Copycat Culver's Refreshing Lemon Ice Smoothie Recipe

Photos of Copycat Culver’s Refreshing Lemon Ice Smoothie Recipe

Culver’s offers a limited-time-only summer treats menu where you can experience some of their tasty summer-themed drinks. For this copycat recipe, we’re recreating one of these summertime favorites: the Culver’s Lemon Ice Smoothie. This delicious Culver’s smoothie is a thick and creamy drink made of berries mixed with Greek yogurt, honey, lemon, vanilla, and mint. It has the perfect mix of sweet and tangy all in one glass! Pair this ice lemon smoothie drink with crispy crinkle-cut fries.

Tips on Making Copycat Culver’s Refreshing Lemon Ice Smoothie

There are a lot of ways you can make this copycat Culver’s Lemon Ice Smoothie extra wonderful. With some of our helpful tips below, you can make slight variations that can make your ice blended smoothie even more delightful to drink.

Use frozen fruits to thicken the smoothie. Frozen fruits will give your smoothie that frothy and thick consistency which makes it all the more appealing to drink. Aside from that, frozen fruits also retain their ripeness and nutritional value longer. And, of course, having frozen fruits on hand makes it easier to make more smoothies!
Use lime juice as a substitute for lemon concentrate. If you don’t have lemon concentrate, then lime juice is the next best option. It’s the ideal substitute since it shares the same taste and acidity level. You don’t need to make any measurement adjustments with the lime juice. Simply replace the lemon juice, and the resulting taste will be the same which is a mix of sweetness with a hint of citrus.
Try a non-dairy yogurt as an alternative to Greek yogurt. For a vegan-friendly drink variation, choose a dairy-free yogurt option. There are yogurts that are made with almond milk or soy milk which you can use instead to make this recipe vegan.
Garnish with lemon or lime slices. In addition to the sprig of fresh mint, add in a lemon or lime slice on the rim of your glass so it’s extra fancy and delicious. You can also add a fruit topping like red raspberry or strawberry pieces to give the drink an added texture.

How To Make Copycat Culver's Refreshing Lemon Ice Smoothie

A fruity smoothie in a glass is just perfect to fulfill and quench your thirst this summer. This Culver’s-inspired drink is easy to prepare and will be ready in less than 5 minutes.

Prep: 2 mins

Cook: 2 mins

Total: 4 mins

Serves:

Ingredients

2¼ cups Greek yogurt
2 cups strawberries, or raspberries, frozen
6 tbsp honey
6 tbsp lemon concentrate
1½ cups water
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups ice cubes
2 tbsp mint leaves, torn

To Serve:

mint leaves

Instructions

In a blender, add all of the ingredients together, except for mint leaves.
Add enough water to puree until smooth.
Blend on High for about 2 minutes.
Add the mint leaves and continue blending until smooth.
Add ice cubes into your choice of tall glassware.
Pour and serve the smoothie, garnished with more mint leaves.

Nutrition

Sugar: 224g
:
Calcium: 324mg
Calories: 1316kcal
Carbohydrates: 280g
Cholesterol: 11mg
Fat: 1g
Fiber: 27g
Iron: 53mg
Potassium: 3574mg
Protein: 23g
Saturated Fat: 1g
Sodium: 109mg
Vitamin A: 212IU
Vitamin C: 2899mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

Have you tried making this Copycat Culver's Refreshing Lemon Ice Smoothie Recipe at home? Share your experience and any tweaks you made in the Recipe Sharing forum!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does Culver’s Lemon Ice have dairy?

Culver’s Lemon Ice is another limited-time only summer drink that’s different from Lemon Ice Smoothie, and is typically dairy- and egg-free. On the other hand, the original Culver’s Lemon Ice Smoothie combines Lemon Ice with their creamy Vanilla Fresh Frozen Custard. Since their smoothie is made with custard, it’s not entirely dairy-free. But with our Culver’s inspired Lemon Ice Smoothie recipe, you can enjoy a dairy-free variation with just a few ingredient changes. You’ll still end up with a creamy, sweet, and tangy dessert smoothie!

Why is my smoothie foamy?

If your smoothie ends up being too foamy, then it might be because of the fruits’ insoluble skin fibers. It’s usually a common issue to have when you use fresh fruits for your smoothies. But, don’t worry, you can easily fix this issue! Simply blend the smoothie again in the blender at a very low speed for about 10 to 20 seconds longer. Or, you can use a long spoon to stir the foam back into the smoothie.

Conclusion

Enjoy a cool summer drink with this delicious copycat Culver’s Lemon Ice Smoothie that you can easily make using simple ingredients. This thick and frothy smoothie has a unique combination of sweet and tangy with a hint of minty goodness. It’s really the perfect drink to make for those hot summer days!