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Home ยป Recipes ยป Beverages ยป The Real Secret of Chick-fil-A Lemonade

The Real Secret of Chick-fil-A Lemonade

June 28, 2017 By Katie Moseman 41 Comments

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What is the secret that makes Chick-fil-A lemonade taste unique?  Find out!  

What is the secret that makes Chick-fil-A lemonade taste unique? Is it the lemons, the type of sugar, the water, the juicer, or something else? Get the recipe!

 

The Real Secret of Chick-fil-A Lemonade

Lemonade and I have a long history.

When I was a kid, weekend trips to the flea market were pretty much standard.  It was (and is) a large affair, sprawling over quite a few acres of ground, seemingly impossible to navigate, and punctuated by stands of local farmers.

Over the general din and the occasional calls of “Get your strawberries, fresh from Plaaaaant City!”, there was one sound to which my ear was perfectly attuned.

It was the clank of the commercial citrus press and the thud of a squeezed lemon hitting the trash bin.  This happy noise signaled the immediate proximity of fresh-squeezed lemonade.

Always priced just a little more than you’d think it would be, this lemonade was screamingly fresh and contained plenty of grains of undissolved sugar on the bottom because each glass was squeezed and shaken to order.

Flea market lemonade became the standard by which I judged all other lemonades.

As an adult, I haven’t visited flea markets as much.  I satisfy a lemonade craving by grabbing a few lemons from the store or picking up a Chick-fil-A lemonade while I’m out and about.

I’d never used a particular recipe for lemonade before, but after one of those Chick-fil-A lemonade stops, I decided to look up Chick-fil-A lemonade recipes to see if I could duplicate the taste at home.

Chick-fil-A lemonade has a unique taste and is (in my experience) consistent in flavor from restaurant to restaurant.  I was very curious to know what gives this lemonade its signature taste.

Is It the Sunkist Lemons?

In my internet search, all roads seemed to lead back to one recipe by Stockpiling Moms.  The author obtained the recipe while visiting the Chick-fil-A corporate offices.  According to the article, Chick-fil-A only uses Sunkist brand lemons, which include the Eureka and Lisbon lemon varieties.

A close look at Inside Chick-fil-A: When Life Hands You Lemons confirmed that Chick-fil-A does indeed use Sunkist lemons.

Could this account for the unique taste of Chick-fil-A lemonade?  I’ll be taste testing lemonade to find out, so keep reading.

Is It the Pure Cane Sugar?

The “Inside Chick-fil-A” article also stated that Chick-fil-a uses pure cane sugar, which is important to know.  Cane sugar and beet sugar perform a bit differently in cooking applications.

To replicate this lemonade properly, you’ll want to check your sugar container to see that it says “Pure Cane Sugar.”

Is It the Water?

Since the lemonade is made from only three ingredients (fresh Sunkist lemon juice, cane sugar, and water), I was immediately curious to know more about the water.  Is it tap water or filtered water?

I called my local Chick-fil-A and had a chat with the manager on duty.  He explained that each restaurant has two taps in the back area: a tap for regular water, and a tap for filtered water.  The lemonade is always made with filtered water.

Therefore, I’d recommend that you use filtered water as well.  I filter mine with a pitcher.

Is it the Juicer?

Chick-fil-A published a video on their YouTube channel showing how their lemonade is made.  This revealed which type of commercial juicer is used!

Want to own one?  I’ve tracked it down for you.  The Sunkist Commerical Juicer may cost you a bit, but you’ll be one step closer to the authentic Chick-fil-A lemonade taste.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8oWiqg-xL4

 

The Chick-fil-A Lemonade Recipe Test

I made a couple of batches of lemonade to see if I could determine a difference in taste between using Sunkist lemons and using generic lemons.

I used pure cane sugar and filtered water in both batches, and I also used the same juicer for both batches.  I don’t have a commercial juicer, so I just had to make do with my manual juicer.

