Lemonade Recipe
Make Lemonade Recipe in just 20m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Simple Syrup
Lemonade
Method
Simple Syrup
- 1
Make 1:1 Simple Syrup
Combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sugar is fully dissolved and the mixture just reaches a simmer (about 3–4 minutes). Do not boil vigorously. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
- 2
Once cooled, transfer the syrup to a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate. This yields about 1 cup of simple syrup and will keep up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator. Use 1 cup of this syrup in the lemonade recipe below.
Lemonade
- 3
Juice the lemons
Roll each lemon firmly on the counter to loosen juices. Halve the lemons and juice them (by hand or with a juicer) until you have about 1 1/2 cups (approximately the yield from 8 medium lemons). Pour the juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup or bowl to remove seeds and excess pulp.
- 4
Combine base ingredients
In a 2–3 quart pitcher, pour the strained lemon juice, 4 cups cold water, 1 cup simple syrup (from the Simple Syrup section), and 1/8 tsp salt. Stir thoroughly to combine.
- 5
Adjust to taste
Taste the lemonade. If it’s too sweet, add up to 1/2 cup more cold water to dilute. If it’s too tart, add up to 1/4 cup more simple syrup, stirring and tasting after each addition until balanced. The pinch of salt helps brighten flavor; adjust slightly if needed.
- 6
Chill and finish
Refrigerate the pitcher for at least 30 minutes to chill, or serve immediately over ice (add ice to the pitcher or individual glasses). Stir once more before serving to mix any settled syrup.
- 7
