Best Homemade Lemonade Ever (2024)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

15 mins

Servings:

10

Yield:

10 8-ounce servings

Jump to Nutrition Facts

When life gives you lemons, make the Best Lemonade Ever! This aptly named recipe is as good as it gets: Sweet, tart, easy to throw together, and oh-so refreshing. Sweeten your day with our top-rated lemonade recipe (and get our best lemonade serving and storage tips).

Best Homemade Lemonade Ever (1)

Lemonade Ingredients

It couldn't be easier to make this homemade lemonade with just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Sugar and Water
What makes this lemonade so special? The recipe starts with a simple syrup, which is just a fancy way of saying the first step is dissolving sugar in boiling water. This ensures the finished drink is totally cohesive and smooth (and it prevents sugar from collecting at the bottom of the pitcher).

Lemon Juice
Obviously, you'll need lemon juice to make homemade lemonade. Freshly squeezed juice is definitely the way to go if you have fresh lemons available, but bottled juice will work in a pinch.

Ice
There's nothing like a refreshing glass of ice cold lemonade to cool you down on a hot day. Just make sure to add the ice right before serving — you don't want it to dilute the sweet flavor.

How to Make Lemonade

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Making homemade lemonade is probably way easier than you think (and it's well worth the extra effort). You'll just need to follow a few simple steps.

Juice Your Lemons

Start by firmly rolling the lemons around on the counter. This will help release the juices and make your job a lot easier. Cut the lemon in half crosswise, then squeeze out the juice by hand or with a juicer.

Make sure to juice the lemons over a large measuring cup so you can see exactly how much liquid you have.

Make a Simple Syrup

It's shockingly simple to make simple syrup on the stove. Just combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil, and stir it until the sugar is dissolved.

Stir

Pour cold water into a pitcher. Stir in lemon juice and pulp, then add simple syrup to taste.

Serve

Serve over ice. If you're feeling fancy, garnish each glass with a fresh lemon slice or a candied lemon peel.

How to Store Fresh Lemonade

Store homemade lemonade in the fridge for about 5 to 7 days without ice. Since ice will dilute the mixture, it's best to add it right before serving. If the lemonade is in an open pitcher, cover it with storage wrap for maximum freshness.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Tart and sweet ... just how we like it," says Sandy AZ. "If you don't like it that way, let it mellow down with some ice cubes. Will definitely make many more times 'cause I have two lemon trees bursting with fruit."

"This was wonderful," raves Melissa. "I served it at a Mother's Day barbecue, and everyone loved it. Since it was served in a large clear container, I floated two lemons sliced into rounds, and also half a bunch of fresh mint leaves. Very pretty, and the mint added a nice touch of flavor."

"This is a great recipe," according to PRESTO. "This was my first time making real lemonade, and I will definitely use this recipe again!"

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients

  • 1 ¾ cups white sugar

  • 1 cup water

  • 9 medium lemons, or more as needed

  • 7 cups ice-cold water

  • ice as needed

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    Best Homemade Lemonade Ever (3)

  2. Combine sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar while mixture comes to a boil. Set aside to cool slightly.

    Best Homemade Lemonade Ever (4)

  3. Meanwhile, roll lemons around on your counter to soften. Cut in half crosswise, and squeeze into a liquid measuring cup. Add pulp to the juice, but discard any seeds. Continue juicing until you have 1 1/2 cups fresh juice and pulp.

    Best Homemade Lemonade Ever (5)

  4. Pour 7 cups ice-cold water into a pitcher. Stir in lemon juice and pulp, then add simple syrup to taste. Add ice.

    Best Homemade Lemonade Ever (6)

Recipe Tips

To make ahead, refrigerate the cooled simple syrup for up to one month. Continue with Step 3 when ready to serve.

Nine medium lemons should yield about 1 1/2 cups juice and pulp, but the number required will depend on the size you use.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

145Calories
38g Carbs
0g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe10
Calories145
% Daily Value *
Sodium6mg0%
Total Carbohydrate38g14%
Dietary Fiber0g0%
Total Sugars36g
Protein0g0%
Vitamin C17mg19%
Calcium9mg1%
Potassium48mg1%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Powered by the ESHA Research Database © 2018, ESHA Research, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Best Homemade Lemonade Ever (2024)

FAQs

What is the formula for lemonade? ›

Start with the proportions of 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of lemon juice. Reduce the sugar amount if you are using Meyer lemons or if you like your lemonade less sweet. (I usually use 3/4 cup of sugar.)

Is it OK to drink homemade lemonade everyday? ›

An occasional glass of lemonade is unlikely to harm your health. Too much of it, on the other hand, can ‌irritate mouth sores and cause tooth decay‌ in the long run, as the American Dental Association (ADA) points out.

