Beat the heat with this refreshing Homemade Lemonade Recipe that’s bursting with bright, citrusy flavor. Made with just a few simple ingredients, it’s the perfect drink for sunny days and backyard gatherings.
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With spring arriving and summer right around the corner, it is time to get ready for all the cold drinks, BBQs, swimming, and campfires!
And I have the perfect lemonade recipe for you!
If you love fun and easy drinks, make sure to check out my Easy Mint Julep Recipe (nonalcoholic), Peach Iced Tea Recipe, Chocolate Banana Smoothie, Watermelon Drink, and this Easy Cranberry Margarita!
Why This Recipe Works
Simple: All you need is lemons (or lemon juice), sugar, and water. That’s all!
Delicious: Making a simple syrup with sugar and water takes this lemonade to the next level for a smooth, delicious drink.
What Goes Into This Recipe
Sugar- I use regular granulated sugar. It dissolves easily and makes a delicious sweet drink.
Lemon Juice- You can use fresh lemon juice or store-bought. Fresh is typically brighter in flavor and a little sweeter, but both work great.
How to Make Homemade Lemonade?
- Step 1: Heat some of the water and sugar in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved, then set aside to cool.
- Step 2: Pour into pitcher, stir in remaining water and lemon juice.
I like to refrigerate the lemonade before serving it, and then add ice cubes to people’s glasses and the pitcher when I do serve it. Cold drinks are the best!
Lemonade Recipe Variations:
- Limeade: Use lime juice instead for an easy limeade recipe
- Sparkling Lemonade: Use club soda in place of some of the water for a sparkling lemonade.
- Mint Lemonade: Add mint leaves to the saucepan with the water and sugar.
- Cherry Lemonade: Add some cherry juice and maraschino cherries.
- Garnish with lemon slices, strawberries, cherries, and mint leaves
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Store lemonade in the refrigerator for up to a week.
For one cup of lemon juice, you will need 6-8 lemons depending on the size of the lemon. So, for this recipe you will need 12-16 lemons.
I love using a lemon squeezer because it's easy to use and easy to clean.
More Tasty Recipes
If you love this recipe, make sure to check out my easy lemon cupcakes, lemon butter pan-fried cod, candied orange peels, and these tasty carrot cake cookies!
If you like this recipe make sure to give it a 5-star review and leave a comment down below!
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Homemade Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 7 ½ - 9 cups water divided
- 2 cups lemon juice*
Instructions
- Combine 1 ½ cup water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.1 ½ cups sugar
- Once dissolved, refrigerate until cool. Then pour into a pitcher, stir in the remaining water and lemon juice.2 cups lemon juice*, 7 ½ - 9 cups water
Notes
- *This recipe works with both fresh lemon juice and bottled lemon juice. If using fresh lemons, you will need 12-16 for 2 cups.
- * Meyer’s Lemons will be sweeter and juicier, so you might not need as many lemons.
- * You can also use club soda instead of some of the water for a sparkling/fizzy lemonade!
Nutrition
I originally made this lemonade into Biology Project Lemonade as part of my Hearthstone Menu! Added a few drops of neon yellow food gel to give it a bright yellow color!
To make this lemonade neon yellow I added a drop of neon yellow food gel to the drink and mixed until incorporated!
Hearthstone Card Image from Gamepedia
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Blizzard Entertainment is a trademark or registered trademark of Blizzard Entertainment, Inc. in the U.S. and/or other countries. All rights reserved.
Thank you Hearthstone for some of the fun items given to me for my pictures!
Lisa Killian says
This recipe is so easy and so delicious!