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Perfect Lemonade

Posted by Elise on Jun 17, 2006

Filed under All Seasons, Drink, How To, Seasonal Favorites: Summer

Perfect Lemonade

Everybody knows how to make lemonade, right? Squeeze some lemons, add sugar and water. But how to make lemonade so that it tastes right everytime? Here's a surefire method.

Remember the starting proportions - 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of lemon juice.

(This ratio makes a pretty sweet lemonade. Reduce the amount of sugar if you want your lemonade less sweet or if you are using Meyer lemons which are naturally sweeter than standard lemons.)

The secret to perfect lemonade is to start by making sugar syrup, also known as "simple syrup". Dissolving the sugar in hot water effectively disperses the sugar in the lemonade, instead of having the sugar sink to the bottom.

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Perfect Lemonade Recipe

  • Prep time: 10 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
  • 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
  • 1 cup lemon juice
  • 3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

Method

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Yield: Serves 6.

Indexed: Drink, Lemon, Lemonade, Meyer Lemon

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152 Comments

I think you can substitute Honey for Sugar, but I'm not sure what ratio... last time I just made some stab at it. But if you're using hot water to begin with, this isn't so big a deal.

Posted by: bidrohi on June 14, 2005 8:24 AM

From a quick search on the web I found that one cup of honey is equivalent to 1 cup of sugar. But since honey has more liquid in it, if you do a substitution, reduce the water in your recipe by 1/4 cup for every cup of honey used.

Posted by: Elise on June 16, 2005 11:02 AM

I find that this classic recipe is greatly enhanced with just one capful of pure lemon extract. That little bit of lemon "oomph" covers a multitude of sins if you have not terribly flavorful lemons. I frequently hear "My Lemonade never tastes as intense as yours." Now you know why.

Posted by: K. on August 13, 2005 8:37 PM

It was great! Thank you for a fabulous lemonade recipe! We tried it in our class and the children loved it. We didn't know we were supposed to dissolve the sugar and water first. We also used fresh, homegrown lemons, which made it even tastier!
MAHALO FROM HAWAII!

Posted by: auntysam on September 2, 2005 2:09 PM

If you use a vegetable peeler and peel a few thin sections of some lemons befor you squeeze them you can add this to the sugar and hot water to seep for a few minutes this gives more depth of flavour.

Posted by: verenia on September 7, 2005 6:47 PM

Putting the lemons in the microwave for ten seconds makes the juices come out easier if you don't have a juicer. I just saw this technique of dissolving the sugar in the water on TV. It sounds great.

Posted by: Ryan on September 29, 2005 5:56 PM

Is it possible to use raw cane sugar?

Posted by: r on June 9, 2006 7:02 PM

Here's another great lemonade recipe. Makes 1 liter

Ingredients:

6 teaspoons brown sugar
2 lemons, washed and rinsed.

Add the sugar and the lemons whole (skin, seeds and all)to a blender with a little water. Filter and add to the rest of the water. That's it.

Almost instant lemon water :-) (and big lemon saver, too). Won't last long because you're blending the skin and the seeds, which are quite sour; best before 24 hrs.

Posted by: ruben on June 17, 2006 9:31 PM

Good point to add: 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water makes a syrup that you can use for all sorts of purposes. If you make sure you simmer it just long enough for the sugar and water molecules to bond, it'll keep on the shelf for a while. Add any extract to make a syrup for adding to other drinks (vanilla, for example). It's a trick I learned working in an ice cream store.

Posted by: John on July 1, 2006 3:13 PM

When I first made lemonaid I used 2 cut up 3 wax free lemons, put them in my smoothie maker with some sugar and a little water and blend them up and then strain them and then add fizzy water. :) It's really nice.. Think I'll give yours a go tho..

Posted by: __little_miss_piggie__ on July 22, 2006 12:16 PM

Wow! You made my day with this recipe.

What's more, lemonade is a healthy & tasty, yet cheap drink, compared to a commercial junk like sprite/fanta/you-name-it. Way to go!

Posted by: Serbia Broadband on August 19, 2006 4:35 PM

I am from Thailand,in my country we love to add salt to any kind of drink that kind of sour. So next time you try making your lemonade put a little of salt in to it. Becareful not to make it too salty that people realize but just to add some dept to your drink, Cheers!

Posted by: cross on August 31, 2006 1:48 AM

I'm Vietnamese and have fond memories of my mom making me "lemonade". Vietnamese "lemonade" is actually made with lime and seltzer water, and is really called Soda Chanh. I make it by squeezing half of a lime into a large glass, spooning sugar in until it becomes gritty yet syrupy, then adding seltzer water and of course ice. Its delicious and very easy to make.

Posted by: Tri on October 8, 2006 11:06 AM

Elise, try adding some light cream (table cream?) to it in a blender... here: http://fromourhometoyours.blogspot.com/2007/01/fresh-start-comear-de-novo.html
Sorry, in portuguese! Fernanda can help you... Your syrup is sure worth it a try, limes are about 50c a pound here at this time of year.

Posted by: Cris on January 23, 2007 3:19 PM

Made lemonade to sell at a gala, fundraising for a public pool for Waiheke this past weekend. It was a great hit, on a hot day.

I used your proportions Elise, but this time used Donna Hay's method. Her idea is to mix the sugar and the lemon juice to make the simple syrup. Bottled the lemon syrup and used chilled soda water to dilute it.

