By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on June 14, 2026

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DIY Sour Mix

Serves 4

214 cal · 20 min

DIY Sour Mix

Recipe GLPR92e80f9e36abf5

4.5(1)
Sauce & Condiment
20 min
214 cal
Servings: 4
Stovetop
SNAP eligible

A homemade citrus sour mix made with fresh lemon and lime juice combined with sugar and water. Perfect for making margaritas, daiquiris, and other sour cocktails at home. This simple recipe yields a bright, fresh-tasting mixer that's far superior to commercial versions.

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Ingredients

1 cup (200g) sugar

1 cup (8 ounces) water

1 cup (8 ounces) freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup (4 ounces) freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions

  1. Combine the sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

  2. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves completely, about 3-4 minutes. Do not allow the mixture to boil.

  3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the simple syrup to cool to room temperature, approximately 5-7 minutes.

  4. Pour the cooled simple syrup into a clean glass container or pitcher.

  5. Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and lime juice to the syrup, stirring well to combine.

  6. Taste and adjust the balance of sweetness and tartness if desired by adding more lemon juice for tanginess or additional syrup for sweetness.

  7. Cover the container and refrigerate until ready to use. This sour mix can be stored for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.5

This is a straightforward syrup that costs under a dollar to make and every ingredient is stocked everywhere in Charlotte—sugar and water at any store, fresh lemon and lime juice year-round at Harris Teeter, Food Lion, Publix, Walmart, ALDI, and Kroger. The stated 20 minutes is honest; it's mostly hands-off simmering. The real value is that homemade sour mix beats the bottled version by miles for flavor and cost, though it's a single-use mix that won't reheat—you make it fresh when you want a sour cocktail or margarita. It's not a dish for feeding a family dinner, but it's exactly what it claims to be.

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