Lemonade Recipe

Juice the lemons

Roll lemons on the countertop to loosen juice. Cut lemons in half and juice until you have 1 cup (about 4–6 medium lemons). Strain the juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove seeds and excess pulp.

Make sugar syrup

In a heatproof measuring cup or small saucepan combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar with 1 cup hot water. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. This prevents grit in the finished lemonade. If using simple syrup instead, skip this step and add 2 tablespoons at the end to taste.

Combine and dilute

In a large pitcher combine the strained lemon juice and the sugar solution. Add 3 cups cold water and stir well. Taste and adjust sweetness or strength: add up to 1/2 cup more water for a milder flavor or up to 1–2 tablespoons more sugar/simple syrup if you prefer sweeter lemonade.

Chill

Add 3 cups of ice to the pitcher or chill in the refrigerator for 30–60 minutes so flavors marry and lemonade is cold.

Serve

Pour lemonade over additional ice in individual glasses, leaving room if adding club soda for a sparkling version (substitute up to 1 cup of the cold water with club soda just before serving).

Garnish each glass with a lemon slice on the rim and 2–3 mint leaves. Lightly clap mint between your palms before adding to release aroma.

If you used simple syrup instead of dissolving granulated sugar, taste and add the 2 tablespoons simple syrup now, stirring to combine.