Homemade Lemonade Recipe
Three-ingredient homemade lemonade is tart-sweet and always refreshing! You can adjust the added sugar to suit your taste, and you'll love making the most of fresh lemon juice in this easy drink.
A glass of fresh, homemade lemonade is the ultimate thirst-quencher! On a hot summer's day, there's nothing better. I love lemonade with blueberry yogurt cake, a batch of warm whole wheat chocolate chip cookies, or squares of whole wheat brownies. When lemons are in season, you'll definitely want this recipe on hand, along with plenty of ice. Adjust the sweetness to your taste, and enjoy!
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A Perfect Glass of Refreshing Lemonade
My daughter asked, Do you really need a recipe for lemonade? And the answer is yes! Why? It's important to get the proportions right so that you have a wonderfully balanced glass where every sip yields the perfect blend of sweet and tart.
I've given some options for how to adjust this recipe if you want it sweeter or less concentrated, or you can make the recipe exactly as written. There's so much to love about homemade lemonade.
- Super fresh. I love making lemonade myself because there will never be any artificial sweetness or preservatives (plus I can make it more or less sweet depending on what we're in the mood for). All you need are 3 simple ingredients!
- Easy to tailor. As noted, when you make lemonade yourself, you can adjust the sweetness and tartness exactly to your liking.
- So easy and quick to make. Got a juice squeezer and some lemons? You're all set to make lemonade! This is a recipe that can be whipped up in less than 5 minutes.
Ingredients Needed
Here's the easiest ingredients list ever! Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Granulated sugar - Or you can use honey or maple syrup-see my suggestions below.
- Lemon juice - Fresh-squeezed lemon juice is what makes homemade lemonade stand out, although you could use bottled lemon juice if that's all you have. You'll need 1 cup of lemon juice per batch of lemonade.
- Water - I use 4 cups of water to offset the lemon juice; this gives a nicely concentrated lemon flavor, which we prefer. You can add more water to taste if you like.
Variations
- Mint lemonade - Add fresh mint to the pitcher of lemonade, or muddle (crush it) a bit first in the sugar water.
- Honey-sweetened lemonade - Instead of sugar, use honey to sweeten lemonade. This means you won't have to dissolve the sugar in water. Add honey to taste and stir it into the lemon juice before adding the water. You could also try maple syrup.
- Limeade - Use this recipe with lime juice instead of lemons!
- Pink lemonade - Add a handful of raspberries or chopped strawberries and lightly crush them into the lemonade as you stir them in to turn the lemonade pink.
How to Make Homemade Lemonade
Just a few steps and less than 10 minutes will have you enjoying a tall glass of fresh lemonade! See how to do it below.
- Make simple syrup: Combine the sugar and water over medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves.
- Squeeze lemons: Make enough lemon juice to equal 1 cup.
- Make lemonade: Place the lemon juice and simple syrup in a pitcher, then add water and stir to combine.
Lemonade-Making Tips
- How to choose lemons: Not all lemons are created equal. The best lemons for lemonade feel heavy (ie, full of juice). I prefer to use Meyer lemons for lemonade as they are milder and sweeter, but any type of lemon will work.
- Roll the lemons before juicing. Give each lemon a firm roll on the countertop before juicing it to help break down the membranes inside. This will give you more juice!
- Make the simple syrup! Don't skip this step. For a smooth and balanced sip, you DO NOT want grainy sugar in the lemonade. A brief dissolving of water and sugar will result in sweet sugar water to perfectly incorporate into the lemon juice.
- Chill. You can totally drink lemonade as soon as it's stirred together, but I like to chill it for at least 30 minutes before serving. Or, serve it over ice if you can't wait.
- Adjust the sweetness. I strongly recommend tasting the lemonade as you go and adding the dissolved sugar slowly. Stop when you've reached your perfect sweetness level.
- Make it a cocktail! Use lemonade as the mixer in a summery cocktail. Pair it with bourbon, vodka, or gin.
- Or a mocktail. Add a splash of sparkling water to turn this into a fizzy lemon mocktail, then garnish wtih a slice of strawberry or a sprig of mint.
- Double the batch. You can easily double or triple this recipe to make a lot of lemonade!
How to Store
- Fridge - Place lemonade in an airtight container (like a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid) and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - To make lemonade ice cubes, portion out the lemonade into an ice cube tray and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to freeze the ice cubes overnight, then transfer them to a freezer-safe storage container or bag. They are great in glasses of lemonade or lemony cocktails!
If you tried this recipe, please let me know how it went in the comments below! And I always appreciate a star rating if you loved it ❤️
Recipe
Homemade Lemonade
Three-ingredient homemade lemonade is tart-sweet and always refreshing! Easy to make and adjust to your taste.
Ingredients
Method
- Make a simple syrup by combining 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup of water in a pot over medium heat. Simmer, stirring, until the sugar has dissolved fully Set aside to cool a bit.
- If you haven't already done so, squeeze enough lemons to equal 1 cup lemon juice. Place the lemon juice and simple syrup in a pitcher, then add 4 cups of water (or more to taste). Stir to combine.
- Store leftover lemonade in an airtight glass container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- How to choose lemons: Not all lemons are created equal. The best lemons for lemonade feel heavy (ie, full of juice). I prefer to use Meyer lemons for lemonade as they are milder and sweeter, but any type of lemon will work.
- Roll the lemons before juicing. Give each lemon a firm roll on the countertop before juicing it to help break down the membranes inside. This will give you more juice!
- Make the simple syrup! Don't skip this step. For a smooth and balanced sip, you DO NOT want grainy sugar in the lemonade. A brief dissolving of water and sugar will result in sweet sugar water to perfectly incorporate into the lemon juice.
- Chill. You can totally drink lemonade as soon as it's stirred together, but I like to chill it for at least 30 minutes before serving. Or, serve it over ice if you can't wait.
- Adjust the sweetness. I strongly recommend tasting the lemonade as you go and adding the dissolved sugar slowly. Stop when you've reached your perfect sweetness level.
- Make it a cocktail! Use lemonade as the mixer in a summery cocktail. Pair it with bourbon, vodka, or gin.
- Or a mocktail. Add a splash of sparkling water to turn this into a fizzy lemon mocktail, then garnish wtih a slice of strawberry or a sprig of mint.
- Double the batch. You can easily double or triple this recipe to make a lot of lemonade!