Nothing is more refreshing on a hot day than a cool glass of lemonade...and this homemade lemonade recipe will have your friends and family coming back for seconds! Even better? You can make the lemonade syrup ahead of time, and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Then just add water when you want to serve it!
Course Drinks
Cuisine American
Prep Time 5minutes
Cook Time 5minutes
Cooling Time 30minutes
Total Time 40minutes
Servings 128-ounce glasses
Calories 61kcal
Author Wanda Simone
Equipment
lemon grater
measuring spoons and cup
small saucepan
lemon juicer
glass container for storing the syrup if you're not making it right away
pitcher for serving
Ingredients
1½cupswater
1½cupsgranulated white sugar or ¾ cup honey
2Tablespoonsgrated lemon rind
1¾cupsfreshly squeezed lemon juice
fresh mint or lemon balmoptional
Instructions
Combine 1½ cups water, 1½ cups sugar (or ¾ cup honey) and 2 Tablespoons lemon rind in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly.
Let the mixture simmer for about 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let cool.
Pour 1¾ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice into a glass storage jar.
When the syrup has cooled, add it to the jar and mix well.
To make an individual glass of lemonade:
Add ¼ cup of syrup to a glass.
Mix in ¾ cup of water
Add some ice and garnish with a sprig of mint or lemon balm.
For a 2-quart pitcher:
Add 1½ cups of syrup to the pitcher (about half of the syrup recipe)
Mix in 4½ cups of water to the pitcher.
Add some ice and garnish with sliced lemon and fresh mint or lemon balm leaves.
For a 1-gallon drink dispenser:
Add 1 full recipe of syrup to the dispenser (about 3 cups).
Pour in 9 cups of water and mix well.
Add ice and some lemon slices.
Notes
Using honey instead of sugar has a slightly different taste, and looks a little darker, but still tastes good and has less calories.
The lemonade syrup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
Make different amounts of lemonade by combining 1 part of the syrup with 3 parts water.