Iced Lemonade Recipe

Juice the lemons

Roll lemons on the counter to soften, cut in half, and juice until you have about 3/4 cup (6 tablespoons) of fresh lemon juice. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove seeds and excess pulp.

Make simple syrup

Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup cold water in a small saucepan or heatproof container. Warm gently (or stir) until sugar is fully dissolved. If you prefer no heat, stir vigorously until dissolved; warming accelerates the process. Let syrup cool to room temperature.

Combine base

In a pitcher, combine the strained fresh lemon juice and the cooled simple syrup. Add 3/4 cup (or 6 fl oz / 1.25 cups as measured earlier) cold water and stir thoroughly to combine. Taste for sweetness and acidity; adjust by adding up to 2 tablespoons sugar (dissolved) if too tart, or extra water if too strong.

Chill and serve

Fill a 16 oz serving glass with about 1 cup of ice cubes. Pour roughly 12–13 ounces of the prepared lemonade into the glass, leaving room for ice and a lemon slice. Top with about 1.5 cups (approximately 12 fl oz) additional cold water if the lemonade concentrate is strong; adjust so the final volume reaches 16 oz and the flavor is balanced.

Garnish

Garnish with 1–2 thin lemon slices on the rim or floating in the drink and 3–4 fresh mint leaves if desired. Stir once and serve immediately.

Makeahead & storage

Store any leftover lemonade in a sealed pitcher or bottle in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Stir or shake before serving, and add fresh ice and garnishes when serving.