Test #1: Lemonade Made with Generic Lemons

The unbranded lemons I purchased from the grocery store were smaller and had thinner skins than the Sunkist lemons.  Because they were smaller, it took more lemons to make the same amount of juice.

The flavor was perfectly good, but the lemonade had a slightly thinner mouthfeel and a touch more sourness than standard Chick-fil-A lemonade.

Test #2: Lemonade Made with Sunkist Lemons

The Sunkist lemons were larger, with bright yellow rinds and thick skins.  When I juiced the Sunkist lemons, there was so much pulp that I had to repeatedly clear away the pulp from the juicer in order to continue juicing the lemons.

The resulting flavor was recognizably the same as the lemonade from Chick-fil-A.  It was more rounded, floral, and less acidic tasting.

The Real Secret of Chick-Fil-A Lemonade, Revealed!

The secret to lemonade that tastes like it came from Chick-fil-A is to use Sunkist lemons, pure cane sugar, and filtered water.  Sunkist lemons really do have a distinctive taste that make a noticeable difference in the flavor.

I have a suspicion that a Sunkist Commerical Juicer would make this lemonade recipe absolutely perfect.  I have a hunch that there are some extra flavor notes in Chick-fil-A’s lemonade that come from the pressure of the juicing mechanism on the lemon rind.

Someday, when I’m extraordinarily rich, I’ll buy one and let you know for sure.  Until then, if you have a heavy duty electric juicer, I’d love for you to try this out and let me know how it worked for you.

Without further ado, here is the lemonade recipe for you to enjoy.  While we’re at it, I highly recommend adding the following favorite recipes to your menu to go with your glass of lemonade.  And if you love to save money by making stuff at home, here’s my copycat Planet Smoothie PBJ recipe, too.

  • Southern Chicken Salad Sandwiches
  • Three Ingredient Cheese Ball
  • Blackberry Crumble
  • Classic Wedge Salad

The Chick-fil-A Lemonade Recipe

Clear glass of Chick-fil-A lemonade with round lemon slices and ice cubes
5 from 5 votes
Print

The Real Secret of Chick-fil-A Lemonade

What is the secret that makes Chick-fil-A lemonade taste unique? Is it the lemons, the type of sugar, the water, or the juicer? Get the recipe!

Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 129 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups lemon juice from freshly squeezed Sunkist lemons
  • 1 cup pure cane sugar
  • 5 1/3 cups filtered water

Instructions

  1. Add the lemon juice to a large pitcher.
  2. Add the sugar and whisk until dissolved.
  3. Add the water and whisk again. Refrigerate until chilled and serve over ice.

Recipe Notes

Sunkist lemons are essential to replicating the flavor of Chick-fil-A lemonade. Check your granulated sugar bag to make sure that it says "Pure Cane Sugar," and use filtered tap water for the best results.

Nutrition Facts
The Real Secret of Chick-fil-A Lemonade
Amount Per Serving
Calories 129
% Daily Value*
Sodium 11mg0%
Carbohydrates 33g11%
Sugar 33g37%
Calcium 7mg1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Did you know?  This Arnold Palmer, or Lemonade Iced Tea recipe is based on the Chick-fil-A lemonade!

The Real Secret of Chick-fil-A Lemonade
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Comments

  1. Lori

    July 3, 2016 at 9:25 pm

    Do you know the key to their diet lemonade? I’m assuming it’s filtered water and Sunkist lemons. Do they use Splenda or another sweetener?

    Reply
    • Katie

      July 3, 2016 at 9:32 pm

      Yes, I do! They use Splenda instead of sugar. Everything else is the same.

      Reply
  2. Lori

    July 4, 2016 at 7:53 am

    Thanks. I’ll try it.

    Reply
  3. Pam

    July 4, 2016 at 4:56 pm

    I love Chickfila lemonade! I didn’t know they only used Sunkist lemons. That’s good to know for next time I make lemonade.

    Reply
  4. Nancy at Whispered Inspirations

    July 4, 2016 at 6:39 pm

    I wish we had a Chick Fil A near us but, I will def get my lemonade fix with this. Thanks for the top secret recipe.