What does baking soda do to lemonade? ›

The acid in the lemon juice reacts with the baking soda or bicarb. You can see the mixture will bubble as it creates the gas, which in turn causes the fizzing!

What is the 7 step in making lemonade? ›

What are the 7 Steps of Making Lemonade?
  1. Wash fresh lemons.
  2. Combine sugar and water.
  3. Bring the sugar and water mixture to a simmer over medium heat. ...
  4. Cut the lemons in half and juice them. ...
  5. Add the lemon juice to a pitcher (paid link) of cold water.
  6. Add the simple syrup to the lemon juice mixture.
  7. Add ice and serve.
Feb 8, 2022

How many lemons for 1 cup of juice? ›

How Much Juice Is in One Lemon? On average, there are 3 tablespoons of juice in one lemon. So, for a cup of fresh lemon juice, you would need 5 and a quarter lemons. Because some lemons are less juicy than others, it's safe to say you'll need 5 and a half lemons for a cup of lemon juice.

What lemonade does co*ke make? ›

Simply Lemonade® offers premium, not-from-concentrate juice drink products that appeal to consumers seeking a fresh taste experience. Simply Lemonade® best provides a natural, fresh taste experience because it starts with the pure goodness of premium fruit to offer simple, honest products in a transparent fashion.

When should you not drink lemonade? ›

The only reason not to eat lemon daily is if it's hurting your teeth or stomach. The citric acid in lemons may cause you to get indigestion, heartburn, or acid reflux.

Does lemon water flush out sugar? ›

The bottom line: Lemon and cucumber water is better than certain drink options (e.g. sugary ones), and it can help you stay hydrated. However, don't reach for lemon and cucumber-infused water with the expectation that it will single-handedly reduce your blood sugars and diabetes symptoms.

Is homemade lemonade healthier than soda? ›

A: Despite its healthier image, regular lemonade is not necessarily any lower in calories than an equal portion of a regular carbonated soft drink. Whether ready-to-drink or made at home from frozen concentrate or a powdered mix, most lemonade contains about 100 to 120 calories in each eight-ounce portion.

Why is my lemonade fizzy? ›

When the baking soda and lemon juice are combined, they react, releasing bubbles of carbon dioxide into the lemonade. This is the same thing that gives soda pop its fizz. If it is allowed to sit, the bubbles of carbon dioxide will escape the mixture and, just like soda pop, it will go flat.

Which gas makes lemonade fizzy? ›

Carbonation is the process of adding carbon dioxide (CO2) to a liquid. In this experiment, you are creating a chemical reaction between an acid—the lemon juice—and a base—the baking soda. The chemical reaction creates carbon dioxide in your liquid and that's what forms the bubbles. Behold the fizz!

Why do you soak lemons in baking soda? ›

The US Food and Drug Administration, the US Department of Agriculture and other scientists agree: use a cold water soak with baking soda to effectively help remove dirt, chemical residue, and other unwanted materials from your fresh vegetables and fruits.

How many lemons should I put in a gallon of water? ›

For 1 gallon of water, use 8 to 12 lemons and 2 cups of sugar. For 1 quart of water, use 2 to 3 lemons and 1/4 cup of sugar.

How to make lemonade Jamie Oliver? ›

Method. Squeeze the juice of one lemon into a jug, add sugar to taste, elderflower cordial and mix well to dissolve. Put a few ice cubes in each glass, slice the remaining lemon and add to the glasses along with the frozen berries. Top up with sparkling water to taste and mix with a straw.

How to make Mel's lemonade from lemonade mouth? ›

Mel's Lemonade
  1. Step 1/2. ¾ cup sugar. 8 cups water. Dissolve the sugar in 1 cup (out of the 8) of hot water.
  2. Step 2/2. 4 lemons. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the remaining water, and squeeze the juice out of all 4 lemons, then add 1 lemon rind and stir.

What are the ingredients of lemonade? ›

Ingredients
  • 1 ¾ cups white sugar.
  • 1 cup water.
  • 9 medium lemons, or more as needed.
  • 7 cups ice-cold water.
  • ice as needed.

What is the compound of lemonade? ›

The short answer is that lemonade is definitely a mixture. There are all types of lemonade, but they all contain some sugar, water and flavoring. These components are all compounds themselves and are mixed together in no definite proportions to make lemonade.

What mixture is lemonade? ›

Lemonade is a combination of lemon juice, water, and sugar. The lemonade is an example of a hom*ogeneous mixture. A hom*ogeneous mixture has the same composition throughout.

What is the chemical formula for lemon juice? ›

Citric Acid is a weak acid with a chemical formula C6H8O7. It can occur in two forms – monohydrate or water-free (anhydrous). This acid is usually found in citrus fruits like lemons, oranges etc. It is considered as a tribasic acid.

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