Thanks for the idea.

Posted by: Robyn on February 1, 2007 1:52 AM

Thanks for the correct proportions! I've been winging it for years, and it never came out quite right until I tried this. My kids and neighbors picked a bunch of lemons today and really wanted a treat, and it was so easy. So glad I could accommodate them!

Posted by: Jennifer on March 4, 2007 8:02 PM

This works very well! I tried it and it tasted AWESOME! If a 12 year-old can make it, anyone can. I love simple and tasy recipes =)

Posted by: Margaret on April 2, 2007 5:24 PM

Dear Elise, thanks for the lemons recipe. It's great for summers :-)
and it's great for 12 year olds.

Posted by: ami on June 20, 2007 9:05 AM

We were recently at a garden dinner party on a very warm evening. The hostess made a pitcher of lemonade and served it as a cocktail by adding a small amount of vodka to each glass. It was a delicious and refreshing accompanyment to the appetizers that were being served!

Posted by: Connie Brakken-Smith on July 1, 2007 8:52 AM

We live in The Gambia in West Africa and we have thousands of lemons dropping off the trees around us in our new house... we were trying to figure out what to do with them all, now we have the "perfect" answer!

Thank you!

Posted by: Joshua and Mela on July 8, 2007 8:18 AM

This is seriously the most simple most delicious lemonade recipe! It is easy enough for the kids to make it for their lemonade stands.

It also makes a very refreshing adult drink. Add vodka, or even make lemonade-margaritas with Tequila and Gran Marnier. They were both a hit at our last BBQ.

Posted by: Amy on July 17, 2007 9:06 AM

This is an awesome recipe the best lemonade and my first time making homemade lemonade. My 4yr old loves it and so will my guests at my candle party tomorrow night :D
Thanks for the recipe

Posted by: Sunnie Eastman on July 26, 2007 4:59 PM

If you add half a cup of fresh raspberries that you have mushed up you have a really tasty raspberry lemonade.

Posted by: Tania on July 28, 2007 2:33 PM

I just love this lemonade. It's perfect for a summer picnic. My children love it! I have tested many homemade lemonades, some too sweet, some too sour, some don't even taste like lemonade, but this is the BEST lemonade recipe I have ever made. My children want to say something:

Brianna (11) : The lemonade is amazing. I love to make the lemonde with my mom cause it's just so fun. And it turned out really good.

Daniel (7) : I like the lemonade because my mom made it and it is sweet.

Claire (5) : The lemonade is sweet and I like it.


Thank You for the Recipe,

Melissa, Brianna, Dnaiel, and Claire Reed of Manhattan, New York

Posted by: Melissa Reed on August 2, 2007 6:48 AM

This sounded like a great recipe, so I decided to try it. But, when I squeezed the lemon juice, I only had 2/3 of a cup. So I got creative and added 1/3 cup of strawberry juice. Then I followed the recipe, as you put. It ended up coming out quite well.

Posted by: Ellen on August 7, 2007 11:28 AM

Elise,
Thanks for the recipe - haven't tried it yet as there is a tree in the yard and the lemons are just starting to drop! Last week in the park we bought some fresh-squeezed lemonade. The lady at the stand said to use castor sugar because it will dissolve more quickly and completely. We are going to try that with your recipe.
Tim and Monique, Western Australia

Note from Elise: With the recipe shown here there is no need for castor sugar or super fine sugar, as the sugar is completely dissolved in boiling water.

Posted by: Tim on October 20, 2007 4:45 AM

We can also add some mint leaves to our prepared lemonade or we can crush few leaves and add to the lemonade. It's more refreshing. I usually have mine with a pinch of rock salt and a dash of black pepper.

Posted by: sandy on October 23, 2007 7:58 AM

When you make your simple syrup add 14 ginger slices (about 3-4 thumbs worth - or 1/4 of a cup or to taste).... Some people leave them in, but I would recommend taking them out after the simple syrup is made, makes it too strong for me.

This will make a lovely refreshing Ginger Lemonade, which is simply wonderful. It cuts the tartness of the lemons and makes it something to savor.

Posted by: Dawn Gilliland on November 7, 2007 7:53 AM

I absolutely loved this recipe. I added 5 cups of cold water instead of 4, and it came out perfect. It was just the right combination. It was very, very easy for me to make and was well worth it.

Posted by: Joanna Belum on January 7, 2008 12:18 PM

I was wondering if you can add sparkling mineral water to it instead of water?

Of course, that would be great. ~Elise

Posted by: Michael on January 11, 2008 2:50 PM

Wow.. Just in reading this recipe... I can't wait to get out of work and to the grocery store to make some refreshing, homemade lemonade! Just out of curiousity, will LIMES do? or half and half?

Limes work great, or half limes and half lemons. ~Elise

Posted by: teresa on January 15, 2008 1:32 PM

When making the simple syrup, I love to add a vanilla bean to it to add some lovely vanilla flavor. Of course, lemonade and a bit of vanilla or lemon vodka is equally tasty!

Posted by: Garrett on January 18, 2008 6:04 PM

Dear Elise
I usually make lemonde for about 7 or 8 people. In addition to sugar (1 tbsp.per glass dissolved in hot water, then cooled before adding lemon juice), the juice and the solids (that are scraped off while juicing), I grate one of the lemons and add the grated peel to the mixture. The grated peel is not dominant but adds a tang or "bite" to the taste. This is utterly delicious and shoulds be served only to special and deserving company.

