Fresh Lemonade Recipe

Make simple syrup

In a small saucepan combine 1 cup water and 3 tablespoons granulated sugar. Heat over medium, stirring until sugar fully dissolves and liquid is clear (about 3–4 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. You can refrigerate to speed cooling.

Juice lemons

While the syrup cools, juice fresh lemons until you have 1 cup of lemon juice. Strain seeds and excess pulp through a fine-mesh sieve if you prefer a clear lemonade.

Combine and dilute

In a 2-quart pitcher, combine the cooled simple syrup and 1 cup lemon juice. Add 3 cups cold water and stir well. Taste and adjust: if too sweet, add up to 1/2 cup more water; if too tart, add 1–2 tablespoons sugar dissolved into a little warm water or more simple syrup.

Chill and serve

Add 4 cups of ice to the pitcher or individual glasses. Pour lemonade over ice, stir briefly to chill, and serve.

Add 4 lemon slices to the pitcher or float 1 slice per glass. Clap or gently bruise mint leaves to release aroma and add to the pitcher or place 2 leaves per glass.

For blood orange lemonade, replace 1 cup of the lemon juice in the Base Lemonade with 1 cup fresh blood orange juice. Combine 1 cup lemon juice, 1 cup blood orange juice, and the cooled simple syrup, then add 3 cups cold water. Stir, taste, and adjust sweetness or dilution as needed. Garnish with blood orange slices.

For pomegranate lemonade, replace 1 cup of the lemon juice in the Base Lemonade with 1 cup pomegranate juice. Combine 1 cup lemon juice and 1 cup pomegranate juice with the cooled simple syrup, then add 3 cups cold water. Stir, taste, and adjust sweetness or dilution as needed. Serve over ice and sprinkle 1 tablespoon pomegranate arils into pitcher or individual glasses for garnish.