House-made Lemonade Recipe

Juice the lemons

Roll whole lemons on the counter to loosen juices, cut in half, and use a citrus juicer or reamer to extract 1 cup (about 4–6 medium lemons) of fresh lemon juice. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove seeds and excess pulp.

Make sugar solution

In a small saucepan combine 3 tbs granulated sugar and 1/2 cup of the cold water. Warm gently over low heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves (about 2–3 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool. (If you prefer, skip heating and use the optional simple syrup ingredient.)

Mix lemonade

In a pitcher, combine the strained lemon juice, the cooled sugar solution, and the remaining 2 1/2 cups cold water. Stir thoroughly and taste. If the lemonade is too tart, add the optional 2 tbs simple syrup or up to 1/4 cup additional sugar solution, stirring to dissolve. If you want a lighter flavor, add more cold water to taste.

Chill

Add 2 cups of ice cubes to the pitcher or to individual glasses to chill the lemonade immediately. Alternatively, refrigerate the mixed lemonade uncovered until cold (about 30–45 minutes) before serving.

Optional fizz

If you prefer fizzy lemonade, just before serving pour up to 1 cup cold sparkling water into the pitcher and gently stir once to preserve bubbles.

Garnish and serve

Pour lemonade into glasses over fresh ice if desired. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and 2 mint leaves. Stir gently and serve immediately.

Storage: Refrigerate leftover lemonade in a covered pitcher for up to 3–4 days. Stir or shake before serving, as separation may occur.