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A refreshing and sweet summer classic - made from scratch!
This fresh-squeezed lemonade recipe makes learning how to make lemonade yourself easy. Made with three simple ingredients, you’ll be hooked on the ultra-refreshing flavors after only one sip!
As-is, it’s a refreshingly bright, lemony, and sweet drink that I love making for my summer parties!
But the best part is how customizable homemade lemonade can be! Just like my Sparkling Blueberry Lemonade and Mint Lemonade, you can infuse even more flavor here with custom syrups, garnishes, juices and sparkling water!
Ingredients you need
This freshly squeezed lemonade recipe is made with only 3 ingredients: simple syrup, lemon juice, and water. While this list is short, it also means there’s nowhere to hide! Remember to use the freshest ingredients possible to make the best homemade lemonade.
Simple syrup
Could you make this with straight-up sugar? Sure, but you're bound to end up with undissolved sugar granules in your finished drink and that isn't fun.
The solution to granule-free lemonade is simple syrup!
To make simple syrup, simmer 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water together until the sugar dissolves. Let it cool, then it’s ready to use.
Lemon juice
Not just any lemon juice… freshly squeezed lemon juice! Squeezing the juice from the lemons yourself is highly recommended! If you're in a rush, using a high quality bottled lemon juice will work in a pinch.
Pro Tip!
- When you’re out shopping, look for lemons that are all equal in size but feel heavy when you pick them up. The heavier they are, the juicier they’ll be.
Water
Without the water, you would have a thick, unappetizing lemon syrup. Water will tone down and balance all of the flavors. For sparkling homemade lemonade, use sparkling water instead!
How to make fresh squeezed lemonade
All-in-all, this is a simple recipe that takes minutes to put together when all of your ingredients are prepped ahead. Thankfully, the simple syrup can be made up to 1 month in advance and the lemon juice can be squeezed the day before you make the batch.
These step-by-step instructions will walk you through the process:
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Mix it up!
Think of the batch of lemonade as a blank canvas… it’s easy to customize to the flavor of your choice! Check out these ideas for inspiration:
- Less sweet: Only use ⅛ cup of simple syrup to lessen the sweetness.
- Sweeter: Use the ¼ cup of simple syrup, plus an extra 1 to 2 tablespoons.
- Flavored simple syrup: A simple syrup infusion will add so much more flavor to your lemonade. Use mint simple syrup syrup instead of the plain simple syrup or make your own variation by simmering berries, fruits, or herbs with the sugar and water.
- Sparkling lemonade: Swap the still water for sparkling water.
Recipe
Super Fresh 3 Ingredient Lemonade w/ Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 1 cup simple syrup
- 2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice about 12 lemons
- 4 cups water
- Garnish: lemon wedges
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together in a large pitcher. Chill until ready to serve.
- Serve over ice with lemon wedges.
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