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Lemonade · Classic

Fresh-Squeezed Classic Lemonade

Bright, sweet-tart lemonade made with real lemons and a quick simple syrup that dissolves perfectly. Make a pitcher and summer arrives early.

New, no ratings yet0 reviewsby Simmerbee Kitchen

Prep
15 min
Cook
5 min
Total
50 min
Serves
about 2 quarts
Level
Easy
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup granulated sugar ≈ 200 g
    Swaps for granulated sugar

    Instead of sugar

    • Less sugar: Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads. Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
    • Brown sugar: The same amount, packed. Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
    • Coconut sugar: The same amount. Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.

    All 4 swaps for sugar

  • 1 cup water, for the syrup
  • 1 cup fresh lemon juice, from 6 to 8 lemons
    Swaps for fresh lemon juice

    Instead of lemon juice

    • Lime juice: The same amount. A different, more floral aroma; works almost everywhere.
    • Bottled lemon juice: The same amount. More sour and flatter; fine in cooking and baking, less bright in dressings and drinks.
    • White wine vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sharper, with no citrus aroma.

    More for lemon juice

  • 4–5 cups cold water
  • ice and lemon slices, for serving

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.

Steps

Kid helper. A child can do steps 4 and 5: no knife, no heat. Steps marked “Grown-up” use a knife or heat. Cooking with kids

  1. Make a simple syrup: heat the sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring, just until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear.
    ⏱ Dissolve sugar: 4 minGrown-up: heat
  2. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, or chill it.
    ⏱ Cool syrup: 30 minGrown-up: heat
  3. Roll the lemons firmly on the counter under your palm, cut them in half and squeeze out 1 cup of juice.
    Strain (how to strain) Strain Pour food through a strainer to separate the liquid from the solids, or to make a sauce smooth. 1. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl or pot large enough to hold all the liquid.2. Pour slowly, so it doesn't overflow.3. Press the solids with the back of a ladle to get all the liquid out (unless the recipe wants a clear result).4. Throw away the solids or keep them, as the recipe says. Done when: The liquid is smooth with no bits; for clear broth, no cloudiness from pressing. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first. Ladle very full pots into the strainer rather than lifting them.How to strain sauces and stocks: mistakes to avoid
    out the seeds.
    Grown-up: knife
  4. In a pitcher, stir together the cooled syrup, lemon juice and 4 cups cold water. Taste and add up to 1 more cup water if it's too strong.
    Kid step
  5. Serve over ice with lemon slices.
    Kid step

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

  • Room-temperature lemons give more juice than cold ones.
  • Simple syrup keeps in the fridge for 2 weeks, so you can make lemonade fast anytime.

Storage

Refrigerate covered up to 5 days. Add ice to glasses, not the pitcher, so it doesn't water down.

Make ahead

Make the syrup and squeeze the juice a day ahead; combine with water before serving.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage. In season: lemons (December to April).

Quick answers

Can I make it ahead?

Make the syrup and squeeze the juice a day ahead. Combine with water before serving.

What can I swap?
  • Instead of sugar: Brown sugar, the same amount, packed.
  • Instead of lemon juice: Lime juice, the same amount.

Answered from this recipe's own storage, make-ahead and swap notes.

Estimated nutrition per serving

Calories
100
Protein
0 g
Carbohydrates
27 g
Fiber
0 g
Sugars
26 g
Fat
0 g
Saturated fat
0 g
Sodium
5 mg

Whole recipe, 8 servings: about 830 calories.

Estimate from USDA FoodData Central; not medical or dietary advice. Based on 4 of 4 ingredients.

How we estimate

We add up USDA FoodData Central values for each measured ingredient as written and divide by the recipe's 8 servings, so changing the servings or units here doesn't change a serving. Brands, swaps, trimming and cooking all change the real numbers.

Not counted: ice and lemon slices (to taste or as needed).

Estimated cost

About $0.20 a serving

About $1.80 for the recipe as written (8 servings).

Estimate; prices vary by store and region. U.S. average prices for September 2026 from BLS Average Price Data and USDA ERS Purchase to Plate prices updated with the BLS Consumer Price Index. Priced: 4 of 4 ingredients, 100% by weight.

How we estimate

Each measured ingredient is weighed as in the nutrition estimate and priced at the U.S. average: BLS's average price where BLS publishes one, else USDA ERS's Purchase to Plate price for 2017-18 raised to September 2026 with the CPI for that food group. Whole packages, store brands, sales and regions all change the real cost: treat it as a ballpark.

  • fresh lemon juice $1.35 ERS
  • granulated sugar $0.45 BLS

Free: water, cold water (tap water).

Not counted: ice and lemon slices (optional, or to taste).

More dishes for less: cheap eats.

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Cleanup score 3/5 (some cleanup): 3 things to wash, saucepan, pitcher, strainer.

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