WHY MAKE THIS HOMEMADE LEMONADE RECIPE?
WHAT INGREDIENTS DO I NEED TO BUY LEMONADE?
- sugar and water
2. Fresh squeeze lemon juice
3. Ice cold water
WHAT KIND OF LEMONS ARE BEST TO BUY?
I find meyer lemons are the juiciest. But they are usually a little more expensive. So opt for larger lemons to get the most juice for the band for your buck.
HOW DO I GET MORE JUICE OUT OF THE LEMONS?
A few pro tips to get more juice out of your lemons are:
- Press down and roll the lemon with the palm of your hand.
- Place the lemon in the microwave for 10 seconds
HOW TO MAKE A SIMPLE SYRUP FOR THIS HOMEMADE LEMONADE RECIPE
The first step to making perfect lemonade is to make a simple syrup.
WHY MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP INSTEAD OF JUST ADDING SUGAR
You make the simple syrup for two reasons
- taste
- ensuring the sugar dissolves
In a pot add your sugar and water together. You want to keep it at a 1:1 ratio. There is a "rich syrup" which uses double the sugar to the water. but for this lemonade recipe a simple syrup is just fine.
Bring the sugar and water to boil and stir it until the sugar is completely dissolved and the liquid is clear instead of murky.
Let the syrup come to room temp.
You can place it in an air tight container and keep it in the fridge for all different kinds of drinks. Some of our other recipes that use simple syrup recipes are
HOW TO MAKE THIS HOMEMADE LEMONADE RECIPE
Now that the simple syrup is room temp you can stir everything together
- squeeze your lemons
- add in your juice to a pitcher
- add in your simple syrup
- stir in ice cold water
CAN I USE STORE BOUGHT LEMON JUICE?
I mean, I can't stop you from doing that, but listen to me... IT IS NOT THE SAME. It can be a substitute but it will not taste fresh, clean or the same as fresh squeezed lemons I promise. It's not time consuming or too difficult to squeeze the lemons.
WHAT CAN I ADD INTO THE LEMONADE TO JAZZ IT UP?
Add in fresh lemon or lime wedges. Mint is another refreshing addition to add to lemonade.
FAQ'S
HOW LONG DOES FRESH LEMONADE LAST IN THE FRIDGE?
This homemade lemonade recipe will last 7-8 days if stored in the fridge.
HOW MANY LEMONS SHOULD I BUY?
Generally you will need about 6-8 lemons for this recipe. If they are large and extra juicy you'll need less. Smaller lemons you might need more. If you want to use fresh lemons as garnish then grab a few extra. A 2 pound bag should give you plenty.
CAN I SUBSTITUTE LIMES FOR THE LEMON?
YES! if you are in a pinch and need to either use limes or a combination of limes and lemons. If you use all limes you'll technically be making a limeade but simple syrup works with both!
CAN I USE SPARKLING WATER?
YES! Sparkling water is so fun to mix in! Instead of using water grab some club soda or sparkling water at the store and just substitute it.
TOO SWEET? TOO SOUR?
This lemonade recipe is just a base for so much. If you like your lemonade a light on flavor, extra sweet, or extra tart then add more of what you love! Feel free to slightly play around with the measurements so its exactly like you want.
HOW MUCH DOES THIS MAKE?
This recipe is measured to fit exactly in a standard 2 quart pitcher. Just double it to make a gallon!
LET'S BE FRIENDS!
If you tried this homemade lemonade recipe or any other recipe on the blog then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave us a comment below. You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest to see what else we’re getting up to.
Homemade Lemonade
Ingredients
Simple Syrup
- 2 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
Lemonade
- 1.5 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1.5 cup simply syrup
- 6 cups cold water or sparkling cold water
Instructions
simple syrup
- Combine water, sugar in a medium pan. stir together and bring to a boil, stirring occasional. When sugar is completely dissolved remove from heat and allow to come to room temp. If not mixing in immediatly with lemonade store in an air tight container in the fridge.
Lemonade
- Mix together simple syrup, lemon juice and water. Stir until combined and serve immediately. Any left over lemonade store in fridge.
Video
Nutrition
Serena says
I used limes and it makes really good limeade
Emily Kemp says
Beautiful photos, this makes me want it to be summer again!
amber says
The citric acid seriously makes a difference. So delicious!
Rose says
Wonder where Amber above got the citric acid ingredient to add. I didn’t see it in the ingredients anywhere or in the notes. Was looking to see how much to add. And what about absorbic acid which is what I see in tart drinks or commercial lemonade.
Desarae says
Hi Rose! Yes we’ve updated the post and altered the recipe with ingredients that are easier to find for the majority of the public. I didn’t sift through the comments ! Thanks for bringing that to my attention.