The Simple Lemonade Recipe You Need to Make This Summer
This easy homemade lemonade recipe is incredibly simple to make and a perfect blend of tart and sweet. You’ll reach for it over and over again when you need something refreshing in the middle of the day or are unwinding on your back patio in the evening. It takes such little time to prepare that you’ll keep a pitcher in the refrigerator all summer long!
It’s not quite full-blown summer weather here yet, but in less than a week I’m going to be squinting into the sun, trying to re-position my chair in the ever-elusive sliver of shade that keeps moving, and peeling my sweat-soaked legs off the patio chair. Those days in the mid-80’s are just around the corner.
In a word, I LOATHE the heat and humidity of summer. It’s just not my thing. Give me an October day with a high in the 50’s any day over the dog days of summer. Who’s with me here?
Let’s face it – I’m never going to beat summer (unless we move somewhere with a considerably more mild climate), so I may as well join it, right? Well, at least a little. An ice-cold glass of homemade lemonade sure makes those sweltering days a little more tolerable, so pass the pitcher, please!
Only 3 Ingredients Required in This Lemonade!
This crazy easy lemonade recipe only requires three ingredients:
- Lemon Juice – Fresh lemons are, of course, a must! You’ll need about eight medium-sized lemons to get the right amount of lemon juice for this recipe.
- Superfine Sugar – This is a very fine sugar that dissolves easily in liquid, which helps us to eliminate the step of making a simple syrup; it can get stirred right into the lemon juice. (Check the notes for a substitution hack if needed!)
- Water – Does this even count as an ingredient?! We use it to dilute the lemon juice and sugar so it’s not too super tart or too super sweet; we strike the perfect balance that is just oh-so-good.
All that’s left is to add ice and/or mint, if you like!
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One of my favorite splurges when at an outdoor event or theme park during the summer is a big cup of lemonade that I can sip leisurely as I walk around; I’m so thrilled to have the perfect recipe to keep lemonade at the ready here at home, too.
It doesn’t necessarily keep my legs from sticking to the chair, but boy is it refreshing! Let’s beat the summer heat together…
I’d love to hear about your favorite summer drink – share in the comments below!
Cheers to a fabulous summer on the horizon! *Clink!*
More Summery Drinks For You…
Mix up any of these refreshing drinks for sipping by the pool, on the deck, or wherever you like to kick back and relax when the weather gets warm!
- Watermelon-Peach Slushies
- Strawberry Pim’s Cup Cocktail
- Chocolate Italian Cream Soda
- Blackberry Gin Fizz Float
- Ginger-Tea Lemonade
- White Sangria
One year ago: Easy Buttermilk Biscuits
Five years ago: Cookies & Cream White Chocolate Bark
Six years ago: Chinese Beef and Broccoli
Seven years ago: Fresh Fruit Tart with Pastry Cream
Easy Homemade Lemonade Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (488 ml) fresh lemon juice, from about 8 lemons
- 1 ⅓ cups (266.67 g) superfine sugar
- 6 cups (1.5 l) water
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Stir together lemon juice and sugar in a 3-quart pitcher until sugar is dissolved. Add water and stir until combined. Garnish with additional lemon slices and mint, if desired. Serve over ice in glasses.
Notes
- If superfine sugar is not readily available where you shop, you can place regular granulated sugar in a food processor to great that fine texture.
- You can refrigerate the lemonade if not serving immediately; stir before serving.
- The lemonade can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Update Notes: This recipe was originally published in May 2010; updated in June 2019 with new photos and improved recipe instructions.
[photos by Ari of Well Seasoned]
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I had made some lemon zest cookies and was looking to use the rest of the lemon juice and powdered sugar. Since I only used two lemons, I downsized your recipe to use only two tablespoons of powdered sugar and 3/4 cup of water. It was perfect.
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Oo, yum!! Can’t wait to try this recipe this summer. I’m with you: ugh, that summer heat is the WORST. Nothing like a cold glass of lemonade to get you thru the day!
