The BEST Homemade Lemonade Recipe — Be Greedy Eats

Simple & Refreshing with just the right amount of sweetness! Made with freshly squeezed lemon juice, water, and a lemon simple syrup, this Homemade Lemonade is just what you need during those hot summer days!

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Tart, Sweet, and Refreshing!

If I don’t have anything else in the house during the spring and summer, I’m gonna have a homemade drink waiting in the fridge! Whether it‘s a lemonade or a sweet tea, I’ve got to have something. With the crazy humidity that Maryland goes through sometimes, having something cold is essential!

Nothing hits the spot like my Easy Homemade Lemonade Recipe! You can literally never go wrong with a classic like this (especially with all of the lemon flavor inside! It takes no time to make and only uses a few ingredients that are probably lying around your house. I just know y’all are going to love this recipe!

TIPS & TRICKS

Here are just a few of my favorite tips & tricks for making the BEST Lemonade ever!

Try Making a Simple Syrup 1st! Take the amount of sugar listed in the recipe below and mix it with 1 - 1 1/2 cups of water. Bring it to a simmer and allow the sugar to completely dissolve. Then, mix it with the lemon juice.
Add the zest of the Lemons. The zest of the lemons actually has more lemon flavor than the juice itself. Zest the lemon first and then mix it with the lemon juice. The lemon flavor will be crazy good!
ALWAYS USE FRESH LEMON JUICE! Concentrated bottled lemon juice is pasteurized in order to increase its shelf life. The flavor is not what you want at all in lemonade. Fresh limes will require more time, but the flavor will be SO MUCH better!

Homemade Lemonade Ingredients:

The ingredients are pretty simple in this recipe; but, let’s still walk through them to understand them. They are also so easy to find in any grocery store. They are all relatively cheap which makes this drink recipe even better!

Water: If you can, use filtered water to make both your simple syrup and the rest of the limeade. You’ll need 1 cup for the syrup and the remaining for mixing at the end.
Granulated Sugar: The sugar is used for overall sweetness in the drink and to help make the simple syrup. Pouring granulated sugar directly into the pitcher isn’t your best bet. It will take forever to dissolve especially if you’re using cold water.
Fresh Lemon Juice: This ingredient right here is the key to a good lemonade. Fresh Lemon Juice is going to make this drink taste even better. Bottled lemon juice will make the drink taste overly pasteurized and artificial, and you don’t want that.
Ice: You’ve got to have a cold drink! If you’re impatient like me and don’t feel like waiting for the limeade to cool in the fridge, just grab a few ice cubes and build your drinks.
Garnishes: Y’all know that I’m all about presentation! So, I added in some fresh lemon slices to my pitcher before mixing my lemonade. This is totally optional, but I highly recommend it!
Fresh Mint Leaves: For an added cooling effect, I added in some fresh mint leaves. This adds a nice touch to the lemonade but it’s totally optional.

How to make Homemade Lemonade

Now that we have our ingredients, let’s make this easy spring and summertime limeade recipe!

This recipe will take no time at all! When I tell y’all that this limeade was one of the most refreshing I’ve had in a while, I mean it! It was the perfect balance of tart and sweet! The full written recipe is below, but here’s an overview:

Lemonade:

STEP 1: Peel Lemon Skin & Juice Lemons. Use a vegetable peeler or knife to peel the skin off of 2 lemons. Set lemons aside for juicing. Freshly squeeze the lemons to get 2 - 3 cups of lemon juice.
STEP 2: Make Lemon Simple Syrup. In a medium pan over medium-high heat, bring 1 cup water, granulated sugar, and lemon zest strips to a simmer (this should take about 4 - 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and allow the lemon syrup to cool. Strain and refrigerate syrup until needed.
STEP 3: Mix Remaining Ingredients, Chill, and Serve! When the syrup has cooled add it to a large pitcher with ice, lemon slices, fresh mint leaves, 2 cups lemon juice, and 4 cups water. Stir to combine and taste. If you’d like more lemon flavor, add the additional 1 cup of lemon juice. Refrigerate until chilled. Serve and enjoy.

Can I make this drink in advance?

Yes! You most definitely can! Here’s how to do it:

Make & Chill the Simple Syrup. The syrup can easily be made, strained, and chilled the night before you intend to use it. It will hold for several days.
Combine the lemon juice, simple syrup, and water. This limeade will taste even better once it sits overnight. Make sure to fully strain the syrup to avoid any particulates unless you like the added texture.
Add the Fresh Sliced Fruit the Next Day. On the day that you want to have the drink ready for your guests, add your sliced fruit. The fruit can be sliced the night before as well.
Serve the limeade with ice and enjoy! The lemonade will last for 6 - 7 days in the refrigerator.

I’d love to hear your feedback about this delicious Homemade Lemonade! Leave me a message in the comments section below. Remember to share and enjoy! Follow Be Greedy Eats on Pinterest and Instagram as well!