Posted by: Jerry Rosenfeld on February 21, 2008 5:50 AM

We have made lemonade for years with Lemon juice in the bottle. Put 1 cup juice, 1cup of sugar, and a capful of almond extract in a 2 quart container. Fill with water. Add sliced strawberries and lemons to the top for decoration.

This is great on a hot day or just any day.

Enjoy.

Posted by: Tonie M. on February 27, 2008 11:25 AM

Pretty hot day today and felt like drinking some fresh lemonade.
The method is great and I think the measures are good, although I found it a little too sweet... But then again, I tasted it right before putting it in the fridge. Will see in 30 minutes.
Thanks :)

Posted by: Layal on April 23, 2008 1:53 AM

I just made your lemonade with fresh California lemons from my backyard and it was delicious! We are pretty low on regular sugar so I just used powdered sugar instead and I used a cup and a half of lemon juice because I like my lemonade tart.

Very yummy and like you said, the sugar mixed in perfectly. Thanks!

Posted by: erin on April 25, 2008 4:22 PM

Elise-
I am in charge of a lemonade sale for a community fundraiser in a few weeks. We want to prepare about 300 servings. We will use 16oz. cups, but serve about 12oz. of the lemonade over ice. Any suggestions about how to scale up your recipe. I plan on spending the day before, squeezing lemons and making simple syrup. Any ideas on how to "fancy it up". There is desire by some to embellish and charge a bit more. Personally, I love it plain and simple, but I will keep an open mind

Thanks for any help---Rose

Hi Rose, your guess is as good as mine on the scaling. I would make more than you think you might need of the lemon juice and the simple syrup. Keep them separate. That way, if you have leftovers, you can freeze the concentrated lemon juice, and the simple syrup lasts a long time in the fridge. For something extra special, grate the lemon zest and add it to the simple syrup as you are cooking the syrup. Strain it out before using. That will give your lemonade an extra lift. Also add some fresh mint leaves to glasses or the serving pitchers. ~Elise

Posted by: Rose on May 5, 2008 3:06 PM

This recipe is great! I love making it on hot steamy Canadian summer.
:p

Posted by: jonathan.j on May 10, 2008 8:00 AM

I want to make lemonade to sell at a fundraising event and was wondering how far in advance could I make up this lemonade. Will it keep for a few weeks?

No, the lemonade as made will not keep for a few weeks. If you want to make ahead, I suggest juicing the lemons and freezing the juice, and making the simple syrup, and keeping that refrigerated. The put it together the day before your event. ~Elise

Posted by: Cerys on May 19, 2008 9:13 AM

I just made this and it is no joke - this lemonade is truly the best I have ever had!

I added the small amount of lemon extract K suggested, but only because my fresh lemons were a bit on the mild side. Fabulous!

Posted by: Carolynne on May 26, 2008 3:01 PM

This was great! I was at a local farmers market and my friend paid $3.00 for lemonade that tasted exactly like this one!

Posted by: Carrie Russell on June 1, 2008 10:51 AM

Delicious!

Posted by: Sarah on June 20, 2008 7:51 PM

What if you already have sugar syrup from the super market?

Use it; it saves you a step. The proportions you will have to mix to taste. ~Elise

Posted by: tim winter on June 21, 2008 4:50 AM

Did the basic recipe: Wonderful ! Added a cap of lemon extract: Wonderfuller ! Sprinkled a coupla pinches of salt: Wonderfulist ! I'll try the ginger next (and the almond? - - - y'know, I've got some coconut extract that I use in biscotti - - - maybe a dram or two ?

Posted by: marsh terry on June 22, 2008 3:33 PM

I love this recipe, I also added some lemon peel and fresh mint into the syrup mixture. Delicious!

Posted by: Kerry on June 24, 2008 11:40 AM

I have been given fresh lemons from a friends tree here in spain, and couldn´t remember how lemonade was made. I do now!! Thank you

Posted by: Bridget on June 28, 2008 3:34 PM

That recipe worked pretty well.
I loved it!
jackie♥

Posted by: jeclyn sialofi on July 10, 2008 8:02 PM

I've made this with Splenda if you're looking for a sugar free version. This way, you don't have to make the simple syrup since the Splenda dissolves quickly.

It's quite tasty!

Posted by: Kristy on July 16, 2008 5:50 PM

Really hot day so decided to make this recipe, very delicious and refreshing and easy to make. Thanks!

Posted by: Evieman on September 19, 2008 8:58 PM

Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Of course everyone knows how to make lemonade, and I was doing it in the normal way. And then I wanted to find a better way to make it for my husband's surprise bday dinner. I found this and you know what? My husband, who is a huge fan of lemonade and who chooses it, wherever he goes(I mean restaurents), said this was the best lemonade he ever had! Better than the ones he drink at restaurents. I was so happy. This simple recipe made his bday dinner extra special and memorable. Thank you soo much.

Posted by: shimla on September 26, 2008 3:23 AM

This was a wonderful recipe. Not too sour, not too sweet. I used 3/4 cup of sugar instead of the full cup, and it came out perfect! Thanks!

Posted by: EK on October 2, 2008 5:30 PM

Well actually I tested the honey theory and you need an extra 1/4 cup of honey because it is not as sweet as plain sugar, and subtract 1/4 cup of hot water.

