Best Homemade Lemonade Ever (2024)

When life gives you lemons, make the Best Lemonade Ever! This aptly named recipe is as good as it gets: Sweet, tart, easy to throw together, and oh-so refreshing. Sweeten your day with our top-rated lemonade recipe (and get our best lemonade serving and storage tips).

Lemonade Ingredients

It couldn't be easier to make this homemade lemonade with just a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.

Sugar and Water
What makes this lemonade so special? The recipe starts with a simple syrup, which is just a fancy way of saying the first step is dissolving sugar in boiling water. This ensures the finished drink is totally cohesive and smooth (and it prevents sugar from collecting at the bottom of the pitcher).

Lemon Juice
Obviously, you'll need lemon juice to make homemade lemonade. Freshly squeezed juice is definitely the way to go if you have fresh lemons available, but bottled juice will work in a pinch.

Ice
There's nothing like a refreshing glass of ice cold lemonade to cool you down on a hot day. Just make sure to add the ice right before serving — you don't want it to dilute the sweet flavor.

How to Make Lemonade

Making homemade lemonade is probably way easier than you think (and it's well worth the extra effort). You'll just need to follow a few simple steps.

Juice Your Lemons

Start by firmly rolling the lemons around on the counter. This will help release the juices and make your job a lot easier. Cut the lemon in half crosswise, then squeeze out the juice by hand or with a juicer.

Make sure to juice the lemons over a large measuring cup so you can see exactly how much liquid you have.

Make a Simple Syrup

It's shockingly simple to make simple syrup on the stove. Just combine sugar and water in a small saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil, and stir it until the sugar is dissolved.

Stir

Pour cold water into a pitcher. Stir in lemon juice and pulp, then add simple syrup to taste.

Serve

Serve over ice. If you're feeling fancy, garnish each glass with a fresh lemon slice or a candied lemon peel.

How to Store Fresh Lemonade

Store homemade lemonade in the fridge for about 5 to 7 days without ice. Since ice will dilute the mixture, it's best to add it right before serving. If the lemonade is in an open pitcher, cover it with storage wrap for maximum freshness.

Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise

"Tart and sweet ... just how we like it," says Sandy AZ. "If you don't like it that way, let it mellow down with some ice cubes. Will definitely make many more times 'cause I have two lemon trees bursting with fruit."

"This was wonderful," raves Melissa. "I served it at a Mother's Day barbecue, and everyone loved it. Since it was served in a large clear container, I floated two lemons sliced into rounds, and also half a bunch of fresh mint leaves. Very pretty, and the mint added a nice touch of flavor."

"This is a great recipe," according to PRESTO. "This was my first time making real lemonade, and I will definitely use this recipe again!"

Editorial contributions by Corey Williams

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups white sugar

• 1 cup water

• 9 medium lemons, or more as needed

• 7 cups ice-cold water

• ice as needed

1. Gather all ingredients.

   

2. Combine sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugar while mixture comes to a boil. Set aside to cool slightly.

   

3. Meanwhile, roll lemons around on your counter to soften. Cut in half crosswise, and squeeze into a liquid measuring cup. Add pulp to the juice, but discard any seeds. Continue juicing until you have 1 1/2 cups fresh juice and pulp.

   

4. Pour 7 cups ice-cold water into a pitcher. Stir in lemon juice and pulp, then add simple syrup to taste. Add ice.

   

Nutrition Facts (per serving)