Make a batch of fresh squeezed lemonade today. It's got the perfect balance of tart and sweet and tastes refreshing on a warm day.
Recipe summary
Flavor: Bright, tart, sweet, and refreshing. Tastes way better than store bought!
Simple ingredients. All you need are lemons, sugar, and water to make a batch of fresh-squeezed lemonade.
Yield: 64 ounces, or a half-gallon of lemonade.
Great for: A hot summer day, grilling, hanging out by the pool.
Similar to: Basil Lemonade, Pineapple Mint Lemonade, and Lemonade Slushie
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Ingredients and substitutions
- Lemons - You'll need about7 to 9 medium-sized lemons for this recipe. If you'd like to use lemon slices as a garnish, purchase one additional lemon.
- Sugar - Granulated sugar sweetens your lemonade and can easily be adjusted to suit your tastes.
- Water - You'll need 6.5 cups, or 52 ounces of water for this recipe.
How to make lemonade
- Add one cup of water and granulated sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat.
- Add remaining water and lemon juice to a large pitcher.
- Add simple syrup to the pitcher and stir to incorporate. Use all of the simple syrup for a classic, sweet lemonade. Add less if you prefer a lightly sweetened lemonade.
- Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours.
Tips and tricks
Use fresh lemon juice - Squeeze your own lemon juice to make fresh squeezed lemonade. Fresh lemon juice has a superior flavor when compared to bottled lemon juice concentrate.
Use a heat-safe pitcher - I don't recommend preparing your lemonade in a glass pitcher if you're not sure it's heat-safe. Some glass pitchers can shatter if hot liquid is added.
Adjust sugar to suit your tastes - This recipe makes a moderately sweet lemonade. For a less sweet lemonade, try adding ⅔ cup of granulated sugar (while testing this recipe, I found that ½ cup of sugar was too tart). For a very sweet lemonade, add 1.5 cups of sugar.
Don't add ice to warm lemonade- Adding ice to warm lemonade dilutes it and makes it taste watery. Instead, allow your lemonade to chill in the refrigerator before serving over ice.
Storage
Homemade lemonade will keep for up to 5 days in a pitcher in the refrigerator. The flavor is best within the first day.
Frequently asked questions
I recommend between 7 to 9 lemons depending on size. The amount of juice from each lemon can depend on whether they were picked in season, their size, and their temperature when juicing. Warm or room temperature lemons are easier to squeeze and extract their juice.
Lemonade can sit out at room temperature for about 2 hours before requiring extra refrigeration. I recommend storing your lemonade in the refrigerator until ready to serve so that it maintains a cold temperature and doesn't get watery when served over ice.
Yes, lemonade can be frozen for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container. To save space, make a concentrate by preparing the simple syrup and lemon juice, omitting the remainder of the water.
To thaw, transfer to the refrigerator to thaw overnight, or transfer to the countertop to thaw for several hours. Add water to your concentrate, stir, and serve.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
- 6.5 cups (1474 g) water, divided
- 1.5 cups (336 g) fresh squeezed lemon juice, from 7 to 9 lemons
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, add granulated sugar and one cup of water. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, add remaining 5.5 cups of water and lemon juice to a pitcher.
- Stir simple syrup into lemon mixture to achieve desired sweetness. Use all of the simple syrup for a sweet lemonade. Use about ¾ for a lightly sweetened lemonade.
- Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. Serve over ice and enjoy.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Lemonade will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, and flavor is best when served the same day.
- Adjusting the sweetness: Add more or less sugar to suit your tastes. About ⅔ cup makes a less sweet, more tart lemonade. 1.5 cups makes a very sweet lemonade.
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