Posted by: mike on December 1, 2008 2:39 PM

Hello! Our twins are 5 yrs old and they were
watching a show on abc channel "Olivia"
and she was making lemonade.I took them
with a list to the shops and we picked up the
ingredients.I made the simple syrup
and the twinnies did the rest.
Its in the refrigerator at the moment for
minutes to chill.
We had a taste first and "Yummy".

I tried it to and loved it.
sooo easy to make.

thank you
Warm Tasmania

Posted by: Val on December 18, 2008 11:03 PM

This is a simple and delicious recipe, I added a splash of ruby red grapefruit juice for a bit of color. Thanks for making it so easy, and thanks for the all of the blog-tips, I can't wait to try them!

Posted by: Marianne on January 10, 2009 4:36 PM

Perfect! So easy to make...I made it for all our friends and neighbors. We had hundreds of lemons and no idea what to do with them. Thank you!

Posted by: Debbie in Texas on January 18, 2009 4:58 PM

How do you feel about SimplyLemon instead of the fresh lemon juice? Lemons are expensive here in GA. It would cost me $5 for a glass.

Don't know what SimplyLemon is. If I didn't have access to fresh lemons, to make lemonade I would just buy frozen lemonade concentrate (check the ingredients of course). If you do ever get access to fresh lemons in bulk at a cheap price, you can juice them and freeze the juice by the way. We freeze our lemon juice in 8 ounce jars, so that they can easily be defrosted to make lemonade. ~Elise

Posted by: Keish! on February 4, 2009 9:24 AM

I have seven citrus trees in my yard, including a lemon. I normally use about one lemon a month, and I am overrun with these things! I'm going to try your lemonade recipe soon, and if it comes out as well as everyone says it is, I think I will be making and freezing a bunch of it to save for summer!

If you are planning to freeze, I suggest freezing the lemon juice only (will take up less room in your freezer), in 1-cup sized containers. That way anytime you want some lemonade, you can defrost a cup of lemon juice and easily make the lemonade. ~Elise

Posted by: Laura Young on February 16, 2009 4:46 PM

Thannk so much; this makes great lemonade! I live in Arizona and have a bunch of lemon trees in the yard and had no clue what to do with them all till now.

Posted by: Matt on February 18, 2009 11:59 PM

Thank you for this quick recipe. My son and I had a great time making it together.

Posted by: jess on February 19, 2009 1:32 PM

Tried your recipe yesterday, and it was FABULOUS! My boyfriend and I argued over who got the last glass. Ha ha.
He came up with the good idea to put Limoncello in it. That's an Italian liquor that is yummy!
My idea is to color some sugar with a drop or two of yellow food coloring and dip the moistened rim of your glass in lemonade then the sugar for a fancy and tasty drink.
Going to make some more TODAY!

Posted by: Stephanie on March 10, 2009 11:50 AM

My son and I really loved making this for his bball party on Sat. It's so easy! We had some and it's fantastic. I can't wait to blend some with mint on a hot summers day...

Posted by: Celana on March 12, 2009 4:54 PM

I tried this lemonade it was way too sour.

Sounds like you didn't use enough sugar for your particular lemons. This recipe is a guideline. You need to make adjustments to your particular taste and ingredients. ~Elise

Posted by: mim on March 17, 2009 9:30 AM

Hi. I just wanted to say I tried your recipe and loved it. I was wondering if you have ever tried adding strawberries to it to make strawberry lemonade? Thanks so much.

Haven't tried it, but it sounds great! ~Elise

Posted by: Julie on March 17, 2009 8:16 PM

Thank you so much for posting this recipe. I am 36 and making lemonade for the first time. It tastes great and I will be making it again!!

Posted by: Winona on April 23, 2009 4:31 PM

I know you already have got a lot of comments on this, but your recipe is amazing! I just tried it and the lemonade tastes fantastic. Thank you very much.

Posted by: Luke on April 27, 2009 5:07 PM

~Is 100% lemon juice from the bottle the same as squeezing lemons?~ If not what is the ratio. Lemons have gotten quite expensive in Iowa. Usual 2 for a dollar!

Honestly I don't know. We don't use bottled lemon juice as we grow our own lemons and always have some on hand. I would experiment with the recipe if bottled lemon juice is the only reasonable option available to you and see the ratio of simple syrup (sugar water) and water with lemon juice that works for you. You might end up being better off buying lemonade concentrate than using bottled juice. ~Elise

Posted by: Tiara on May 4, 2009 6:01 AM

I made this recipe 5 minutes ago, and I tried a little bit before putting it in the fridge. Delicious! I can't wait to drink it after the lemonade cools down!

Posted by: Gina Maria on May 7, 2009 4:48 PM

Variations to try: using culinary lavender in the simple syrup (strain)
or basil in the simple syrup. Both are delicious for lemonade or in cocktails.

Posted by: Jacqueline Church on May 11, 2009 1:09 PM

This is an excellent recipe. I just made two bottles of it. I found that if you use powdered sugar instead of granulated, there is sweetness when you first drink it then it finishes off when you swallow with a bit of bitter lemon taste. I just thought that was cool.

Posted by: Jon C. on May 13, 2009 3:57 PM

Add a couple of springs of Rosemary to the simple syrup - let steep and strain before continuing to make Lemonade. Excellent flavored lemonade!

