Easy Homemade Lemonade Recipe You’ll Love
A vibrant, sweet-tart homemade lemonade made with fresh lemons, sugar, and water. Perfectly balanced and free of artificial additives, this refreshing drink shines with bold citrus flavor. Ideal for hot days or pairing with iced tea.
- Prep Time: 15
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 55
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
- Category: Summer Desserts
- Method: Churning
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
6–8 lemons
½ cup sugar (adjust to taste)
4 cups water
1 cup ice (optional)
1 cup sparkling water (optional)
Instructions
Rinse lemons under cold water
Grate zest from 3 lemons using a microplane
Cut remaining lemons into quarters for juicing
Extract juice using press or manual squeezing
Combine sugar and 1 cup water in saucepan
Heat over medium while stirring until sugar dissolves completely
Remove from heat and cool syrup to room temperature
Mix 3 cups water with lemon juice in pitcher
Add cooled sugar syrup and stir thoroughly
Churn with hand mixer for 2 minutes to aerate
Stir in lemon zest for enhanced aroma and flavor
Chill mixture in refrigerator for 30 minutes
Notes
Use organic lemons for zest; substitute lime juice for a different acidity
Non-organic lemons may require peeling to remove waxy coatings
Measure zest first to avoid using bitter lemon pith
Stir in cold water to prevent dilution
Hand mixer creates smoother emulsification than shaking
Optional substitutions: brewed tea for water, crushed ice or granita for texture
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 25g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 0.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.2g
- Carbohydrates: 30g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg