Lemonade Recipe

Combine sugar and water

In a small saucepan combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. If using lemon zest for extra aroma, add the zest to the saucepan.

Heat to dissolve

Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is clear, about 3–5 minutes. Do not boil vigorously; gentle simmering is fine if needed to dissolve the sugar.

Cool and strain

Remove the saucepan from heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 15–20 minutes. If you used lemon zest, strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof container to remove zest and any solids. Transfer syrup to the refrigerator if not using immediately.

Juice the lemons

Roll the lemons on the counter under your palm to soften them. Cut lemons in half and juice until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice (about 4–6 medium lemons). Strain the juice through a fine sieve into a measuring cup to remove seeds and excess pulp if you prefer a clear lemonade.

Combine juice and syrup

In a pitcher, combine the 1 cup fresh lemon juice with the cooled simple syrup. Add a pinch of salt if using — it brightens the flavors.

Dilute with water

Add 3 cups cold water to the pitcher and stir well. Taste and adjust: if too sweet, add up to 1/2 cup more water; if too tart, add up to 1/4 cup more simple syrup.

Chill and serve

Fill glasses with ice (about 1/2 cup to 1 cup per glass depending on size). Pour the lemonade over the ice. Garnish each glass with lemon slices and a couple of mint leaves if desired.

Storage

Store any leftover lemonade in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days in a covered pitcher. Keep extra simple syrup separate for longer storage (up to 1 month refrigerated) if you prefer to mix fresh batches.