Lemonade Recipe

Combine sugar and water

In a small saucepan combine 1 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup water. If using, add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the pan for extra citrus aroma.

Heat to dissolve

Place the saucepan over medium heat and stir constantly until the sugar completely dissolves and the mixture is clear, about 3–5 minutes. Do not bring it to a hard boil—just a gentle simmer is fine.

Cool and strain

Remove from heat. If you added lemon zest, let the syrup cool 10 minutes, then strain out the zest into a heatproof container. Cool the syrup to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled (about 30 minutes to 1 hour).

Juice the lemons

Roll the lemons on the counter to loosen juices. Cut enough lemons to yield 1 cup (about 4–6 medium lemons). Juice them using a citrus juicer or reamer, and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove seeds and excess pulp if desired.

Mix lemonade base

In a large pitcher, combine 1 cup fresh lemon juice and 1 cup chilled simple syrup. Stir to combine.

Add water and adjust sweetness

Add 4 cups cold water to the pitcher and stir. Taste the lemonade. If it is too strong or sweet for your preference, add up to 1/2 cup additional cold water, or adjust with more syrup or lemon juice as needed.

Chill and serve

Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour lemonade over the ice. Garnish each glass with a lemon slice and a sprig of fresh mint if desired. Serve immediately.

Storage

Store any leftover lemonade in the refrigerator in a covered pitcher for up to 3–4 days. Stir before serving, and add fresh ice and garnish when ready to serve.