Homemade Lemonade

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This Homemade Lemonade recipe is the only one you'll ever need; made with just 3 simple ingredients and ready in minutes. Fresh-squeezed lemons and a quick simple syrup make it not too sweet and way better than anything from a store or mix.

Homemade Lemonade Happening All Summer Long!

Homemade lemonade has been a staple in our house every summer for years, and once you taste how good the real thing is, there's no going back. Fresh lemons, sugar, and water – that's genuinely all it takes to make a drink that's bright, refreshing, and perfectly sweet. I started making this because I wanted something better than the powdered stuff, and it's now the most-requested drink at every BBQ and pool day we host. It's one of those recipes that sounds too simple to be special, but that's exactly what makes it so good.

Bonus, if you make a double or triple batch, you can freeze the extra (before adding water) and have fresh lemonade anytime you want without any work!

Don't miss my other drink recipes, like Homemade Chocolate Milk, Boba Smoothie, Frozen Hot Chocolate, Oreo Milkshake, or Orange Julius!

How to make Lemonade:

Make Simple Syrup: Combine sugar and 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. (Simple syrup can be made well in advance!)

Juice Lemons: Make sure the lemons are at room temperature before juicing (they will squeeze better). I try to choose juicy ones at the store, but if they are hard I like to press and roll them on the counter for a few seconds to allow some juices to release. After juicing the lemons, strain the lemon juice through a fine mesh strainer into a pitcher.

Combine: Pour the syrup with the lemon juice and add water to taste, until you reach your desired lemonade sweetness. Serve cold, over ice. If you love this lemonade, try my Strawberry Lemonade too!

Pro Tips:

• How to Choose Juicy Lemons: When choosing lemons from the grocery store, look for lemons that are tender to the touch, indicating they are juicy. If you pick up two lemons that are about the same size, the one that is heavier will be juicier.
• How to Juice Lemons: Make sure the lemons are at room temperature before you try and squeeze the juice from them. If using a handheld juicer, like this one, or this, place the lemon inside with the cut-side facing down. You may also use a fork to juice lemons. The tines of the fork and the bent edge of the fork can be used to work your way around the inner flesh of the fruit to get all of the juice out.

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Homemade Lemonade Recipe

Author: Lauren Allen

Our easy homemade lemonade recipe proves you only need 3 ingredients to make it perfect.

Prep: 5 minutes mins

Cook: 5 minutes mins

Total: 10 minutes mins

Servings: 7

Cost: 4

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Equipment

• saucepan
• Pitcher
• Hand Juicer

Ingredients  

0.5x1x2x?

• ▢ 2 cups granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice, , about 6-8 lemons
• ▢ 4 ½ – 5 cups water, , divided

Instructions 

• Combine sugar and 2 cups water in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  2 cups granulated sugar
• Strain the lemon juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart pitcher. Add simple syrup and stir to combine. Refrigerate until cold.
  1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice
• When ready to serve, add 2 ½ cups of cold water and stir. Taste, and add more water if it's too sweet. Serve over ice, if desired.
  4 ½ – 5 cups water

Notes

Yield: Makes about 7 cups of lemonade.

To Make Ahead: This easy lemonade recipe can be made and kept covered in the fridge up to a day or two in advance. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 7 days (but I promise it won't last that long!).

To Freeze: You can freeze the lemon juice concentrate from this recipe and save it to make homemade lemonade, any time. Mix the cooled simple syrup and fresh squeezed lemon juice together. Pour into a freezer bag and freeze for up to 5 months. Allow the mixture to thaw and add it to a pitcher. Add water, to taste, until you reach your desired sweetness.

Nutrition

Calories: 232kcal, Carbohydrates: 61g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 17mg, Potassium: 55mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 58g, Vitamin A: 3IU, Vitamin C: 20mg, Calcium: 13mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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*I originally shared this recipe May 2015. Updated April 2019, May 2022 and June 2026.