Posted by: Carolyn on May 22, 2009 2:25 PM

I've made a committment to wean myself off of diet soda and I'm not that crazy about just plain water. This Lemonade recipe is very good. I made it last night, let it chill when I went to bed and had it this morning. Great great recipe. I'll be putting some in a water bottle to take to the beach this summer.

I made the first batch with regular sugar so that's kinda fattening. Anyone have any luck with sweet n low or stevia?

Jess - great idea on the Limoncello, I'm definitely trying that one.

Elise - thanks for the tip on the extract - I will be buying some today.

Posted by: Janet on June 15, 2009 3:29 PM

I did not know so many recipes for lemonade existed. There seems to be no limit. Has anyone tried agave nectar in place of sugar.

Posted by: Gloria on June 16, 2009 10:18 PM

For a nice twist add a dash of rose water. It adds a refreshing aroma and flavor that complement the sour lemon. You can even reduce the sugar a little.

Posted by: momo on June 19, 2009 9:30 AM

Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe - my husband and kids say it's the best they've ever had. No more store-bought powder for us! My second batch, we used half limes, half lemons and it was even better.

Posted by: Rachel on June 20, 2009 1:21 PM

It's pretty good but we ended up adding way more lemon juice than sugar water. I guess everyone has different taste. We's likes ours sour. We don't know nuthin 'bout growin citrus.

Yep, it's all a matter of personal taste. And the lemons. Late in the season lemons are less sour than early in the season. Meyers are sweeter than regular lemons. Some people like things sweet, others tart. ~Elise

Posted by: roy and kirsta and connie on June 23, 2009 6:02 PM

Last minute company today. I googled your recipe and I just "happened" to have 2 bags of lemons. This recipe turned out perfect (and was quick to make, too!)

Posted by: Kim on July 4, 2009 5:49 AM

Thanks for the truly "perfect" recipe. With hot days finally upon us and a hand full of lemons and limes sitting in the refrigerator, I googled your recipe. I wanted to show our children that lemonade comes neither from a carton nor from powder. It worked out perfectly.

Posted by: Mark on July 6, 2009 8:16 PM

Dear lemonade people!
Your lemonade recipe has helped me and my friends have some VERY successful lemonade stands over the years! Thanx a million!

Posted by: Madeline Smith on July 11, 2009 5:01 PM

Really good! My son inspired me to make this and although he did not like it (picky boy!) the girls in the family did!

Any suggestions for making this diabetic friendly? Do you think we could substitute the sugar with splenda??

Posted by: tammy on July 14, 2009 11:52 PM

I've made lemonade using this recipe many times and it was great, but I just tried to make it using bottled lemon juice concentrate and it wasnt as good.

Posted by: rboyko on July 16, 2009 11:12 AM

Nice recipe! I like to make the lemonade less diluted, then pour it in a big glass of crushed ice. The ice dilutes it as it melts, and after the lemonade is gone, you can eat the lemon flavored ice like a snowcone!

Posted by: sierra on July 26, 2009 4:35 PM

Thank you so much for the recipe. I just made it and my boys LOVE it. ages 16 and 13
Thanks again! It was so easy to make too.

Posted by: bobbi on August 7, 2009 1:51 PM

Wayyyy too syrupy. Lots of damage control with this recipe.

Sounds like you needed to add more water. ~Elise

Posted by: Geoff on August 9, 2009 11:43 AM

I'm twelve years old and consider myself quite a good little "chef" (if I do say so my self). I make dinner and breakfast for my family at least once a week. I made this lemonade topped it off with blackberries floating on the ice at the top sprinkled with sugar,and found myself wondering why I hadn't tried this recipe before. Great recipe. Definitely going to make again, thanks so much.

Posted by: Tasha on August 12, 2009 12:28 PM

Tomorrow I'm planning to make a lemonade stand and I'm using little dixie cups. How much should each little dixie cup be? should it be $0.50 or $0.25 or $0.75 or a $1.00? I want to get a lot of custumers and I want to make a reasonable price.

p.s.it's so delicious!

If it's just a little dixie cup I would say a quarter each. Who would be willing to pay more than a quarter for a dixie cup full of lemonade? Maybe 50 cents, depending on how big those cups are. ~Elise

Posted by: izzy on August 16, 2009 5:09 PM

My son made this very sweet and delicious lemonade in seven miniutes. We all love it and will use the recipe again.

Posted by: sara williams on August 20, 2009 9:33 AM

Just wanted to let you know that we made this recipe yesterday with calamondins (small sour oranges) instead of using lemons and it came out terrific. Thanks for posting this really simple recipe.

Posted by: Julie on September 27, 2009 10:04 AM

I had a really strong craving for some sort citrus all day and decided to postpone my essays to try this recipe.
I liked it so much! I plan to have a constant stock of lemons now so I can keep a supply of this lemonade on hand for the fam.
Thanks!

Posted by: Paige on November 30, 2009 10:28 PM

I loved this recipe. Our neighbor gave us some lemons from his lemon tree; after my husband just bought me a batch of lemons from the store. I use lemon slices in my iced tea every day. This recipe was quick and easy.

Posted by: Jan on December 12, 2009 9:24 AM

ITS PERFECT! =]

The yellow lemon juice was magnificent. When we added the sour juice to the simple syrup it tasted delicious. Thanks for the recipe. Loved it.

Lucia

Posted by: Lucia on February 3, 2010 1:37 PM

I made this recipe using:

6 large meyer lemons from our garden (juiced by hand)
26 ounces of water
8 teaspoons of organic brown sugar
4 sachets of Stevia

I boiled up the water and added the sugar and Stevia, stirring until fully dissolved.

