Lemonade is the perfect summer drink made from just three ingredients: it’s sweet, tart, and refreshing!
Looking for more fun summer drinks? Try this easy Pina Colada, Sherbet Punch, or a Jamba Juice copycat Caribbean Passion Smoothie.
The Best Lemonade Recipe
Every summer, my kids love selling drinks and treats in our small cul-de-sac. Last summer, I decided it was time to ditch the store-bought mixes and create a homemade lemonade recipe for them.
The good news? Their little stand is now known throughout the neighborhood and surrounding blocks for having the best lemonade. The bad news? My kids won’t even touch the store-bought stuff anymore. And this is bad news because juicing the amount of lemons needed to keep up with their consumption is, frankly, exhausting!
This recipe for lemonade is simple to make but tastes amazing! It strikes just the right balance of sweet and tangy—downright perfection on a hot, sunny day, especially if it’s served alongside Frozen S’mores!
Why Go With My Recipe?
Okay, hear me out—it might sound odd, but adding just a tiny pinch of salt to a drink isn’t something you see often, yet it works wonders! A little bit can really enhance the flavors and keep the tartness from being overwhelming.
One other thing—I suggest adding water bit by bit and tasting as you go. This way, you won’t end up with a drink that’s too diluted; you can stop when it’s just right for you!
Ingredients
- Simple Syrup: Mix sugar with water to create a simple syrup, using equal parts of each, to add sweetness and balance the tartness of the lemon in your drink. Heat the mixture just until the sugar dissolves—no need to boil. Tip: Make extra, it stores for awhile, and use it in other drinks or this delicious Mango Sorbet.
- Fresh Lemon: What really makes your lemonade stand out is using fresh, not bottled, lemon juice. It gives your lemonade a bright and tangy flavor.
- Cold Water: Adding cold water dilutes the lemon and sugar mixture to the perfect strength. Add the water gradually and taste as you go, since the right amount can vary based on how tart or sweet you like your lemonade.
Quick Tip
Add ice right before serving. If you’re not going to drink the lemonade right away, put ice in each glass instead of the whole pitcher. This stops the lemonade from getting watered down as the ice melts.
How To Make Homemade Lemonade Recipe
- Make Simple Syrup: Put equal parts of sugar and water in a saucepan. Warm it up just until the sugar melts, stirring now and then so the sugar dissolves faster without getting too hot.
- Squeeze Lemons: Get 1 cup of lemon juice from lemons. Roll the lemons on the counter before squeezing to get as much juice as possible.
- Mix: Add the lemon juice to a pitcher. Pour in the cooled simple syrup and then slowly add cold water. Keep tasting it until it tastes perfect to you.
- Chill and Serve: Put the lemonade in the fridge to cool or serve it right away over ice.
Quick Tip
To prevent the lemonade from getting watered down, freeze some of it in ice trays and use these frozen cubes as ice. This way, the lemonade remains flavorful even as the ice melts.
Change Things Up!
- Garnishes: Rim your glasses with sugar or add a lemon slice for decoration. You can also put in some berries, a slice of pineapple, or a mint leaf to make it look fancy!
- Frozen Slushy Lemonade: Blend your lemonade with ice until it’s reaches a slushy consistency like this Lemon Berry Slush.
- Add Fruit: Make your lemonade more exciting by adding peaches, raspberries, blueberries, or strawberries. (This strawberry lemonade recipe is a huge favorite at my house!)
- Add Herbs: Add fresh herbs like basil, mint, or lavender to give your lemonade a unique flavor.
- Sparkling Lemonade: Replace water with sparkling water to make it fizzy. This is fun for special occasions.
- Make it Creamy: Mix your lemonade with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a creamy, milkshake-like drink. (Like a Chick-Fil-A Frosted Lemonade!)
- To Make A Glass Of Lemonade “Recipe”: Just click “print” on the recipe card below, then adjust the serving size to 1 and follow the modified quantities!
Fun fact: Despite its name, Brazilian lemonade is actually made with limes, not lemons!
Tips For Making The Best Lemonade
- Pick the Perfect Lemons: Choose lemons that are heavy for their size with smooth skin and are fully yellow with no green spots. They’re usually juicier if they’re a bit soft when you squeeze them.
- Use Fresh Lemons, Not Bottled Juice: Fresh lemon juice tastes best. Packaged juice or juice from concentrate just isn’t the same.
- Adjust the Sweetness: Change how sweet your drink is by adding more water if it’s too sweet or making more simple syrup if you want it sweeter. Start with less water and gradually add more until it tastes just right for you.
- Tools: If you make lemonade often enough, consider getting a good juicer. Strain out the seeds, but feel free to leave the pulp in if you enjoy it.
Storage
Store your lemonade in an enclosed pitcher or bottle (in the fridge) without ice for up to 4 days. When you’re ready to serve, simply pour it over ice and enjoy!
More Refreshing Drinks
- Frosted Lime-Berry Spritzer with a sugared blueberry base
- Sparkling Raspberry Limeade takes minutes to make
- Sparkling Pomegranate Juice perfect for holiday entertaining
- Kid-friendly Tart Cherry Spritzer
- Refreshing and light Virgin Mojito Recipe
Lemonade
Equipment
- Large pitcher
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 4-6 cups water divided
- 1 pinch salt
- 6-8 lemons
- Ice for serving
Instructions
- Juice lemons using a citrus juicer to get 1 cup lemon juice. (I love this juicer).
- Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar plus a teeny pinch of salt in a small saucepan. Place over medium-low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside, allow to cool for 10 minutes in the fridge.
- Pour 1 cup of fresh-squeezed lemon juice into a pitcher. Then, add the completely cooled simple syrup. Mix in 3 cups of water and gradually add up to 2 more cups, stirring well and tasting after each 1/2 cup to get it exactly how you like it!
- Pour over ice and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
