Cayenne Pepper Shot with Lemon (no juicer needed)

A lemon ginger shot next to an orange, ginger root, and cayenne pepper.

5 from 3 votes

Cayenne Pepper Shot with Lemon (no juicer needed)

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!

Prep Time5

Total Time10

Course: Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine: American

Keyword: cold, frozen, fruit, healthy, refreshing, Vitamin C

Servings: 2-3 oz servings

Calories: 26kcal

Author: Mika Kinney

Equipment

fine mesh strainer
high powered blender

Ingredients

1 lemon halved
2 oranges halved
10 baby carrots or 2 full size
¼ cup honey
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper powder
1 teaspoon tumeric powder
1 teaspoon fresh ginger about a knob half the length of your pointer finger
1 cup water
12 oz coconut water or just additional plain water

Instructions

Add everything (except the coconut water) to the blender. No need to peel anything (unless you're making this without a strainer)! But, I do recommend cutting the citrus in half so it fits in the blender better.
Blend this until smooth. It may take a full minute of blending and you may need to stop and scrape down the sides to ensure it fully blends. You can always add a little more water too if it won’t blend well.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl or measuring cup that can hold at least 4 cups. Pour some of the mixture into the strainer (you’ll have to work in batches) and use the back of a spoon to push the liquid through. Once you’ve gotten most of the liquid out, discard the fibrous parts and repeat the process until you’ve worked through all of the juice mixture.
I like to mix in 12 ounces of coconut water because it takes the edge off and adds electrolytes (according to this expert answer from Mayo Clinic). You can also pour it over ice cubes to enjoy it more like juice.

Video

Notes

Substitutions

Citrus: feel free to use 100% lemon and/or orange juice or use any type of citrus you have (grapefruit, cuties, yuzu, etc)
Carrots: you can use a cored apple in place of carrots if needed.
Honey: any liquid sweetener will work.
Cayenne pepper: start with half the quantity if are not great with spice. You can always add more.
Turmeric powder: raw turmeric will work or apple cider vinegar for a different flavor profile.
Ginger: minced ginger will work.
Coconut water: this is optional and you can just use additional plain water if you don't have coconut water.

Notes

Separation is normal: Because these wellness shots are strained only one, 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 either 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.

FAQ's

Do I need to remove the seeds from the lemon and orange?

If you are using a fish mesh sieve, then no you do not need to remove the lemon seeds. But if you do not have one, then you need to peel and remove the seeds.

Can I freeze these cayenne ginger lemon shots?

Yes, freezing these in ice cube trays is a great way to have them all year. Simply pour into ice cube trays or even muffin tins, freeze, remove, and then transfer to an air-tight container or ziptop bag. These will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer.

How do I know if i got all the liquid out of the pulp while straining?

You’ll know that the pulp has been mostly strained when it has the consistency of damp clay. If you squeeze the pulp together, it should hold its shape but still be wet.

See the post for additional substitution options and storage notes.

Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.

Nutrition