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–+ servings

Homemade Lemonade

There's nothing quite as refreshing on a hot summer day as a glass of homemade lemonade. This simple yet delicious recipe features the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors that will quench your thirst and bring a smile to your face.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Total Time 15 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Drink
Cuisine: American
Calories: 145
Ingredients Method Nutrition

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ¾ cups white sugar
  • 8 cups cold water divided
  • 1 ½ cups freshly squeezed lemon juice from about 6-8 large lemons
  • Additional lemon slices for garnish
  • Fresh mint leaves optional
  • Ice cubes

Method
 

  1. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar with 1 cup of water. Place over medium heat and stir gently until sugar is completely dissolved, creating a simple syrup. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
  2. While the syrup cools, roll each lemon on the countertop with gentle pressure from your palm. This technique helps release more juice from the fruits.
  3. Cut the lemons in half and squeeze to extract 1 ½ cups of fresh lemon juice. For best results, use a citrus juicer or reamer. Strain out seeds if necessary.
  4. In a large pitcher, combine the cooled simple syrup with the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
  5. Add the remaining 7 cups of cold water and stir well to combine all ingredients thoroughly.
  6. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed by adding more simple syrup or dilute with additional water if it's too strong.
  7. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to chill completely.
  8. Serve over ice in glasses garnished with fresh lemon slices and mint leaves if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 38gSodium: 6mgSugar: 36g
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