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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.
Homemade Lemonade Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 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
Nutrition
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.
Thank you so much for all your recipes. You have totally saved me through so many holidays!! Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays. I appreciate your easy to follow receipts and video s, but Mostly I love how the food turns out so tasty. You are my go to search up for recipes!
Thank you.
The absolute best lemonade I’ve ever had!
Hi I wanted to ask is your last name Rollins??? I know it sounds weird for me asking for your last name, so PLEASE dont think of me as a creep!!!
So delicious and easy! Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great.
I’m going to try with coconut sugar. I cannot have white processed sugar. I’ll see how that turns out. Otherwise I usually use some honey and stevia for my single glasses. I will see how it turns out since I’m out of honey at the moment! Thanks for the recipe!
Excellent recipe, will not uses any other, thanks
I am diabetic. Can I use Truvia to sweeten the lemonade instead of making simple syrup?
I’ve never tested it with an artificial sweetener, but it should be fine if you follow the same method as the syrup (warming it in the saucepan to help the sugar dissolve).
I love the recipe it was like a explosion of flavor!!
Instead of sugar I used an equal amount of monkfruit to sweeten. Excellent sugar free alternative for diabetics.
I recently was given a bag of freshly picked lemons from someone’s backyard lemon tree, and wasn’t quite sure what to do with them all. This recipe was the perfect solution! Made it just as the recipe called for, and was truly blown away by how refreshing and yummy it was. I will never want store bought lemonade again! 💕💕💕
This lemonade recipe is perfect! I made the recipe as directed and it turned out wonderful! Can’t wait to make it again. Thanks for such a great recipe.