Homemade Lemonade Recipe

This time of year, we all need to enjoy a tasty cool down like this Homemade Lemonade Recipe. This classic summertime drink is so refreshing, and it’s sure to revitalize you on a sultry afternoon.

Easy Homemade Lemonade Recipe

There’s nothing like seeing a pitcher of lemonade or homemade sweet tea on the table for summertime sipping. Whether you make my seasonal sweet peach tea using frozen peaches as ice, or you’re more of a classic sweet tea drinker, it’s satisfying nonetheless on a sultry day. See how to make classic sweet tea here on Southern Living. How to make homemade Lemonade: (Scroll down for full printable recipe.)

• On the stovetop in a small saucepan over medium high heat mix together sugar, water and lemon juice. Heat, stirring until sugar has fully dissolved, then remove from heat.
• Add to a one gallon pitcher with water, lemon juice and sliced lemon. Cover and chill for at least 4 hours.
• Just before serving, add ice and serve with additional lemon slices and mint for garnishing.

How to Make the Best Homemade Lemonade Recipe

Lemonade is super simple to make but, I want to mention a few tips for your lemonade making success.

• Ingredients you’ll need to make easy homemade Lemonade: Granulated sugar, filtered water and lemon juice to make the simple syrup. To make the lemonade, freshly squeezed lemon juice, filtered water and lemon slices and fresh mint for serving.
• Kitchen gadgets you’ll need: A small saucepan to make the simple lemon syrup, a pitcher, measuring cups, a large wooden spoon or similar for stirring, a sharp knife to cut the lemons and a lemon juicer.
• Taking the time to make a simple syrup ensures the lemonade will be fully sweetened without any gritty sugar floating in the lemonade. A simple syrup is simply equal parts sugar and water cooked together until the sugar has dissolved.
• Skip bottled lemon juice and use freshly squeezed lemons for the most authentic taste.
• Allow ample time for the lemonade to chill before serving.
• Lemonade can be saved up to 3 days in the refrigerator, but should you use sparkling water, it will become flat. Add sparkling water just before serving.
• Sparkling water can be substituted for filtered water, if desired.
• If you plan to make it ahead, it is best to wait to add in the sparkling water until ready to enjoy or replace the sparkling water with regular drinking water.
• You can add fresh or frozen fruit to the lemonade to make other flavors, if preferred. Some examples are strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and mint.
• Keep lemonade thoroughly chilled in the refrigerator and it will last for several days.

More Southern Style Drink Recipes to Make

Fun drinks can easily be made family friendly or turned into adult only versions adding alcohol of choice. A few other drinks you may consider:

• Quench your thirst with a tall glass of Southern Sweet Tea.
• Easy Frozen Strawberry Lime Margaritas. These can be served virgin or adult only.
• Pine Apple Lemonade Spritzers were inspired by an Apple orchard that we love to visit.
• Sparkling Berry Lemonade is filled with fresh berries and a pretty color, too.
• Peach Iced Tea uses frozen peach slices in place of ice cubes to keep it cold.

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Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Pitcher 
• Glasses
• Measuring Set
• Kitchen Utensils