I added the lemon juice and stirred.

I poured the liquid mix into two 16 ounce old tomato sauce jars, popped in 2 lemon rind peels (more for aesthetics than anything else really!), screwed the tops on and popped them in the fridge.

DELICIOUS!

Less sugar = healthier I guess!

Enjoy!

Posted by: Tinka on March 15, 2010 6:27 PM

WOW!!!This recipe is really good...I mean really really good

Posted by: Mitch on March 16, 2010 1:07 PM

WOW this was terrific ! i reduced the repice to 1/4 to 1 cup and it will make one glass of lemonaid ! THANKS !

Posted by: Julia on March 21, 2010 1:12 PM

Your ratios are off in my opinion. For a more tart and classic recipe, use 1,2,3,4.

1 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
4 cups water

Mix all ingredients with ice and thin slice lemon wedges.

Posted by: felix on March 22, 2010 1:54 PM

I add 1/2 a tsp of baking soda to make it fizzy. And I also reduced the amount of sugar.

Posted by: Caite on April 6, 2010 3:06 PM

My 2 and 3 year old daughters were begging me for some juice! And wouldn't you know I didn't have anything but a bottle of lemon juice. I googled "lemonade" and this was the first recipe I saw. We added a bit more water (they are toddlers), but they are loving it! Thanks!

Posted by: Kat on April 15, 2010 11:35 AM

Thanks for posting this recipe online! It made my day. It is the perfect lemonade after all. :D

Posted by: Moriah on May 2, 2010 3:07 PM

I love your lemonade; it is the best.

Posted by: janny on May 20, 2010 7:53 PM

My boyfriends mother has a lemon tree in her back yard. I was thrilled when she gave me a bag full of 'em, planning on making lemonade as soon as I got home. I couldn't remember my mom's ratios, but ,when I came across this recipe, I was willing to give it a try. After juicing 4 lemons to get a cup (these things were massive) I ended up with the most wonderful, glorious pitcher of lemonade. I simply had to thank you for sharing it. Shhh! Don't tell my mom, but it is better than hers.

Posted by: Autumn on May 22, 2010 8:17 PM

I'm an 11-year-old Nepalese girl. For one of my school's summer fairs, I was in charge of one of the stalls. It was a lemanade stall. I went online for help, and found this recipe. So, I tried it out, it worked! My stall earned the most money in the fair. I would really love to try out more recipes.

Posted by: Neshang on June 29, 2010 9:05 AM

It works even greater if you put some fresh mint in it C:

Posted by: Daila on July 2, 2010 2:30 AM

I have been using this recipe for a while and people definetely love it. I have made a few changes others might like. Add about 3tbls of lime juice in for a more in depth flavor. Add about 1tbls of lemon zest into the pan while making the simple syrup (strain) for a kick. Serve in a 5-6 oz old fashioned glass filled with crushed ice and add about 1tsp of marchiano cherry juice and two cherries.

I guarantee people will be asking for another.

Posted by: Bill on July 2, 2010 12:09 PM

Thank you for a great lemonade. This has just decreased my carbon footprint no more processed store lemonade for me.

Posted by: Terry on July 12, 2010 6:23 AM

I use hot tap water and the sugar dissolves fine. I then add some crushed ice and water to make 3 more cups of water and it cools instantly and ready to drink. I used bottled lemon juice and 1 cup was just fine.

I like rasberry version so I add some thick Rasberry Daquiri mixer (no alchohol)and decrease sugar and am on my 3rd glass now. Thanks for the recipe and variations

Posted by: T on July 13, 2010 5:12 PM

I tried this recipe with my brother my brother and myself think this recipe was simply delightful!

Posted by: M on July 23, 2010 7:55 AM

This is simply the best lemonade I have EVER had in my life. Keep coming with those recipes.

Posted by: Braedon on July 26, 2010 4:29 PM

I used one cup of water, one cup of organic lemon juice, and 20 drops of liquid stevia. Stirred and served. Doesn't get any easier than that.

Posted by: Jeff on August 19, 2010 2:36 AM

In reference to the posting by T on July 13,2010, hot tap water should never be used when preparing food or drinks. If you look it up on the internet, you will discover that many contaminants, including lead, can enter your food and drink from using hot tap water.

Posted by: Richard on September 3, 2010 6:23 PM

What is the shelf life of lemonade? Can anyone tell me please?

Homemade lemonade will last several days in the refrigerator. ~Elise

Posted by: Chet on October 24, 2010 9:54 PM

Thanks a lot, it is a great recipe. My first time making lemonade. I am 9 years old.

Posted by: Hannah on December 21, 2010 4:26 PM

Oh my goodness!! I have never made true "homemade" from scratch lemonade... This was soooooo good! Ha Ha I'm sitting here with 2 feet of snow around my house and I'm drinking a big ol glass of iced lemonade. Next time I'll add some mushed up strawberries or blueberries. :D

Posted by: Sarah on February 12, 2011 3:48 PM

This was delicious! I made a big batch for 60 people, and it was very well received. Making the sugar syrup is such a good idea! I used 10 cups of lemon juice and 8-9 cups of sugar (I lost count), and added some lemon extract as was suggested. Yummy!

Posted by: MJ on February 21, 2011 12:31 PM

I made this last weekend for a BBQ, added some torn mint leaves at the end to give it a bit of extra freshness. It was delicious.

