Homemade Lemonade

There is nothing like a glass of cold lemonade on a hot summer day and this homemade lemonade is the perfect thirst-quenching drink. Using fresh lemons, water, and sugar, you can make a batch of beautiful lemonade to sip on your porch or serve at a party!

glass pitcher with lemonade and lemon slices and a glass

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This fresh-squeezed lemonade recipe has simple ingredients you probably already have and is an easy lemonade recipe.

✨ Here is why this recipe is amazing:

This recipe is way better than store-bought lemonade and is the perfect drink with the best flavor.
Fresh lemons make this drink refreshing and colorful.
It's perfect for a crowd and is a big hit. We love to serve it on the Fourth of July and our summer parties.

🍋 Ingredients needed:

For homemade lemonade you only need three ingredients!

8 cups water, divided
1 cup sugar
1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice (about 6-8 large lemons) - we used Meyer lemons
Ice cubes (optional)

🔄 Substitutions

How Do I MaKe Sugar-Free Lemonade?

While this recipe uses regular sugar as the sweetener, we haven't tested a sugar-free version yet. You can try a sugar replacement like Steevia or monk fruit substitute or your sweetener of choice. Just be sure to read the label on what ratio to used based on the sugar in this recipe.

👩‍🍳 How to make This Simple Homemade Lemonade Recipe

Step One: Squeeze the Lemons

hand squeezing half a lemon over a sieve

Roll each lemon on the counter, then cut in half and squeeze the lemons until you have 1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice. Use a strainer to catch any pulp or seeds. Set aside.

Step 2: Make the Simple Syrup

Make In medium sauce pan add 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar. Heat on medium-high heat stirring frequently until all the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear.

Remove from heat and set aside, allow the sugar syrup cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. You can also put the mixture in the refrigerator to get it to cool faster.

In a large pitcher add the fresh lemon juice, 6 cups water, and the cooled simple syrup and stir to combine.

Serve over ice and garnish with a fresh lemon slice or a lemon peel.

❄️ Storage Tips

You can store fresh lemonade in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator for up to one week.

📝 Frequently asked questions, answers and tips:

Keep It Cold

If serving this outside and your ice cubes will melt, make a batch of this lemonade the day before and put the lemonade in ice cube trays and freeze. The day you're serving the lemonade, add the lemonade ice cubes to the pitchers or glasses. The lemonade ice cubes will melt, but not water down the drink.

Tips and Suggestions:

HOT TIP! Hold half a lemon, cut side up and squeeze with your hands. Allow the juice to overflow to a bowl below your hand. This will catch the seeds at the top of the lemon or in your hand.

Juicy Lemons - to get the most juice from the lemons, roll them back and forth on the counter before you cut and squeeze them. This will help release the juice and give you a greater amount of juice from each lemon.
Fresh Lemons - for best results, use fresh lemons in this recipe. While you can replace the fresh juice with store-bought lemon juice, it's best to use real lemons for the best flavor.
Lemon Slices - If serving in a large pitcher, add additional lemon slices to the pitcher as garnish.
Mint - add a few mint leaves to the glasses
Pink Lemonade - if you can get your hands on pink lemons, replace regular lemons with them to make a beautiful pink drink.

clear glass with lemonade a sliced lemon and yellow and white straw

This easy homemade lemonade recipe is perfect on a warm summer day.

🍹More Drink Recipes

lemonade in glass with yellow and white straw

Homemade Lemonade

Fresh lemons, sugar, and water make a refreshing drink!

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Prep Time 5

Cook Time 5

Chill time 5

Total Time 15

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings servings

Calories

Ingredients

8 cups Water divided
1 cup Sugar
1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice about 6-8 lemons
Ice cubes

Instructions

Roll each lemon on the counter, then cut in half and squeeze the lemons until you have 1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice. Use a strainer to catch any pulp or seeds. Set aside.
In medium sauce pan add 2 cups water and 1 cup sugar. Heat on medium-high heat stirring frequently until all the sugar is dissolved and liquid is clear.
Remove from heat and set aside, allow the syrup cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. You can also put the mixture in the refrigerator to get it to cool faster.
In a large pitcher add the fresh lemon juice, 6 cups water, and the cooled simple syrup and stir to combine.
Serve over ice.

Disclosure

Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.