This post contains affiliate links.
This Fresh Squeezed Lemonade recipe is made with just 3 ingredients! It's perfectly sweet (but not too sweet!) and makes the best refreshing summer drink. Take it to a BBQ, Potluck, or just enjoy it at home.
Looking for more beverage recipes? Try my Strawberry Lemonade, Chocolate Milkshake, or Strawberry Banana Smoothie!
What I love about this drink:
- Delicious – This is the BEST lemonade recipe and will absolutely ruin your tastes buds for any type of store-bought lemonade. No other lemonade will ever measure up– it's that good!
- 3 Ingredients – Lemons, sugar, and water is all you need. It's easy to adjust the sweetness to your liking. Be sure to serve it with lots of ice.
- Freezer-Friendly – I love to double of triple the recipe, and freeze it (before adding water) so that we have fresh lemonade any time we want!
Lemonade ingredients:
- Lemons: Fresh lemons are essential for this recipe to get that great fresh-squeezed lemonade taste. Depending on the size of your lemons, you will need between 6-8 medium size lemons to get 1 ½ cups of lemon juice for this recipe.
- Sugar: White granulated sugar gets dissolved in water to create a simple syrup.
- Water: How much water you add really depends on how sweet you like your lemonade.
How to Make lemonade:
Make Simple Syrup: Add sugar and 2 cups of water to a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
Juice the Lemons: Strain the lemon juice through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher.
Combine Syrup and Lemon Juice: Add more water to taste, until you reach your desired lemonade sweetness.
Chill: Serve cold, over ice and enjoy!
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.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
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.
Follow me for more great recipes
Homemade Lemonade
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.
- Strain the lemon juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart pitcher. Add simple syrup and stir to combine. Refrigerate until cold.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Text me new recipe ideas!
Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.
Follow Me
*I originally shared this recipe May 2015. Updated April 2019 and May 2022.
This post contains affiliate links. I love sharing my favorite products with you!
Can’t wait to make this, during Pandemic days I have been trying new recipes! I wanted lemon aid, I have a can in the freezer, but was curious as to a recipe from scratch. We are coming on Spring/Summer now and want to be prepared with a great thirst quencher, other than soda! I am always happy with refrigerated spring water, we have a well and softened water, the amount of salt bothers me. Thank you for posting this recipe.
I love this lemonade! It’s sweet and tart. I prefer my lemonade on the sweeter side so this was perfect for me.
I would put less sugar, it was a bit sweeter than my liking. Otherwise thumbs up!
It was a bit sweeter than i like. I added more water which fixed the problem. Otherwise it was delish!
This recipe was good but the instructions were a bit unclear. My lazy self -laughs- had to scroll to the bottom to see how much sugar to use (2 cups) But overall pretty good! My son loved it but my daughter had diarrhea. She has a sensitive tummy like my one of my husbands! Oh, Phil! Anyway, love this recipe recommend.
Best lemonade yet! Just making second batch. Next is orange Julius. Thank you
It was so simple and great tastings lemonade. They say life gives you lemons make lemonade!! I would add a little lemon juice concentrate (from a bottle) to mine. I used 8 lemons to make it very flavorful ! Also I love u can freeze some and have it on stand by for a quick refreshing drink
Great recipe. Easy to follow and so refreshing. Thank you for this!!!
Deliciously refreshing on a hot summer day!
Incredible recipe!! Highly reccomend. I made this lemonade to make lavender-lemonade slushies. I boiled 1-2 tablespoons of culinary lavender in 3-4 cups of water and put it in ice cube trays in the freezer. When it is frozen, I’m going to put those ice cubes and the lemonade in the blender! Can’t wait!