    Reply
  5. Jenn @ EngineerMommy

    July 4, 2016 at 7:16 pm

    Oh, I absolutely love their lemonade. It’s one of my fave drinks of all time! I’dtotally love to recreate the recipe at home!

    Reply
  6. Angelic Sinova

    July 4, 2016 at 7:27 pm

    I really enjoy Chick-fil-A Lemonade so I’ll definitely have to try this Chick-fil-A Lemonade Recipe out for myself. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
  7. Jeanine

    July 4, 2016 at 7:51 pm

    We don’t have Chick-Fil-A in Canada so I’ve only ever heard people rave about this stuff online and I really want to try it… Looks so good, would love to give it a try sounds so refreshing!

    Reply
  8. Terry

    July 4, 2016 at 10:53 pm

    Chickfila is always packed every time I drive by. I love their lemonade. Thanks for sharing this recipe.

    Reply
  9. Sarah

    July 5, 2016 at 1:25 am

    Interesting, I have never tried this before. I hear great things about these places though. That lemonade sounds so refreshing!

    Reply
  10. Christy Garrett

    July 5, 2016 at 1:01 pm

    I love their lemonade. I haven’t had it in a long time though. I’ll have to try this recipe. Of course,I wonder how they make their sugar free blend.

    Reply
    • Katie

      July 5, 2016 at 1:05 pm

      The recipe is exactly the same, except for the sweetener: they use Splenda instead of sugar.

      Reply
      • Cathy

        January 31, 2017 at 6:40 pm

        How much Splenda is needed ????

        Reply
        • Katie Moseman

          January 31, 2017 at 9:40 pm

          It depends on which type of Splenda you are using. I would use this chart to convert from 1 cup of sugar: https://www.splenda.com/cooking-baking/conversion-charts

          Reply
  11. Chrishelle Ebner

    July 5, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    I love homemade lemonade. I will definitely have to try Sunkist lemons in my next batch and do a family taste test of my own.

    Reply
  12. Eloise

    July 5, 2016 at 11:23 pm

    Lemonade the best dang summer drink EVER! I really want one now! thanks for the secret : )

    Reply
  13. Stephanie Pass

    July 6, 2016 at 12:12 am

    I’m not a big fan of Chick Fil A lemonade at our local one. Here it always takes rather tarty and not as sweet as it used to be.

    Reply
  14. Anosa

    July 10, 2016 at 10:24 am

    Not familiar with chick-Fil-A lemonade. When I was as young my parents made our lemonade with pure sugar cane.

    Reply
  15. cakespy

    July 13, 2016 at 7:27 am

    Fascinating explanation of how they pursue that singular flavor. Thanks for taking me on this tasty journey!

    Reply
  16. Carla

    January 14, 2017 at 5:55 pm

    So they juice the rind too?

    Reply
    • Katie Moseman

      January 15, 2017 at 9:25 am

      Not exactly juice the rind, but more like a lot of machine action goes into the juicing, making it release more juice and probably a little more of the oils that are present in the rind. If you watch YouTube videos of the Sunkist commercial juicers in action, you’ll see that they’re quite powerful.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c445K24Nflo

      Reply
  17. Sue

    January 15, 2017 at 1:45 am

    Now to find out how they make their sweet tea!

    Reply
    • Katie Moseman

      January 15, 2017 at 9:16 am

      That is a brilliant idea! I might just have to look into that. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
    • Sara

      January 27, 2017 at 1:02 pm

      I will ask my daughter! She works at our local Chic-for-a!

      Reply
      • Katie Moseman

        January 27, 2017 at 1:05 pm

        I would love to know!!!

        Reply
  18. Sara

    January 27, 2017 at 1:02 pm

    I just found this article and my daughter works at our local college Chic-fil-a. She came home one night and was complaining because she “couldn’t feel her arms”…she had been juicing for a couple hours! I had her write down the recipe for me and your recipe is right on! YUM!!

