Easy & Delicious Lemonade
Nothing says summer quite like a tall, ice-cold glass of homemade lemonade. This recipe is your guide to creating that classic, nostalgic drink using just three simple, all-natural ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 cup Water To combine this with the sugar to create a syrup.
- 1 cup Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice You’ll need about 4 to 6 medium-to-large lemons.
- 2-3 cup Cold Water This is added at the end to balance the concentrated lemon syrup.
- 1 Lemon Need the zest. This can be optional.
Instructions
Make the Simple Syrup
- Combine the 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally with a spoon or whisk until you see the sugar has completely dissolved and the liquid is clear. This should only take about 3-5 minutes. Avoid bringing it to a rolling boil; you just want to heat it enough to dissolve the sugar.
- If you’re using lemon zest for extra flavor, add it to the saucepan now.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the simple syrup cool for a few minutes. If you used zest, strain it out before moving to the next step.
Juice the Lemons
- To maximize the juice you get from each lemon, firmly roll them on your countertop for 15-20 seconds before cutting. You can also microwave them for 10-15 seconds to help loosen the juices
- Cut the lemons in half and squeeze them using a citrus juicer, a reamer, or even just your hands.
- Pour the squeezed juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup. This will catch any stray seeds or pulp, ensuring your lemonade is perfectly smooth. Continue until you have exactly 1 cup of fresh juice.
Mix and Dilute the Lemonade
- In a large pitcher, combine the 1 cup of fresh lemon juice and the cooled simple syrup. Stir them together well. At this point, you have a lemonade concentrate.
- Pour in 2 cups of cold water and stir. Give it a taste.
- From here, you can customize it. If it’s too strong or sweet, add more cold water (up to 1 additional cup, or more) until it tastes perfect to you. If you’d prefer it a bit more tart, squeeze in a little more lemon juice.
Chill and Serve
- For the best and most refreshing flavor, cover the pitcher and refrigerate the lemonade for at least 30 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- When you’re ready to serve, fill your glasses with plenty of ice.
- Give the lemonade a final stir, pour it into the glasses, and garnish with fresh lemon slices. Enjoy immediately!
Notes
Tips for the Best Homemade Lemonade
- Don’t Use Bottled Juice: The single most important tip is to use freshly squeezed lemons. Bottled lemon juice has a dull, often slightly bitter flavor and simply can’t compare to the real thing.
- Start with Less Water: You can always add more water, but you can’t take it out. Start with the lower amount recommended for diluting (2 cups) and adjust from there.
- Don’t Overlook the Zest: Adding a few strips of lemon peel to your simple syrup as it cools is an easy way to add an incredible depth of lemon flavor. Just be sure to avoid the white pith, which is bitter.
- Make it Bubbly: For a fun, sparkling lemonade, use club soda or sparkling water instead of plain cold water for diluting. Add it just before serving to keep the bubbles fresh.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!