Classic Fresh Squeezed Homemade Lemonade Recipe
Make the ultimate thirst quencher with this easy, classic homemade lemonade recipe. This recipe uses just three main ingredients to deliver a perfectly tart and sweet drink ideal for summer gatherings or a quick cool down.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 5 min
- Total Time: 20 min
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Stovetop/Mixing
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4–6 lemons)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 cups cold water
- Ice for serving
- Lemon slices for garnish
Instructions
- Make the simple syrup: Combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar completely dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat and let the syrup cool completely.
- In a large pitcher, combine the cooled simple syrup and the fresh lemon juice. Stir well.
- Add the remaining 3 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir to combine all ingredients.
- Taste the lemonade. If you prefer it sweeter, add a little more sugar dissolved in a small amount of hot water. If you prefer it tarter, add a splash more lemon juice.
- Chill the lemonade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving for the best flavor.
- Serve the cold lemonade over plenty of ice, garnished with fresh lemon slices.
Notes
- For a crowd-pleasing pitcher, double or triple this recipe.
- To make Pink Lemonade, add 1/4 cup of cranberry juice or a few drops of natural red food coloring.
- For Peach Lemonade, muddle 1/2 cup of fresh peach slices into the bottom of the pitcher before adding liquids.
- This recipe is a great base for non-alcoholic summer drinks; try adding mint leaves or basil for extra flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 38g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 39g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg