Housemade Lemonade Recipe

Make the simple sugar syrup

Place the granulated sugar and hot water in a heatproof measuring cup or small saucepan. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 1–2 minutes). Allow the syrup to cool for 5 minutes before using. If you prefer, substitute the listed simple syrup amount instead of granulated sugar and hot water.

Juice the lemons

Roll lemons on the counter firmly to release juices. Cut lemons in half and juice until you have 1.5 cups of fresh lemon juice (about 6–8 medium lemons). Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher to remove seeds and excessive pulp, if desired.

Combine and dilute

In a 2–3 quart pitcher, combine the cooled sugar syrup with the strained fresh lemon juice. Add 4 cups cold water and stir thoroughly. Taste and adjust: add more cold water if too strong, or add up to 2 tablespoons extra sugar syrup (or 1–2 tablespoons granulated sugar dissolved) if too tart.

Chill and serve

Add 4 cups of ice directly to the pitcher or fill individual glasses with ice. Pour lemonade over ice. Garnish with lemon slices and mint if desired. If you want sparkling lemonade, replace up to 2 cups of the cold water with sparkling water and add it just before serving to preserve effervescence.

For mint garnish: clap a few mint leaves between your palms to release aroma and add to glasses or pitcher. For a more intense lemon flavor, add a tablespoon of lemon zest to the syrup while it is hot, then strain before combining. To make pitcher ahead: refrigerate the lemonade (without ice) up to 24 hours. Add ice and any sparkling water right before serving.