Lemonade Recipe
Make Lemonade Recipe in just 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Lemonade Base
Optional Garnishes & Variations
Method
Lemonade Base
Juice the lemons
Roll lemons on the countertop with firm pressure to loosen juices. Cut lemons in half and juice until you have 1 cup (about 4–6 medium lemons). Strain juice through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove seeds and excess pulp.
Make sugar syrup
In a heatproof container, combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 cup warm water. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. (Alternatively, use 2 tablespoons simple syrup from the optional section and skip this step.)
Combine and dilute
In a pitcher, combine the strained lemon juice and the dissolved sugar-water. Add 3 cups cold water and stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness or dilution: add more water if too strong, or more sugar/simple syrup if too tart.
Chill and serve
Add 2 cups of ice to the pitcher or serve lemonade over ice in individual glasses. If using sparkling water, replace up to 1 cup of the cold water with sparkling water and add it just before serving to retain fizz.
Garnish & Variations
Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and 2–3 fresh mint leaves. For a sweeter or clearer lemonade, stir in 2 tablespoons simple syrup instead of granulated sugar. For a fizzy version, fold in 1 cup sparkling water right before serving.