Ingredients
Scale
- 6 to 8 medium lemons (about 1 cup lemon juice)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 5 cups cold water, divided
- Ice for serving
- Lemon slices and mint for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves to make simple syrup. Let it cool.
- Juice the lemons, removing seeds and straining the juice.
- Mix lemon juice and cooled syrup in a large pitcher.
- Add 4 to 5 cups cold water and stir. Taste and adjust if needed.
- Chill and serve over ice. Garnish with lemon slices or herbs.
Notes
- Add herbs like mint or basil to the syrup for an infused twist.
- For sparkling lemonade, swap part of the cold water with club soda.
- If too tart, stir in extra syrup or a drizzle of honey.
- Make it ahead by prepping syrup and lemon juice separately.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Beverage
- Method: No cook (stovetop for syrup)
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 130
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 34g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg