Plum lemonade concentrate captures the sweet-tart brightness of ripe summer plums in a shelf-stable syrup you can stretch into a pitcher any time of year. A jar from the pantry becomes a batch of plum lemonade, still or sparkling, on a hot afternoon or midwinter when you want a reminder of summer.
This recipe has been reviewed for safety and accuracy by a Master Food Preserver certified through the University of Cornell Cooperative Extension.
If you have more plums than you can eat fresh, canning a lemonade concentrate is an efficient way to preserve flavor. Unlike jams or syrups, this concentrate is made from strained plum juice combined with lemon and sugar, producing a clear, smooth concentrate that mixes cleanly into water or soda. It’s based on tested canning guidance for fruit purees, and adapts easily to other fruit-lemonade styles.
Notes from my kitchen
On our Vermont homestead we grow many cold-hardy plum varieties and always get them at once. I began making this concentrate the year I needed a new way to use a big harvest, and now I keep several jars on the shelf for winter. Mixed with seltzer it becomes a quick homemade soda; in the dead of winter a glass tastes like a little summer sunshine.
I prefer mine a bit lighter—more water than some recipes call for—so I mix on the milder side. One pint of concentrate yields about a half gallon of finished plum lemonade, so a few jars go a long way.
You can swap lime for lemon to make a plum limeade concentrate if you prefer a slightly different citrus profile. The method remains the same: extract a clear or lightly pulped fruit juice, combine with citrus and sugar, heat gently, and process in a water bath for safe storage.
Quick look at the recipe
- Recipe name: Canning Plum Lemonade Concentrate
- Type: Fruit drink concentrate (shelf-stable)
- Canning method: Water-bath canning (fruit puree times)
- Prep/cook time: About 1 hour 30 minutes (includes juice draining)
- Canning time: 15 minutes (adjust for altitude)
- Yield: Roughly 5 pints per batch
- Jar sizes: Half pint, pint, or quart (quart is maximum)
- Headspace: 1/4 inch
- Ingredients overview: Plum juice, lemon juice, sugar
- Difficulty: Easy — simmer, strain, combine, heat, and process
Plum Lemonade Concentrate ingredients
This recipe uses only a few ingredients, but each plays a role. Plum juice provides fruit flavor, color, and body; lemon juice supplies the tartness and needed acidity; and sugar balances the fruit and gives the concentrate body.
- Plum juice: Simmered and strained from ripe plums
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed or bottled, strained to remove pulp
- Sugar: Granulated white sugar to sweeten and round the flavor
Fresh lemon juice gives the best flavor, but bottled lemon juice is acceptable and consistent for canning because the acidity is steady. Any typical plum will work for this concentrate; red plums usually give vivid color and flavor. Some very tannic varieties, like certain damsons, can taste astringent here and are better used for jam instead.
Adjust the ratio to taste
Both plum juice and lemon juice are safe to can at the proportions used here, so you can shift the balance to personal preference. Use more plum for a fruitier concentrate or more lemon for a brighter tartness. Sugar is for flavor and texture, not preservation, so reduce or increase it to taste without changing canning safety.
Yield notes
A single batch generally uses:
- 4 cups plum juice (from about 4 pounds of plums)
- 4 cups lemon juice
- 6 cups sugar
This makes roughly 5 pints; actual yield depends on plum juiciness and how much juice you extract.
How to make plum lemonade concentrate
After you extract the plum juice the rest is straightforward and quick.
Juice and strain the lemons
Juice the lemons and strain the liquid to remove seeds and excess pulp. Lemon pith and pulp can add bitterness if left in, so a good straining improves the final flavor.
Extract the plum juice
Wash about 4 pounds of ripe plums, remove stems, and cut into chunks—no need to peel or pit. Place the fruit in a large pot with about 1 cup water, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, mashing occasionally to release juice.
Strain the cooked fruit through a jelly bag or a fine-mesh strainer lined with damp cheesecloth. Let it drain at least an hour. For a very clear juice, do not press the pulp; for slightly more yield with a bit of body, press gently. You want about 4 cups of plum juice for this recipe; any extra juice can be used for syrup, jelly, or frozen treats.
Heat the concentrate
Combine the plum juice, strained lemon juice, and sugar in a large saucepan. Stir so the sugar begins to dissolve, then heat over medium-high, stirring frequently, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture reaches about 190°F (just below a simmer). Do not let it boil; a thermometer helps you stop at the right temperature.
Canning plum lemonade concentrate
Because this uses fruit juice, follow water-bath canning times for fruit purees. Prepare a water bath canner, keep jars hot, and have lids and bands ready.
Ladle the hot concentrate into hot jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims clean, center lids, and screw bands fingertip-tight. Process jars in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes, adjusting time for altitude (see notes). When processing finishes, turn off heat and let jars rest in the canner five minutes to reduce siphoning. Lift jars out and cool undisturbed 12–24 hours.
Check seals after cooling; refrigerated any jars that did not seal. Store sealed jars in a cool, dark pantry and refrigerate after opening. Quart is the largest jar size recommended for this recipe; do not can in half-gallon jars.
You can also freeze this recipe in freezer-safe containers with 1 inch headspace if you prefer not to can.
Water-bath canning altitude adjustments
Process times by elevation:
- Under 1,000 ft: 15 minutes (half pints, pints, quarts)
- 1,001–6,000 ft: 20 minutes (half pints, pints, quarts)
- Above 6,000 ft: 25 minutes (half pints, pints, quarts)
Serving ideas
Reconstitute by mixing 1 part concentrate with 3 parts cold water (one pint concentrate plus six cups water yields about a half gallon). Adjust strength to taste. Try it with seltzer or tonic water for a fizzy soda, over ice with a splash of ginger ale, as a cocktail mixer, or stirred into iced tea for added fruit flavor.
Plum lemonade FAQs
A pint jar (2 cups) of concentrate makes about 1/2 gallon (8 cups) of prepared lemonade when mixed 1 part concentrate to 3 parts water (2 cups concentrate + 6 cups water).
No—straining to a clear juice is a quality choice, not a safety requirement. Leaving some pulp gives more body and follows the fruit puree canning guidance, while a jelly bag produces a clearer, smoother drink.
Yes. Both fresh and bottled lemon juice work and keep the recipe safely acidic. Fresh juice strained well offers the best flavor; bottled juice is consistent and convenient.
If you want other ways to preserve plums, consider recipes for plum jam, plum jelly, or fruit canned in syrup. This concentrate is a refreshing and economical addition to a canning repertoire.
Plum canning recipes
Damson Jam
Greengage Jam
Canning Plum Lemonade Concentrate
If you tried this Plum Lemonade Concentrate, leave a star rating and share your experience in the comments. Enjoy preserving!
Plum Lemonade Concentrate
Equipment
- Water-bath canner
- Jelly strainer or fine-mesh strainer with cheesecloth
Ingredients
For the plum juice
- 4 lbs plums
- 1 cup water
For the concentrate
- 4 cups plum juice (from above)
- 4 cups lemon juice (fresh or bottled), strained
- 6 cups sugar
Instructions
- Prepare a water bath canner and heat the water to a simmer. Wash jars and lids and keep jars hot until filling.
- Make the plum juice: wash plums, remove stems, and cut into chunks. Place in a pot with 1 cup water, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes, mashing to release juice.
- Strain the cooked fruit through a jelly bag or cheesecloth-lined strainer and allow to drain at least an hour. For clear juice, do not press the pulp; press gently for more yield. Measure 4 cups plum juice.
- Juice and strain lemons to remove seeds and excess pulp.
- Combine plum juice, lemon juice, and sugar in a large saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar, then heat to about 190°F, stirring frequently. Do not boil.
- Ladle hot concentrate into hot jars leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles, wipe rims, apply lids and bands fingertip-tight.
- Process in a boiling water bath: see altitude adjustments below. When processing finishes, turn off heat and let jars rest in the canner 5 minutes before removing.
- Cool jars undisturbed 12–24 hours. Check seals; refrigerate any unsealed jars and store sealed jars in the pantry. Refrigerate after opening.
Serving tip: Mix 1 part concentrate with 3 parts cold water, or combine with seltzer for a fizzy drink. One pint of concentrate makes about a half gallon of lemonade.
Notes
- Yield: Yields about 5 pints, depending on fruit juiciness.
- Lemon juice: Fresh or bottled works; strain for best flavor.
- Straining: Optional for texture; a jelly bag produces a clearer drink.
- Storage: Sealed jars keep up to a year in a cool pantry. Refrigerate after opening. If freezing, allow 1 inch headspace.
- Altitude adjustments: Under 1,000 ft — 15 minutes; 1,001–6,000 ft — 20 minutes; above 6,000 ft — 25 minutes (half pints, pints, quarts).
Nutrition (approx.)
Serving: 1 cup prepared — Calories: 152; Carbs: 39 g; Sugar: 37 g; Potassium: 125 mg; Vitamin C: 9 mg. Nutrition is an estimate.
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