Classic Fresh Lemonade Drink (Print)
Refreshing blend of fresh lemon juice and sweet syrup, ideal for warm days and casual gatherings.
# What You Need:
→ Citrus
01 - 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (approximately 4 to 6 medium lemons)
→ Sweetener
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar, adjustable to taste
→ Water
03 - 4 cups cold water
→ Optional Additions
04 - Lemon slices for garnish
05 - Fresh mint leaves for garnish
06 - Ice cubes as needed
# How to Make:
01 - In a small saucepan, combine sugar and 1 cup of water. Heat gently, stirring continuously until sugar fully dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
02 - In a large pitcher, mix freshly squeezed lemon juice with the cooled simple syrup until well incorporated.
03 - Add the remaining 3 cups of cold water to the pitcher and stir thoroughly.
04 - Taste and modify sweetness or acidity by adding additional sugar or lemon juice as preferred.
05 - Refrigerate for a minimum of 30 minutes until thoroughly chilled.
06 - Pour over ice and garnish with lemon slices and fresh mint leaves if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It tastes nothing like the bottled version—fresh lemon juice makes all the difference, and you'll taste it immediately.
- Takes barely ten minutes but tastes like you've been planning it all day.
- You control the sweetness, so it's never cloying or artificially sharp.
02 -
- Room-temperature syrup mixed with cold lemon juice and water will separate at first, but a good stir brings it back together—don't panic if it looks streaky.
- Fresh lemon juice oxidizes and can taste a bit flat after a day or two, so this is best made the day you serve it or the morning of.
03 -
- Roll your lemons gently on the counter before cutting them—this breaks down the cells inside and makes them yield more juice with less effort.
- Make double batches of simple syrup and keep it in the fridge; then fresh lemonade becomes a five-minute pour-and-stir situation any time the heat calls for it.