When the weather warms up, this homemade lemonade recipe becomes a staple in my kitchen. It’s on my weekend meal prep list all summer long because nothing beats a cold, crisp glass of freshly squeezed lemonade on a hot day. This simple, timeless recipe comes together in just minutes, and the flavor is worlds better than anything store‑bought—no preservatives, no added colors, just pure, sweet‑tart goodness. It’s refreshing, bright, and pairs beautifully with any meal.
One of my favorite things about making lemonade from scratch is how customizable it is. You can adjust the sweetness to your taste, garnish each glass with a lemon slice, or even swap the water for carbonated water for a bubbly, sparkling version. If you ever find yourself with leftover lemon juice after making this recipe, it’s the perfect excuse to make a batch of lemon bars. This recipe is also wonderful for gatherings, picnics, and parties because it’s easy to scale up and always a crowd favorite.
If you want to get creative, try adding fruit purées, mint leaves, iced tea, or sparkling water for fun, refreshing twists. However you serve it, homemade lemonade is one of those simple pleasures that makes summer feel extra special.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Refreshing and summery – fresh lemonade is perfect for hot days and outdoor gatherings.
- Simple and quick – this recipe is ready in just minutes and only has 3 ingredients!
- Customizable to taste – adjust the sugar level to meet your preferences or add fruit purées, mint leaves, iced tea, or sparkling water for fun, refreshing twists.
- Naturally clean – homemade lemonade has no preservatives or artificial colors.
- Versatile and crowd‑friendly – this recipe is so easy to scale up for picnics, parties, or meal prep.
Ingredients
- 8 cups water
- 1 and 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 and 1/2 cups lemon juice
How to make lemonade
- Warm 1 cup of water on the stove top and dissolve 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar in the water to make a simple syrup.
- Allow the simple syrup to cool and come to room temperature – this is an optional step, but the heat from the simple syrup mixture can decrease the amount of vitamin C in the lemon juice.
- Pour the simple syrup, lemon juice, and remaining water into a pitcher.
- Place the lemonade in the refrigerator for several hours to chill before serving.
- Serve over ice.
How to store this lemonade recipe
- Store the lemonade in the fridge for a week or freeze for up to 2 months in an airtight container
Classic Lemonade Recipe
8
servings15
minutes5
minutesIngredients
8 cups water
1 and 1/2 cups sugar
1 and 1/2 cups lemon juice
Directions
- Warm 1 cup of water on the stove top and dissolve 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar in the water to make a simple syrup.
- Allow the simple syrup to cool and come to room temperature – this is an optional step, but the heat from the simple syrup mixture can decrease the amount of vitamin C in the lemon juice.
- Pour the simple syrup, lemon juice, and remaining water into a pitcher.
- Place the lemonade in the refrigerator for several hours to chill before serving.
- Serve over ice.
Leave a Reply