Lemonade Recipe
Make Lemonade Recipe in just 15m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Simple Lemonade Base
Dilution & Serving
Method
Simple Lemonade Base
Juice the lemons
Roll 4–6 medium lemons on the counter to soften, cut in half and squeeze until you have 1 cup of fresh lemon juice. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove seeds and most pulp.
Make simple sweetener
Combine 3 tablespoons granulated sugar and 1 cup hot (not boiling) water in a jar or heatproof bowl. Stir until the sugar is fully dissolved, creating a thin simple syrup. Let cool slightly (2–3 minutes).
Mix lemon and syrup: Pour the measured lemon juice into a pitcher. Add the cooled simple syrup and stir to combine.
Dilution & Serving
Dilute to taste: Add 4 cups cold water to the lemon-syrup mixture and stir. Taste and adjust — for stronger lemonade, add up to 1 cup less water; for sweeter, add 1–2 teaspoons more sugar dissolved in a little warm water or more simple syrup.
Chill and serve: Add 2 cups ice cubes to the pitcher or fill glasses with ice and pour lemonade over. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and 1–2 mint leaves if using. Stir gently before serving.
Storage: Refrigerate any leftover lemonade in a covered pitcher for up to 3 days. Stir before serving, as separation can occur.