About this recipe

A classic, refreshing homemade lemonade made with freshly squeezed lemons and a simple syrup base. Perfectly balanced between sweet and tart, this crowd-pleasing drink is bright, clean, and endlessly customizable. Great for summer gatherings, backyard barbecues, or any time you need a cool, citrusy pick-me-up.

Instructions

1. 1

   Combine the sugar and 1 cup of water in a saucepan over ^[medium heat]. Stir gently until the sugar is completely dissolved, about 3–4 minutes. Do not let it boil vigorously — just a gentle simmer is all you need. Remove from heat and let the simple syrup cool to room temperature.

2. 2

   While the syrup cools, roll each lemon firmly on the countertop with the palm of your hand for 10–15 seconds. This breaks down the inner membranes and helps you get significantly more juice out of each lemon.

3. 3

   Cut each lemon in half and juice them using a citrus juicer. Strain the juice through a sieve into a measuring cups to remove seeds and pulp. You should have about 1 cup of fresh lemon juice.

4. 4

   Pour the lemon juice and cooled simple syrup into a pitcher (Large). Stir to combine.

5. 5

   Add 4 cups of cold water to the pitcher (Large) and stir well. Taste and adjust — add a splash more water if you prefer it less sweet, or a bit more simple syrup if you'd like it sweeter. The balance is entirely up to you.

6. 6

   Add ice to the pitcher (Large) and stir once more to chill everything through. Serve immediately over ice in tall glasses, garnished with a lemon round and a sprig of fresh mint if desired.