Classic Homemade Lemonade
This Classic Homemade Lemonade is the real deal — fresh-squeezed lemon juice, a quick simple syrup, and cold water come together in just 20 minutes to create a perfectly balanced drink that's bright, sweet, and just the right amount of tart. No artificial flavors, no store-bought mixes, just pure refreshing lemonade the way it was always meant to taste.
Equipment
- Citrus juicer or handheld lemon squeezer
- Small saucepan
- Measuring cups
- Fine mesh strainer or sieve
- Large glass pitcher At least 6 cups / 1.5 liters capacity
- Wooden spoon or stirring stick
- Knife and cutting board For slicing lemons
- Serving glasses
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice About 6–8 lemons; approximately 240ml
- 1 cup granulated white sugar About 200g
- 1 cup water For the simple syrup; about 240ml
- 4 cups cold water For the lemonade; about 960ml; filtered water recommended
- ice cubes For serving and chilling
- lemon slices Optional; for garnish
Instructions
- Roll each lemon firmly on the countertop to loosen the juice, then cut in half and squeeze using a citrus juicer until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl to remove seeds and pulp.
- Combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar fully dissolves and the liquid turns clear, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool completely, at least 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour 4 cups of cold water and the strained lemon juice into a large pitcher, then add the cooled simple syrup and stir well to combine. Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness as desired.
- Fill the pitcher with ice cubes and stir once more to chill. Pour into ice-filled glasses, garnish with lemon slices if desired, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Always use fresh lemons, not bottled lemon juice — fresh juice gives a brighter, more vibrant flavor that makes all the difference.
- Roll each lemon firmly on the counter before juicing to break down the membranes and get significantly more juice out of each lemon.
- Let the simple syrup cool completely before adding it to the pitcher — warm syrup will melt the ice and dilute the lemonade.
- Taste the lemonade before serving and adjust: add more syrup for sweetness or a squeeze of extra lemon juice for more tartness.
- Use filtered water if possible for the cleanest, freshest flavor since water makes up most of the recipe.
- Store prepared lemonade in a sealed pitcher in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Stir before serving as ingredients may settle.
- The simple syrup can be made ahead and stored separately in the fridge for up to 4 weeks in a sealed jar.
- To make sparkling lemonade, replace the 4 cups of cold still water with chilled sparkling water or club soda, added just before serving.
- For a sugar-free version, substitute the granulated sugar with honey, agave syrup, stevia, or monk fruit sweetener dissolved in the warm water the same way.
- Add ice only when serving — if storing in the fridge, keep ice separate so the lemonade doesn't get diluted as the ice melts.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 155kcalCarbohydrates: 41gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 55mgSugar: 40gVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 1mgIron: 1mg
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