Posted by: Casey on March 21, 2011 11:27 PM

Hey,
tried a different lemonade recipe last week which said to use brown sugar and it tasted awful, this lemonade sounds great, but which sugar do I use? Caster, raw, cane?
Thanks

White, granulated sugar. ~Elise

Posted by: JellyBean on March 25, 2011 5:43 PM

Thanks for the sugar syrup tip, will be using this for all my juices and shakes. I love that there are no sugar granules on my tongue, and I love the consistent sweetness. I'd throw in a bit of rind shavings for extra zest and tang!

Posted by: Alice James on April 2, 2011 1:57 AM

What I started doing 20 years ago is freeze 4 or 6 gal. jug of water get my 20 gal cooler put 4 gal. distilled water in then i would boil 1 gal.distilled water with 5 LBS suger until dissolved and add it to the cooler (this cooler has a spout at the bottom like the ones at sport events)ok i set it on the counter with trash can under it to catch the drips ok put 1 pint lemon juice in and squeezed 6 fresh lemons in a cup pick out seeds put in cooler i pitch in the lemon skin now stir it up and get 2 gal. jug of frozen water sit in cooler leave lids on jug so when they melt it will not delute the lemonaid after 3 or 4 hours take the melted ice out rinse the jug off put back in freezer get out 2 more frozen jugs and put in cooler now you can swap in the morning and you never have to put left over in your refergerator we do tea and punches coolaid With my son and daughter and 6 grandkids it saves a lot of open and closing the frig. and freezer doors.you have to keep it in the house in the summer time it draws a lot bees and wasp and humming birds like it to

Posted by: James on April 3, 2011 7:19 AM

I tried it and it came out "alright." Maybe my lemons did not have a great amount of flavor. I will definitely looking to the lemon extract or lemon peeling methods to see how it turns out or some combination. When I finally get the flavor I want, I will try adding strawberries and raspberries, then I'll try replacing the cold water with ice in a blender for a frozen version or possiblly club soda instead of water.

Posted by: Sonic98 on April 10, 2011 7:02 PM

amazing the best lemonade we have ever made!!!! And it tasted yummy :)

Posted by: Anna Lindsay, Lucy Dickens and Rebecca Holland on April 11, 2011 7:55 AM

best HEALTHY Lemonaid (and i might add tastes WAY better than the tradional sugar water)

2 Apples, for every lemon used, (juice the apples and the lemon) no need to add water, 2 apples adn 1 lemmon will usualy make ONE serving.

But it tastes amazing, without all the added sugar.

Also add a little bit of ginger for a nice twist

Posted by: Juicefanattic on April 11, 2011 12:07 PM

I made simple syrup with lavender. I strained out the lavender buds. Now can I freeze the simple syrup with the lavender in it? or/will the simple syrup/lavender keep in the refrigerator for a month like just like plain simple syrup? Thanks so much.

I'm pretty sure the lavender simple syrup will keep for a month in the fridge. The sugar will keep the bacteria away. The only issue you may have is mold. So, if it gets moldy, throw it out. ~Elise

Posted by: Anonymous on May 15, 2011 6:19 PM

I had a lemonade stand with my son and nephew, to earn a little extra money for their expense on vacation. We stepped it up a little by offering flavoring options. We made up flavored syrups to add on top of the lemonade to add variety and "POW" that no others had. We made the flavored syrups with Kool Aid mixes and water in very concentrated amounts. We put the syrups in inexpensive condoment containers and named them "Cherry Bomb", "Strawberry Slam", and "Punch Pow". We added these to the lemonade if the customer wanted it at no extra cost. The personalization and customer attention along with the "swirl" design of contrasting colors was a success. The kids had so much fun and the self esteem boost was a plus. It builds character.

Posted by: Wanda on May 21, 2011 12:42 AM

I love lemonade and Im going to have a lemonade stand soon and this recipe will be the best for it!! Thank you soo much!!!!

Posted by: Lemonade Rulz on May 26, 2011 2:16 PM

omg this is so simple and so good!! better than store bought and restaraunts :) really enjoyed it and now cant get enought of it!!

- thanks

Posted by: Baylee and Anika on May 29, 2011 12:13 PM

This is exactly what I needed today! I had some fresh lemonade at the Farmers' Market on Saturday and have been craving it ever since. I found this recipe tonight and whipped up a batch and WOW. This is perfect! And since I'm pregnant, it's a great alternative to a cocktail with dinner tonight ;) I posted a review with a link to this page over on my blog. Thanks!!

Posted by: Ashley on May 31, 2011 6:49 PM

Hi Elise, I haven't tried the recipe yet but I will make this tomorrow. I'm sure it will be great. I was wondering though, have you ever made this with splenda? I try to stay away from sugar as much as possible but at the same time I don't want my lemonade to have a bad taste. I know somethings I can't tell but splenda mess up the taste of my coffee every morning. Just wasn't as good as the sugar.
Thanks in advance for any feed back.

I have not. But if you do try it, please let us know how it works out for you. ~Elise

Posted by: lanie on June 2, 2011 11:41 PM

I love it my family taste it and loved it.

Posted by: Connie on June 12, 2011 4:05 PM

Absolutely delicious, thank you oh so much!!!

Posted by: Jay on June 17, 2011 12:34 AM

This lemonade is so delicous! It tastes just like the stuff I've had at fairs =) Perfect for summer, many thanks Elise!!

