Homemade Lemonade
A refreshing homemade lemonade recipe—simple, customizable, and steeped in tradition. With just three core ingredients, this lemonade delivers balanced tang, sweetness, and endless creative possibilities.
Equipment
- pitcher
- Saucepan
- Strainer
- citrus juicer
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1½ cups fresh lemon juice from about 6–8 large lemons
- 1 cup simple syrup (see below) or substitute honey, agave, or maple syrup
- 5–6 cups cold filtered water adjust to taste
- optional garnishes lemon slices, ice cubes, mint, basil
Instructions
- Roll lemons on counter, then cut and squeeze until you have about 1½ cups of juice; strain if desired.
- Make simple syrup: combine equal parts sugar and water (1 cup each) in a saucepan, heat until sugar dissolves, then cool.
- In a large pitcher, combine lemon juice and cooled syrup. Add 5 cups cold water, taste, and adjust water or sweetness if needed.
- Add optional garnishes (lemon slices, ice, herbs) and stir well. Chill for 2 hours or serve immediately over ice.
Notes
Store lemonade in a sealed pitcher or container in the fridge for up to 5–7 days. You can freeze lemon juice and syrup in ice cube trays for easy mixing later.