How to Make Lemonade (in 3 Ways)
Skip the store-bought stuff and learn how to make your own lemonade recipe at home. Sweet, tart, and refreshing, beat the heat with thirst-quenching variations.
“When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!” Nothing like fresh-squeezed lemonade quenches my thirst when it’s hot outside. So, I want to share my easy peasy lemon squeezy recipes for your refreshment!
Simple ingredients—just fresh lemons, sugar, and water—make the best lemonade. A few fresh mint leaves add a nice touch if you have them. Sorry, bottled lemon juice is tempting in a pinch, but it’s just not the same.
Getting the Right Lemons
People use lemons for almost everything, from food to cosmetics and even as a cleaning agent. I still remember my 8th-grade science project, in which I made a lemon juice baking soda fountain. How is this relevant to a food blog?
Of course, you’ll need good, juicy lemons. They’re heavy for their size; if they feel light, they’re probably too dry to make good lemonade. Give it a light squeeze. It should be firm but not rock-hard.
How to Make Lemonade From Scratch
- Juice – To get the most juice out of your lemons, roll them on a cutting board while pressing them down. Cut them in half, juice them with a juicer, or squeeze them with your hands and a fork. Measure one cup of lemon juice per 4-5 cups of water.
- Assemble – Add the lemon juice to a pitcher, then pour in cold water and simple syrup to taste. If using granulated sugar, add sugar, mix with lemon juice, and then add water. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
- Serve – Toss some fresh lemon slices into the pitcher and chill until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Recipe Variations
- Strawberry lemonade. The sweet tartness of this drink makes it a family favorite, especially during warmer days. Puree 2-3 cups of strawberries and add them with the lemon juice.
- Mango lemonade. Simply puree chopped mangoes with lemon juice, sugar (or honey for a healthier version), and water. And voila, summery bright yellow mango lemonade to keep you refreshed.
- Pineapple lemonade. Fresh pineapples are genuinely a summer staple. And it delivers a sweet tropical drink that screams tropical vacation.
- But why stop there when you can add other ingredients? Try other ingredients like ginger, lemongrass, basil, and condensed milk. The possibilities are endless!
FAQs
You’ll want 2-3 cups of freshly squeezed lemon juice to make a gallon. How many lemons you’ll need depends on the lemon’s size and how juicy they are. Typically, you’ll want to have 10-15 lemons on hand.
Replace half of the water with ice cubes and blitz it in your blender until it turns slushy. A scoop of vanilla ice cream is also absolute yum in frozen lemonade.
Dissolve the desired amount of sugar (or simple syrup) in ¼ cup hot water. Add about 3 tablespoons of freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice to a tall glass and mix in the sugar water. Fill the glass with ice water, and enjoy.
A quick hack I love for serving-size lemonade is mixing lemon juice and simple syrup, then freezing it in ice cube trays. As soon as it’s frozen, pop the cubes into a freezer bag and keep them frozen until ready. Put 2 cubes (adjust to taste) in a tall glass and top with cold water (or seltzer water for fizzy lemonade).
What to Pair With Homemade Lemonade
Lemonade is NOT a friend of sweet treats unless you’re looking for pucker power. Salty snacks like baked quinoa rolls, Jamaican fried dumplings, and hot dog pretzels are ideal.
More Fabulous Drink Recipes to Try
By Imma
How to Make Lemonade
Ingredients
- 1 cup (236ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4-5 large lemons)
- 4-5 cups (950-1,200ml) ice water
Sweetener (Pick one)
- 1 cup (236ml) simple syrup (adjust to tastes)
- ¾-1 cup (150-200g) granulated sugar (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- To get the most juice out of your lemons, roll them on a cutting board while pressing down.
- Cut the lemons in half and then juice them with a juicer or hand squeeze them. Measure the juice and add it to a pitcher.
- Add water and simple syrup to taste. If using granulated sugar instead of simple syrup, dissolve the sugar in a little warm water. Then, mix it with lemon juice, and add water until it tastes right. Stir well.
- Slice a lemon and add it to the pitcher. Refrigerate until ready to serve. If adding ice to the pitcher, reduce the water to compensate to avoid watery lemonade.
Tips & Notes:
- All you really need is lemons, sugar, and water (simple syrup is water and sugar). But adding a little lemon zest puts a delicious zing
- Add the juice of half an orange for another citrusy twist
- Lime juice instead of lemon makes a great limeade
- Please remember that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe
This worked out perfect for my lemonade. I can also use it for summer coctails.
yay!!! yes, you can, Happy to hear from you. Much love for continuous support:)
I actually made lemonade yesterday!! Thanks for sharing your simple recipe. Definitely gonna try it next time with one of the variations offered. Cheers!
That’s great! Can’t wait for you to try out the other versions. I am sure you will love them :)!
Hola Imma! Ya está aquí el calor y una limonada es la mejor opción. Deliciosa , refrescante y saludable . Besitos
¡Refrescante de hecho! Gracias Wendy 🙂
Thank you so much for these recipes!! I can’t wait to make the Mango Lemonade!! Yahoo!
All i want to say is thank you so much ma.
You are welcome, Aisha :).
Hi. How much simple syrup should I use while following your recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Dave,
Adjust syrup to suite your taste buds- taste as you add. It’s really a matter of preference.
I’ve never used simple syrup but I do have a bottle of it for alcoholic beverages. I’ll start the recipe by not using too much, maybe two table spoons at first. As always thank u so much for sharing and responding. You have become my go to for person for countless recipes.