Enjoy lemonade. Not sure if I want to make it though lol😋 living in ca I feel bad even commenting on hot Summers…but we’ve had some really hot ones a few years back to back to back..like in 100s hot. That is hot for us and it was miserable. But we do always seem to cool down at night. I like things lemony as in sweets..cookies, etc but dont like lemon in anything else. Weird food preference..
Try adding some juiced raspberries through a sieve to remove the seeds…
Hi Michelle, a wee dash of salt really amps up the flavor…. do try it!
I’m also a summer hater. June through September is something to be endured.
I love all things lemon except lemonade. I prefer just a squeeze of lemon juice (or lime juice) into my water than the sweet/sour combination.
I love lemonade so will be trying this recipe. I am with you on summer – HATE IT. I live in Northern California and our summers are very hot (100’s) and very long. I only wish it was in the 50s here in October, we don’t get that until December.
I love all things lemon. I make limoncello and one of my favorite summer treats is mixing limoncello and vanilla ice cream in a blender. Heaven!
Question : : Could powdered sugar be used in place of the super fine? Your picture looks like powdered sugar which is what made me think about this.
I love, love, love lemonade and this recipe is perfection! In addition to drinking this lemonade as is, I also like to mix it with a half a glass of fresh brewed iced tea, it makes the perfect Arnold Palmer and boy is it delish! Also, I agree with you Michelle, I hate summer, too hot and humid for me. If I lived on the beach I am sure I’d view it differently but unfortunately I do not. In addition to all the bad hair days, it just really zaps me of any energy.
Two suggestions…
1. Try using Meyer lemons when they are in season. They’re so much more flavorful than traditional lemons.
2. Zest all of those lemons before you juice them. You can freeze the zest in ice cube trays with water. Then pop them into iced tea, water or lemonade to give you a lemony boost with out any effort.
Hi Michelle,
I’m from Miami. I’m with you about Summer. I absolutely ABHOR summer. I have very light skin, so I’m not a sun person, although I love going to the beach and sitting in the shade with a tall glass of lemonade.😀 Our Summers in Florida are very hot( in the high 90’s) , and humid. Along with Summer comes hurricane season, which has Floridians keeping a close eye on weather reports. I’ll take a 50 degree day over our 90 degree Summer any time. For now, I’ll try to beat the heat, and make some of your lemonade. Yum!
Just used up the 2 cups of lemon juice sitting in the fridge to make this and it is absolutely the most “perfect” lemonade. Thank you :)
this summer has been hot hot hot! I bet this will cool things down!!!! :D
I would like to know if anyone knows how to make bakers lemonade, I drank it when I was a boy growing up on a farm in Wisconsin and it sure hit the spot on the hot days baling hay. Thanks Tommy
I made this lemonade for my dinner party last night and everyone loved it! It is the perfect amount of sweet and tanginess. Thanks for the recipe! :)
Honey is a great alternative to sugar.
I make homemade lemonade but I make a mint and Ginger simple syrup instead of using superfine sugar. I make it with agave nectar instead of sugar. It is a huge hit. I just gave a quart of it to a friend for her son who is addicted to it. He thinks it is the best lemonade he has ever tasted. I also used my thawed Meyer lemon juice for it. Sooo good.
Your recipe sounds very good too. I adore fresh lemonade. Nothing like it.
Made this over the weekend and it was delish!!!! Thanks!! :D
So glad you enjoyed it Jamie! :)
Nothing quite like homemade lemonade.
This sounds really cool and yummy. My favorite lemonade recipe is infused with mint and ginger. I will post it in awhile. It is really yummy and less sweet. I find lemonade to be the best summer drink. It is so refreshing. I want some of that!
This looks lovely! And it’s funny that you posted it because I bought a whole bunch of lemons earlier in the week with intentions of making lemonade, but I realized I had never made it before and didn’t really know what proportions of lemon juice/water/sugar to use. Now I know!
Lemonade is definitely my favorite non-alcoholic summer drink, though I like to add a little fresh squeezed orange juice and oranges slices. For a more adult drink at times – definitely a mojito.
Aah. Nothing like fresh lemonade on a hot day. The powdered stuff just doesn’t compare!