Homemade Lemonade
This classic homemade lemonade is made with just four simple ingredients—fresh lemons, sugar, and water—and comes together in just 15 minutes. Bright, perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, and completely customizable, this fresh-squeezed lemonade beats anything you'll find at the store and works beautifully for backyard barbecues, picnics, or lazy afternoons on the porch.
Equipment
- Citrus juicer Manual or electric
- Medium saucepan For making simple syrup
- Large Pitcher At least 2-quart capacity; glass preferred
- Fine-mesh strainer To remove seeds and pulp
- Wooden spoon For stirring simple syrup
- Measuring cups
- Sharp knife
- Cutting board
- Ladle or Long Spoon For mixing and serving
Ingredients
- 8 fresh lemons medium-sized; choose bright yellow, firm, and heavy lemons for maximum juice (yields about 1 to 1½ cups juice)
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g; adjust to taste
- 7 cups water divided: 1 cup for simple syrup + 6 cups cold water; filtered preferred
- ice for serving
Optional Garnish
- fresh mint sprigs optional, for garnish
- lemon slices optional, for garnish
Instructions
- Roll each lemon firmly on the counter to release more juice, then cut in half and juice using a citrus juicer into a bowl. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove seeds and pulp; you'll need about 1 to 1½ cups of fresh lemon juice.
- Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring continuously until sugar fully dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer for 2–3 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Pour the fresh lemon juice and cooled simple syrup into a large pitcher, then add 6 cups of cold water and stir thoroughly. Taste and adjust by adding more water to reduce sweetness or more simple syrup to increase it.
- Refrigerate lemonade for at least 1–2 hours until thoroughly chilled. Serve over ice in glasses and garnish with a lemon slice or fresh mint sprig if desired.
Notes
- Room temperature lemons yield more juice: Let lemons sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before juicing, or microwave each one for 10–15 seconds.
- Don't skip the simple syrup: Adding granulated sugar directly to cold water results in grainy lemonade since sugar won't fully dissolve.
- Zest before juicing: If you want extra citrus punch, zest the lemons before cutting and add the zest to the simple syrup while it cooks.
- Double-strain for clarity: For crystal-clear lemonade, strain the juice twice through a fine-mesh strainer.
- Ice in glasses, not the pitcher: Add ice to individual glasses rather than the pitcher to prevent dilution as it sits.
- Sugar-free option: Substitute granulated sugar with stevia, erythritol, or monk fruit sweetener—start with half the amount since these are often sweeter than sugar.
- Storage: Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5–7 days in a glass container. Stir before serving as ingredients may settle.
- Make-ahead simple syrup: Freeze extra simple syrup in ice cube trays for quick future batches.
- Lemonade ice cubes: Freeze leftover lemonade in ice cube trays and use in future drinks to avoid dilution.
- Easy variations: Add blended and strained strawberries, fresh-muddled mint, grated ginger, or dried lavender to the simple syrup for creative flavor twists.
Nutrition
Serving: 1GlassCalories: 110kcalCarbohydrates: 29gSodium: 5mgPotassium: 75mgSugar: 26gVitamin C: 25mgCalcium: 1mg
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