    Reply
    • Katie Moseman

      January 27, 2017 at 1:05 pm

      Wow, what a story! So glad this recipe lines up! ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  19. Connor

    February 6, 2017 at 7:37 pm

    5 stars
    I tried it with mostly Sunkist lemons, unfiltered tap, and our sugar was in another container but I’m guessing it’s cane. The results were incredible even with a hand juicer!

    Reply
    • Katie Moseman

      February 6, 2017 at 7:56 pm

      Yay! So glad it worked! I think the most important thing is the Sunkist lemons. Now I’m thirsty for lemonade. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  20. Shelly Prichard

    April 9, 2018 at 8:48 pm

    How much splenda would it take for that recipe?

    Reply
    • Katie Moseman

      April 9, 2018 at 8:59 pm

      I recommend the official Splenda charts for converting sugar to the various Splenda products: https://www.splenda.com/cooking-baking-tips/conversion-charts

      Reply
  21. Shirley Swaim

    August 13, 2018 at 1:09 am

    5 stars
    I would like to know how long a gallon of Chick-fil-A lemonade is good for before it turns bad

    Reply
    • Katie Moseman

      August 13, 2018 at 10:22 am

      Fresh lemonade is good for about a week when stored in the refrigerator.

      Reply
      • Nathan

        September 30, 2018 at 10:53 am

        It says on the box that it is good for around 2 days, but maybe there is a way to make it last longer? A different storage type or something?

        Reply
        • Katie Moseman

          October 1, 2018 at 8:35 am

          Do you mean the lemonade itself? When I make it, we drink it so quickly that I’ve never had to keep it for longer than a few days, so I’m not sure how to make it last longer than that.

          Reply
  22. Robert Miller

    June 11, 2019 at 11:54 am

    4 stars
    Filtered water vs Purified Water – makes a difference. In general terms, filtered water does take out particles, and leaves the chemistry the same. For example: Filtered water can take out sand, often there is a charcoal layer that can improve some types of taste usually associated with chlorine. However, the pH, minerals, and other chemicals are typically not altered.
    Purified water removes chemicals and particles. The goal is to bring water closer to rain-water. For homes and food restaurants, a common system would be Reverse Osmosis. It is based on technology used to convert sea-water into purified water.
    Why the fuss? According to EPA standards, drinking water must have 6.5-8.5 pH value. That is actually a very wide range with the average being closer to 7.0. Acids are added to beverages and compose a flavor profile giving the beverage a distinctive taste. A Lemon pH is 2.29 while Dasani Lemon is 3.48. Lemon Nestea is 2.96.
    Lemon juice contains two acids. The juice is about 5-8% citric acid, which accounts for the tart flavor. Lemons also contain ascorbic acid, which is also known as vitamin C.
    Lemon Juice – depending on the water’s pH, the amount of lemons and other mixture pH range from 2-3. That is actually huge! It is worth noting the acid in lemon juice will attack tooth enamel. Eating lemons and drinking lemon juice can put you at risk for tooth decay. Lemons are not only acidic but also contain a surprisingly high amount of natural sugars, so dentists typically caution patients about eating them.

    Reply
  23. Annette Speigel

    January 16, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    5 stars
    At 10 dollars a gallon it better be good. Wish it was cheaper.

    Reply
  24. Al poteat

    January 25, 2020 at 5:03 pm

    How does this receive breakdown for a 32 ounce glas

    Reply
    • Katie Moseman

      February 18, 2020 at 8:47 pm

      Not sure how to break it down by the glass exactly.

      Reply
  25. Josie

    January 24, 2022 at 1:37 pm

    98% of lemons sold in the US are Eureka lemons. I’m not sure why purchasing a branded version of the same variety would matter other than placebo effect.

    Reply
    • iAreKir

      May 12, 2022 at 8:40 pm

      5 stars
      Looks like they are different types of lemons ๐Ÿคทโ€โ™€๏ธ
      https://www.sunkist.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/08/P1765_Lemon_SellSheet_Downloadable.pdf

      Reply

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