Homemade Lemonade – Spend With Pennies

What’s more thirst-quenching on a hot summer day than a tall glass of homemade lemonade?

You’ll need just three ingredients (and one is water!) to make this delicious lemonade from scratch!

A Fresh Summer Favorite

A fresh lemonade recipe is a favorite.

• It’s so easy to make at home.
• Easy and refreshing, this homemade lemonade recipe needs just 3 ingredients.
• Squeeze the lemons and keep the juice in the fridge for a few days or freeze it for a few months.
• Extra lemon simple syrup is great in all kinds of drinks or even tea!

Or, spike it with vodka for your next (adult) party!

Ingredients for Lemonade

LEMONS – For the best flavor, use fresh lemons. Bottled lemon juice can be used but can sometimes have a bit of a bitter flavor. Don’t forget the lemon slices for garnish too!

SWEETENER – We use sugar to make a lemon simple syrup (make extra if you’d like, it’s great in tea or cocktails)! You can sweeten it with honey, maple syrup, or agave if you’d prefer.

WATER/ICE – Water and ice are needed to make this refreshing, thirst-quenching drink!

Variations

Add New Flavors: Try making it into a fresh strawberry lemonade, a raspberry lemonade or add watermelon, fresh mint leaves, or even make a limeade with fresh limes!

Make Pink Lemonade: For pink lemonade add a bit of cranberry juice, raspberry juice, or grenadine to reach the desired color.

Adjust the Sweetness: If homemade lemonade is too sweet, simply add more lemon juice and if it’s too tart, add a spoonful of sugar and a bit of water.

Make it Boozy: Spike it with a bit of vodka or flavored vodka if you’d like!

How to Make Lemonade

Super simple and fun, homemade lemonade takes just 3 simple steps to make!

1. Make Lemon Simple Syrup: Zest a few strips of the rind from a lemon (use a veggie peeler). Combine sugar, water, and lemon zest in a pan and simmer until dissolved.
2. Juice Lemons: Squeeze the lemons to make 1 1/4 cups lemon juice.
3. Add Water: Add ice and 6 cups of water to make 2 quarts and chill until serving.

Keep the garnish simple with lemons or serve it shirley temple style with pomegranates, orange slices, or cherries!

Tips & Make Ahead

• Microwave the lemons for about 15-20 seconds and then roll on the counter to extract more juice.
• Rinse and scrub lemons with a vegetable brush before zesting. Scrubbing them removes the wax that is sprayed on them during shipment.
• Juice lemons using a juicer but if you don’t have a juicer, cut in half and put a fork into the lemon while squeezing.
• If you’d prefer you can strain out the pulp. Pour the lemon juice through a coffee filter
• Store lemonade in the refrigerator and stir it before serving.

More Summer Drinks

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5 from 21 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
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Homemade Lemonade

This fresh homemade lemonade is the perfect refreshing drink.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 10 minutes

• Peel 3 long strips of zest off of the lemons.

• Combine sugar, 1 ½ cups water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan and bring just to a boil until sugar is dissolved. Cool completely.

• Cut the lemons in half and squeeze out the juice using a juicer. If you don’t have a juicer, place a fork in the lemon and gently squeeze while rocking the fork back and forth. You will need 1 ¼ cups lemon juice.

• Place 1 ¼ cups lemon juice and 1 cup* of the simple syrup in a 2 QT pitcher.

• Add ice and 6 cups of cold water. Stir to combine.

• Taste and add more simple syrup if desired.

• *If you prefer lemonade to be less sweet, start with 3/4 cup of simple syrup and add more to taste.
• Microwave the lemons for about 15-20 seconds and then roll on the counter to extract more juice.
• Rinse and scrub lemons with a vegetable brush before zesting. Scrubbing them removes the wax that is sprayed on them during shipment.
• Juice lemons using a juicer but if you don’t have a juicer, cut in half and put a fork into the lemon while squeezing.
• If you’d prefer you can strain out the pulp. Pour the lemon juice through a coffee filter
• Store lemonade in the refrigerator and stir it before serving.

5 from 21 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Calories: 129 | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1mg | Potassium: 39mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin C: 15mg | Calcium: 2mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Beverage, Drink

Cuisine American

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