Learn how to make cayenne lemon shots at home with this easy recipe! It's ready in 5 minutes, only requires a blender (no juicer!), and is packed with colorful, fun, and staple ingredients!

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• yes, you can make juice without a juicer!
• ingredients and substitutions
• recipe testing notes
• how to make this - step by step
• watch how to make this - step by step
• tips for working with a fine mesh sieve
• troubleshooting
• storage tips
• more tasty citrus recipes
• Recipe

yes, you can make juice without a juicer!

Hello cold and flu season! If you have a little one in daycare, you know just how often the whole household gets sick. At which point, you rush to the store to stock up on all things orange and yellow that you think could possibly help you.

I almost always end up with those expensive little "Immunity Shots" in my cart because they have to help right?! Well, according to this Harvard Health study, Vitamin C has been shown to be marginally effective at shortening a cold, so I'm going to take what I can get.

Now here's the cool thing, those little juice shots are made with standard ingredients that you probably need to use up in your fridge anyway! So I'm going to show you just how easy it is to make a cayenne lemon ginger shot. And after that, here's why you'll be making these juice shots every week!

• No juicer required: You only need a blender and a strainer to make these tasty cayenne pepper shots!
• Customizable: Once you get the feel for making these ginger shots, you can customize them with what you have in the fridge. Try using grapefruit instead of orange or add a splash of apple cider vinegar for a zing!
• Makes a lot with minimal work! This recipe makes 20 servings - that will get you through a couple of weeks of drinking these cayenne pepper and lemon shots daily. Yet, it only takes 10 minutes to make from start to finish!
• Mentally, it will make you feel better: As noted above and by other sources like the Mayo Clinic, Vitamin C, Zinc, and other antioxidants found in these fruits and vegetables aren't proven effective at fighting or shortening a cold. But, so much of fighting a cold is staying positive (yup, mindset), so if you think a bright, colorful, "wellness shot" that burns your throat will help - it just might!

ingredients and substitutions

All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See recipe card for quantities.

• Citrus: We use a ratio of 1 lemon to 2 oranges, but you can substitute with grapefruit. You can also use 100% lemon juice or orange juice for these orange juice shots.
• Carrots: Carrots add a little sweetness and are high in Vitamin C . You can use a cored apple in place of carrots if needed.
• Honey: Honey is one of the few ingredients to get the Mayo Clinic's blessing, as it has actually been shown to work as a cough suppressant, soothe a sore throat, and help the immune system run better. You can swap this out for agave or maple syrup, but they don't share the same health benefits.
• Cayenne pepper: We use ground cayenne pepper, but you can also pop in half of a whole, deseeded cayenne pepper. Be careful when adding it, a half teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper produces pretty potent shots.
• Turmeric Powder: This can be found at many stores, including Costco. You can also try using turmeric drops. If you don't have turmeric, you can replicate the tang in these turmeric lemon shots by using apple cider vinegar.
• Ginger: We use fresh ginger root, but you can use ginger juice or powdered ginger in a pinch for the spicy kick; you can also use black pepper in place of ginger if you don't have it.
• Coconut water and water

This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

recipe testing notes

Throughout our testing of this cayenne pepper shot recipe, we learned what worked and didn't work. Here are the key takeaways!

• Separation is normal: Because these wellness shots are strained only once, there is still some fibrous material left in the juice. This will naturally separate as it sits in the fridge. Simply give it a shake before enjoying it!
• No strainer? If you don't have a strainer, you can still make this by squeezing it through a cheesecloth or a flour sack dishcloth. If you don't have those, you can make this by peeling all of the ingredients, blending, and then just drinking it with pulp.

how to make this - step by step

Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for the full recipe card!

1. Add everything to a blender except the coconut water.
2. Blend, blend, blend! It might take a while, and you'll have to stop and scrape down the sides.
3. Strain in batches and use a spoon to push it through the fine mesh sieve. Or, use a cheese cloth and squeeze.
4. Add the coconut water, store, and enjoy!

Helpful tip! If you don't have a strainer, you can still make this! Start by peeling all of the ingredients, blend, and then just drink the shots with pulp.

watch how to make this - step by step

Helpful Tip: Why add the coconut water in after the straining? This ensures that you get to drink all of the coconut water and don't lose any during the straining process!

tips for working with a fine mesh sieve

Yes, here are my helpful tips for getting the most out of the ingredients:

1. Use the back of the spoon to sweep the pulp from side to side while also pushing with moderate pressure.
2. Don't forget to press the sides! As you press the bottom, pulp will creep up the sides. You can press the liquid out of this pulp or scrape it down into the middle.
3. Remove the film. As you press the liquid out, a thin film may develop underneath the pulp that will prevent liquid from getting through the strainer. Use the spoon to gently scrape away this film and make sure to remove it between batches (when you discard the pulp).

storage tips

I love to make a large batch of these cayenne shots and keep some in the fridge and some in the freezer.

• Fridge: Store this juice in a large mason jar (or other airtight jar) or lidded container for up to 1 week. Some separation will occur while it sits. Simply shake it or stir before enjoying.
• Freeze: To freeze it, pour the homemade ginger shots into an ice cube tray or muffin tin and flash freeze them. Flash freeze just means to freeze it until frozen (about 8 hours). Then, pop out the cubes or disks and transfer them to an air-tight container or plastic zip-top bag to prevent freezer burn. Store in the freezer for up to three months.

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