2011-10-25)
- FoodKeeper data (English) used by the FoodKeeper App (FoodSafety.gov / USDA FSIS with Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute)
- People at Risk: Pregnant Women (FoodSafety.gov (U.S. HHS/USDA/FDA), 2026-10-05)
- Selecting and Serving Produce Safely (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024-03-05)
- Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels (U.S. Food and Drug Administration, 2024-03-05)
- 21 CFR 131.120 Sweetened condensed milk (Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School (eCFR text))
- FoodData Central 171275: Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened (USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central, 2019-04-01)
- FoodData Central 167746: Lemons, raw, without peel (USDA Agricultural Research Service, FoodData Central, 2019-04-01)
Make it the best
Copy this recipe and make it your own. Change amounts, swap ingredients, rewrite steps. The original stays as it is.
Nutrition Values
Estimated nutrition
Creamy Lemon Slush
4 servingsEqual share of completed recipe; no measured final volume or glass size claimed.
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 64 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Total sugars
- 62 g
- Total fat
- 4.5 g
- Saturated fat
- 3 g
- Sodium
- 70 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.1 µg
- Calcium
- 153 mg
- Iron
- 0.2 mg
- Potassium
- 239 mg
Estimated · Per serving · 300 kcal
| Macro | Grams | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Carbohydrate | 64.13 g | 81.60% |
| Fat | 4.55 g | 13.03% |
| Protein | 4.22 g | 5.37% |
No extra milk
Nutrition details
Compare estimates with extra milk; this does not record how much you used.
No optional extra condensed milk included
Main nutrients
Per serving
- Calories
- 302.19 kcal
- Protein
- 4.22 g
- Carbohydrates
- 64.13 g
- Fiber
- 0.30 g
- Total sugars
- 61.89 g
- Total fat
- 4.55 g
- Saturated fat
- 2.82 g
- Sodium
- 70.04 mg
Vitamins and minerals
Per serving
- Calcium, Ca
- 153.22 mg
- Iron, Fe
- 0.16 mg
- Magnesium, Mg
- 17.33 mg
- Phosphorus, P
- 132.87 mg
- Potassium, K
- 239.39 mg
- Zinc, Zn
- 0.52 mg
- Copper, Cu
- 0.03 mg
- Selenium, Se
- 7.80 µg
- Vitamin A, IU
- 139.66 IU
- Retinol
- 37.23 µg
- Vitamin A, RAE
- 37.78 µg
- Carotene, beta
- 7.70 µg
- Carotene, alpha
- 0.02 µg
- Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol)
- 0.15 mg
- Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units
- 3.06 IU
- Vitamin D (D2 + D3)
- 0.10 µg
- Cryptoxanthin, beta
- 2.50 µg
- Lycopene
- 0.00 µg
- Lutein + zeaxanthin
- 7.13 µg
- Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid
- 20.97 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.06 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.23 mg
- Niacin
- 0.15 mg
- Pantothenic acid
- 0.45 mg
- Vitamin B-6
- 0.05 mg
- Folate, total
- 14.96 µg
- Vitamin B-12
- 0.22 µg
- Choline, total
- 47.90 mg
- Vitamin K (phylloquinone)
- 0.31 µg
- Folic acid
- 0.00 µg
- Folate, food
- 14.96 µg
- Folate, DFE
- 14.96 µg
- Vitamin E, added
- 0.00 mg
- Vitamin B-12, added
- 0.00 µg
Other nutrients
Per serving
- Ash
- 1.15 g
- Alcohol, ethyl
- 0.00 g
- Water
- 166.95 g
- Caffeine
- 0.00 mg
- Theobromine
- 0.00 mg
- Energy
- 1262.95 kJ
- Cholesterol
- 17.34 mg
- SFA 4:0
- 0.14 g
- SFA 6:0
- 0.09 g
- SFA 8:0
- 0.05 g
- SFA 10:0
- 0.05 g
- SFA 12:0
- 0.09 g
- SFA 14:0
- 0.40 g
- SFA 16:0
- 1.23 g
- SFA 18:0
- 0.62 g
- MUFA 18:1
- 1.12 g
- PUFA 18:2
- 0.12 g
- PUFA 18:3
- 0.07 g
- PUFA 20:4
- 0.00 g
- PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA)
- 0.00 g
- MUFA 16:1
- 0.07 g
- PUFA 18:4
- 0.00 g
- MUFA 20:1
- 0.00 g
- PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA)
- 0.00 g
- MUFA 22:1
- 0.00 g
- PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA)
- 0.00 g
- Fatty acids, total monounsaturated
- 1.24 g
- Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated
- 0.18 g
Incomplete data
Not available means missing or incomplete data, not zero. Daily Values have not been calculated.
Calculation details
Estimated from generic ingredient data and the selected quantities. Actual products and portions may differ.
Estimates use generic ingredient data. Actual values may vary.
Lemon peel data is used for the zest; minerals in water can vary.
These estimates are for the original recipe. Nutrition for substitutions is unavailable.
Reviewed SR Legacy generic estimates; raw peel is a zest proxy and water minerals vary. Not measured final recipe nutrition.
Estimated from protein and carbohydrate at 4 kcal/g and fat at 9 kcal/g. This is not a breakdown of reported Calories; food-specific factors and carbohydrate composition can differ.
Per serving: calculated macro energy 314.37 kcal; reported Calories 302.19 kcal. Difference: 12.18 kcal.
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