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    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Homemade Lemonade with Simple Syrup

    Published Jun 29, 2022 · by Jacqueline Piper · Leave a Comment · This post may contain affiliate links

    7 shares
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    Lemonade in a glass with a straw.
    Lemonade in a glass with a straw beside a drink pitcher of lemonade.

    Homemade Lemonade with Simple Syrup | Homemade lemonade is so easy to make and uses the simplest of ingredients. Gather fresh lemons and make the quick simple syrup for a cool and refreshing, well balanced summer drink. You only need lemons, sugar and water.

    Lemonade in a glass with a straw.

    Use the table of contents below to jump to any section of this blog post. You can also use the jump to recipe link above to get right to the recipe card.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Lemonade Mix-in Ideas
    • Equipment
    • Storage
    • Tips + FAQs
    • Recipe

    Fresh squeezed lemonade loaded with ice cubes is one of the most refreshing things on a summer day.

    Fresh lemon juice is the star of this recipe - it's zippy citrus flavor really makes homemade lemonade so much better. You can also use store-bought bottled juice if you prefer and find it easier.

    I like making my lemonade with simple syrup because using sugar can make your drink kind of grainy and I'd rather it be smooth. Simple syrup is easy to make, you can follow my Simple Syrup recipe post.

    Basically you'll heat water and sugar together in equal amounts and stir until the sugar dissolves - easy. Use the cooled simple syrup in whatever drink you want - like this homemade lemonade or my Strawberry Lemonade Vodka Cocktail.

    Lemonade in a glass with a straw beside a drink pitcher of lemonade.

    Ingredients

    About the ingredients for this recipe. See the recipe card below for exact amounts.

    • lemons: I prefer fresh squeezed lemon juice when making lemonade, just for the fresher, zippier flavor, but you can use the bottled lemon juice instead if you want to.
    • sugar or simple syrup: I prefer using simple syrup for lemonade because it gets rid of the graininess that using sugar can result in. Simple syrup is just a mixture of sugar and water, heated together and is quick and easy to make using my simple syrup recipe. You can use sugar if you prefer.
    • water and ice: I use 8 cups of cold water for this recipe because if I'm making lemonade, I may as well make a bigger batch. I also add the ice right to the pitcher. You can add more ice to the cup on a really hot day.

    Instructions

    Prep Tips

    • wash your lemons and cut them in half
    • make a simple syrup

    Simple syrup is easy to make, just follow my Simple Syrup recipe post. You'll just heat water and sugar so that the sugar dissolves. You can use sugar instead if you want to.

    Squeezing a lemon for lemonade.

    Squeeze the lemons to get ¾ cups of lemon juice. This should only take about three lemons. Fish out the seeds with a fork and discard them.

    Adding simple syrup to a large measuring cup for lemonade.

    Add the lemon juice, simple syrup and water to a large container and stir to mix together.

    Adding ice to a large drink pitcher.

    Add ice to a drink pitcher.

    Pouring lemonade into a large drink pitcher.

    Fill the drink pitcher with lemonade and serve.

    I like to serve lemonade in glasses with more ice, especially on hot summer days.

    RECIPE TIP: Each lemon will yield between ¼ to ⅓ cup of juice, depending on size and age. Make sure to scoop out any seeds!

    Lemonade in a glass with a straw beside a drink pitcher of lemonade.

    Lemonade Mix-in Ideas

    • herbs like basil or mint
    • strawberries, raspberries, blackberries
    • pomegranate seeds
    • cucumber slices
    • lemon, lime, or orange slices

    Equipment

    You don't need special equipment to make lemonade, you can squeeze lemons by hand. You'll just need a container large enough to hold the lemonade.

    I like drink carafes but I also used my drink pitcher with a spout all the time before I broke it.

    Storage

    Homemade lemonade stores in the fridge for about a week.

    More lemonade recipes

    • Strawberry Lemonade Vodka Cocktail
    • Simple Syrup

    Tips + FAQs

    How much juice do you get per lemon?

    Each lemon yields about ¼ to ⅓ cup of lemon juice, based on size and age.

    How do you make lemonade with simple syrup?

    Using simple syrup in homemade lemonade eliminates the graininess of sugar. Simply replace the sugar for the same about of simple syrup. Add more to taste.

    Lemonade in a glass with a straw.

    Recipe

    Lemonade in a glass with a straw.

    Homemade Lemonade with Simple Syrup

    Jacqueline Piper
    5 from 1 vote
    Easy homemade lemonade with three ingredients.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe Recipe Saved!
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 0 mins
    Total Time 5 mins
    Servings 8 cups

    Equipment

    • Drink Carafe
    • Drink Pitcher with Spout

    Ingredients
      

    • 8 cups water
    • ¾ cup lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
    • ½ cup simple syrup (or sugar)
    • ice (optional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Squeeze the lemons to get ¾ cups of lemon juice.
    • Mix together the lemon juice, simple syrup and water.
    • Serve the lemonade with ice or optional mix-ins.

    Video

    Notes

    To make simple syrup heat equal parts sugar and water, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
    Want to make your lemonade more interesting? Add mix-ins like:
    • basil or mint
    • berries
    • citrus slices
    • cucumber slices
    • pomegranate seeds
    Storage:
    Homemade lemonade lasts about a week in the fridge.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cupCalories: 44kcalCarbohydrates: 12gSugar: 11g

    Nutrition Disclaimer

    Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used.

    Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
    Keyword drink
    Have you tried a recipe? Tag @pipercooksblog or tag #pipercooksblog!

    Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.

    Lemonade in a glass with a straw beside a drink pitcher of lemonade.

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    Lemonade in a glass with a straw.

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    Hi, I’m Jacqueline Piper and I’m all about the homemade because I love to make things. From 15 minute meals for your weeknight dinner to more effort for special dinners and desserts on the weekend, I’ll show you how to cook from scratch. We’ll do healthy and we’ll do delicious, everything from kale to chocolate with beautiful, fresh ingredients. Search my recipes for your cravings, because we can make it!

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