Posted by: Monica on June 21, 2011 12:04 PM

Great recipe! But I tried something different that makes it even tastier; instead of just lemon juice, I used half lemon and half lime juice(Which is the equivalent of 3 lemons and 3 limes, and makes 1 cup of juice). I also used slightly less than 1 cup of sugar, and it was still very sweet. And I used only 3 cups of dissolving water. Any more would have diluted it too much in my opinion. Making the simple syrup really enhances the flavors. Makes a great sweet and tangy lemon-limeade. Serve over plenty of ice!

Posted by: Patrick M. on June 22, 2011 11:40 AM

Made this lemonade on a really hot 90 degree day and it cooled me down perfectly!! :D thanks

Posted by: Chris on July 1, 2011 1:44 PM

This was my first time making "homemade" lemonade. It came out great, tart and sweet and soo simple to make the simple syrup is a good idea too. I have a customer that gives me free lemons so I will definately be making this again : )

Posted by: Caroline M. on July 8, 2011 6:00 PM

Wonderful recipe! I added a little extra cold water so it wasn't so tart - everyone has their own taste preference. Also, I put some lemonade in an ice cube tray and froze it, will add this later, and it won't dilute the drink!

Posted by: Tara on July 10, 2011 1:39 PM

This recipe is simple and perfect. But after making delicious lemonade with this recipe multiple times, I decided to change it up a bit. I muddled a packed cup of basil leaves into the lemon juice and then strained it out. The basil added another dimension of flavor and my husband and I absolutely loved it.

Posted by: Amanda on July 12, 2011 4:52 PM

like this:)

Posted by: maria on July 26, 2011 8:23 AM

My husband made this for us this weeking using the above recipe and since we didn't have a juicer we had a huge mess but I must say that it was worth it because the lemonade was fabulous! Will be making again...and again....with a juicer!

Posted by: Melissa on July 26, 2011 10:06 AM

wow really nice my 5 year old daughter and I have just made this and yummy will be doing again thanks had to use lemon juice (JIF) natural strength as lemons are too expensive in rainy old England (70 pence for 1 small lemon) which we did use for decoration also added some peppermint extract really yummy 1 TSP

Posted by: karla on August 16, 2011 2:48 AM

Very simple to make but 1 cup, even 3/4 cup of sugar is way too sweet for me. I only use 1/2 cup and the sweetness/tartness is well balanced.

Posted by: Vera on August 21, 2011 5:18 PM

Made the lemon Juice and store it in the ice cube track, so now whenever I need to make a quick lemonade, just take the lemon iced, from the freezer and put it in the warm syrup, add the water and the Lemonade is ready, Thanks.

Posted by: Shirinalzebari on September 2, 2011 2:19 AM

hi, i'm 12 and i have tried this recipe- it's brilliant! it's practically my only perfect cooking achievement so far. I'm going to serve this at our barbecue. Thank you so much!

Posted by: lemonsorbet on September 10, 2011 6:20 AM

great recipe! and thanks for the tips on freezing :) I just wanted to mention that I also substitute grapefruit juice for the lemon juice sometimes and it's delicious! sooo refreshing.

Posted by: anita on October 5, 2011 8:36 PM

I tried this recipe because I had tons of lemons from our 2 lemon trees. The recipe doubles easy and is really quick to make. It's also fun to get the get kids involved too. My little girl (5) can't wait to make a batch (which is currently done every 2nd day). Thanks for a fantastic recipe

Posted by: Tanya on October 8, 2011 1:33 PM

Best lemonade I have ever had. Thanks a lot.

Posted by: Toni on October 10, 2011 5:44 PM

the best i have ever had.

Posted by: nathan parrish on January 8, 2012 4:53 PM

Lemonade is awsome with meyer lemons:)

Posted by: Ashley on January 22, 2012 7:04 PM

My son and I just made this lemonade for his lemonade stand. It's fantastic. He's so proud of himself and he read the recipe too. I wrote it out with little pictures above each word. High fives all around here!

Posted by: Gabby on January 27, 2012 4:52 PM

Very nice! I just tried it. My daughter was craving lemonade. This was my first time making an entire pitcher of it homemade. Thank you!

Posted by: Deb on February 8, 2012 8:37 PM

i used oranges also and cooked the juice with the syrup. should have used less sugar cause oranges were sweet but other than that it is great!

Posted by: christy on February 12, 2012 12:52 PM

This reminds me of a rock candy recipe. The order of mixing sugar and water is VERY important. To grow rock candy crystals add sugar to hot water a little at a time.
If you add water to the sugar you will get SUGAR SYRUP (very stubborn). No crystals will form unless all the water is boiled away.
The difference is striking!

Posted by: Shedevil on March 14, 2012 12:21 PM

We used Organic evaporated cane juice (from Costco) in place of white sugar and it turned out great!

Posted by: Nicole LeBlanc on March 25, 2012 1:20 PM

I could not be more satisfied with this!! I added a slice of orange too it is fabulos!

Posted by: Heather on April 1, 2012 2:30 PM

it's easy to make lemonade

Indeed it is. ~Elise

Posted by: isaac on April 2, 2012 2:22 PM

amazing lemonade thanks so much for the recipe, it was delicious (;

Posted by: Karina Cole on May 7, 2012 12:01 PM

I apologize for the inconvenience, comments are closed. ~Elise

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