American
Classic Fresh Lemonade
Tart lemon juice mixed with simple syrup and cold water for a clear, bright pitcher drink. It is mixed by hand and chilled before serving.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 15 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
Photo: j.reed (CC BY-SA). Source
Why you’ll love it
- Relies on fresh lemons instead of bottled concentrate.
- Simple syrup dissolves cleanly so the drink is not gritty.
- Scales easily for a small pitcher or a larger batch.
- Keeps well chilled for several hours.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Combine sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat.
- 2
Stir until the sugar fully dissolves, about 3 to 5 minutes, then remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
- 3
Juice enough lemons to yield 1 cup juice and strain out seeds.
- 4
In a pitcher, stir lemon juice, cooled syrup, and 4 cups cold water.
- 5
Add lemon slices and ice. Taste and adjust with a splash more water if too strong.
- 6
Serve over ice.
Pro tips
- Roll lemons on the counter before juicing to get more liquid.
- Cool the syrup fully so ice does not melt too fast.
- Start with less syrup if you prefer a tarter glass.
Easy substitutions
- granulated sugar
- honey
- regular lemons
- Meyer lemons
- water
- sparkling water for the final pour
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate the lemonade without ice up to 3 days in a covered pitcher.
Reheating
Serve cold only. Do not heat.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 95
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 25 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop, No Cook · Vegetarian
You might also like
Arnold Palmer
Fresh-brewed black tea and lemon juice are sweetened, then cut with cold water and ice. The mix is half tea and half lemonade, poured over a full glass of ice.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Cucumber Mint Lemonade
Blended cucumber, lemon juice, mint, and sugar water make a cold pitcher drink. It stays light and fresh for warm-day snacking.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Strawberry Lemonade
Fresh lemon juice and a quick strawberry puree stirred into a simple syrup. It is bright, not candy-sweet, and made to pour over ice.
20 min · Easy
View recipe
Peach Honey Iced Tea
Black tea steeped hot, then cooled and mixed with peach and honey for a pitcher of iced tea. The fruit flavor stays light rather than syrupy.
15 min · Easy
View recipeStill hungry?
More in the same lane, not a random mix.
Agua de Jamaica
Dried hibiscus flowers simmer with cinnamon and ginger, then sweeten and chill into a deep red drink. Lime brightens the glass just before serving.
25 min · Easy
View recipe
Honey Lemon Ginger Tea
A hot mug steeped with fresh ginger, lemon, and honey. It is simmered briefly on the stove so the ginger flavor comes through clearly.
15 min · Easy
View recipe
Iced Vanilla Milk Coffee
Chilled brewed coffee shaken with milk and vanilla over ice. It is a simple homemade iced coffee without specialty equipment.
10 min · Easy
View recipe
Mango Yogurt Smoothie
Frozen mango blended with yogurt and a splash of orange juice for a thick, sunny smoothie. No ice is needed if the fruit is fully frozen.
5 min · Easy
View recipeFind something else
From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
Read the affiliate disclosure.