Homemade Fresh Squeezed Lemonade - Umami

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Fresh squeezed homemade lemonade served ice cold on a hot day is one of the summer’s great treats.

There is a balance to the best lemonade between the sweetness from the sugar and the tartness from the lemon juice that includes layers of flavor and texture that can only be found in freshly squeezed lemon juice.

To figure out the best way to make lemonade at home, we tested mixes, bottled juice, and freshly squeezed lemons on their own and in combination.

In this post, we include our favorite fresh-squeezed homemade lemonade recipe that is so simple it takes 10 minutes to make, along with a simple way to make an excellent lemonade with bottled lemon juice that is almost as good as the fresh squeezed.

Once you see how easy it is to make fresh lemonade with these recipes, you’ll never need to buy the powdered mix again.

Table of Contents

Lemonade Ingredients
Two Ways to Make Lemonade
- Classic Lemonade Recipe
- Making Lemonade with Bottled Lemon Juice
Tips and Tricks
More Recipes and Drinks
Homemade Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

Lemonade Ingredients

It doesn’t take much to make a pitcher of lemonade from scratch, a handful of lemons, sugar, and some water. The key to simple recipes is not to overthink the process and focus on getting the most out of the ingredients on hand.

Bowl Of Lemons — Freshly squeezed lemons make all the difference.

Lemons – There are several types of lemons commonly available in grocery stores, such as Lisbon, Eureka, and Meyer.

With a slightly oblong shape, bright yellow color, and relatively thick skin, the Lisbon and Eureka are among a group of varietals often referred to as standard or regular lemons. These types of lemons are fairly acidic and are available all year round at most grocery stores.

Any type of lemon can be used to make lemonade. Meyer lemons are rounder, with smoother skin and sweeter juice. When using Meyer lemons or other sweeter varietals, it can help to slightly reduce the amount of sugar.

Water – The only reason to use anything other than tap water when making lemonade is if the water has an off-putting taste to it. Sparkling water can be used for a more effervescent fancy lemonade.

Sugar – The simplest way to make lemonade from scratch is to use regular granulated sugar. Cane sugar also works well. Flavored sugars or other sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and agave can all be used to create twists on this recipe that highlight their own unique flavors.

We often use honey in the spring and fall when we’re serving pitchers of lemonade over ice with fruit-forward desserts.

Two Ways to Make Lemonade

To develop this fresh lemonade recipe, we did a blind taste test of three different types. The first was made with freshly squeezed lemons, the second used bottled lemon juice, and the third used a popular powdered mix.

Lemonade Taste Test — The testers loved the robust flavor of the freshly squeezed lemonade.

The tasters found that the batch made with real lemons had more complexity and more of the bright lemon flavor they wanted. They described the freshly squeezed as “a little brighter,” “more vibrant,” and “having more of a kick” than the other two.

The most interesting thing we found during the testing was that the lemons were contributing more than their juice. The pulp gave the fresh-squeezed batch more body and complex flavors than bottled juice or powdered mix.

For more about the taste test, read Three Recipes: Does the Best Lemonade Come From Lemons, a Bottle, or Powder?

Classic Lemonade Recipe

What makes fresh squeezed lemonade so fantastic is it only takes a few lemons, a little bit of sugar, a sharp knife, a juicer, and 10 minutes to make amazing lemonade that is equal parts tart, refreshing, and delicious.

To make fresh squeezed at home, start by juicing 4 to 6 lemons, reserving half a lemon for garnishes. Juicing lemons is easy if you have a manual citrus juicer.

To make the lemonade base mix the fresh lemon juice and sugar using a whisk or slotted spoon. Once the sugar has fully dissolved, continue stirring while adding the cold water.

The base is essentially a concentrate and can be made on its own and stored in the fridge for a week or so before being mixed with cold water. This can be helpful for times when you’re serving lots of people and don’t have room for a lot of pitchers in the fridge.

As a garnish and to deepen the lemon flavor, slice the remaining half lemon into rounds and add the slices to the pitcher. The slices will continue to enrich the lemonade’s flavor as it chills in the refrigerator.

A lot of recipes start by having you turn on the stove and make a simple syrup. Adding a layer of complexity and potentially reducing the bright citrus flavors that are the mark of fresh lemonade.

As long as the sugar is fully dissolved in the lemon juice, which is easy to do with a whisk, there is no reason to make a simple syrup. As we found in the testing for this Homemade Sour Mix, heat and too much straining dull the flavor of fresh fruit juices.

Making Lemonade with Bottled Lemon Juice

To make a delicious lemonade with bottled lemon juice, follow these steps. Replace the freshly squeezed lemon juice in the recipe below with an equal amount of bottled lemon juice. Use the highest quality bottled lemon juice available.

This version works well when lemons aren’t readily available or when one is making a larger batch for picnics and parties.

Adding a few slices of lemon to the pitcher while it chills in the fridge will deepen its flavor and increase the body.

Tips and Tricks

A simple way to get more juice from the lemons is to roll them under the palm of your hand before slicing or juicing them. Zapping the lemons in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds will also increase the amount of juice.

Rolling Lemon — Using your palm, roll the lemon back and forth a few times for more juice.

Fresh lemonade can be stored in the fridge for a couple of weeks. It should be stored in a pitcher that ideally has an airtight cover to prevent any off-flavors from infiltrating. We regularly store leftover lemonade in open glass pitchers without it picking up unwanted flavors.

Lemonade is best served chilled. The cold accentuates the balance between sweetness and tartness. If it is being served with ice, the ice should be placed in the glasses, not the pitcher, to minimize any dilution from the ice melting.

Glasses of lemonade can be garnished with additional sliced lemon rounds or lemon wedges.

More Recipes and Drinks

One of the best things about lemonade is its versatility. Adding in a handful of fresh basil, rosemary, or mint is an easy way to make something unique that can be paired with dishes like Grilled Pork Tenderloin or Roasted Greek Chicken Breasts.

Pitcher Of Lemonade — What more could you want to drink on a hot summer day?

We love making Blueberry Lemonade when blueberries are in season or Fresh Raspberry Lemonade when serving fruit-forward desserts like Rhubarb Bars or Mountain Berry Crisp.

Both variations are simple to make and use fresh fruit to make a refreshing drink with complex flavors. When making a fruit or herb infused lemonade, garnish the glasses with some of the fruit or herbs to create a visually stunning presentation that connects with the drink’s flavor.

Lemonade can also be turned into a refreshing cocktail on warm summer nights by adding a shot or two of chilled vodka. To make an Arnold Palmer, mix the lemonade with sweet tea in a one-to-one ratio.

A few of the dishes we love serving this recipe with when we’re hosting barbecues are Smoked Pork Ribs, Buffalo Burgers, and Grilled Corn on the Cob.

Homemade Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

3.8 from 10 votes Once you see how easy this homemade lemonade recipe is to make, you'll never buy the powdered mix again. See why fresh squeezed lemonade is one of the best things about summer. Print Pin SaveSaved! Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

▢ 5 lemons
▢ 1 cup sugar
▢ 7 cups water

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Instructions

Start by rolling the lemons under the palm of your hand a few times on a cutting board. This helps soften them up and makes it easier to get the juice out.5 lemons
Cut the lemons in half, saving half of one lemon as a garnish. Juice the rest of the lemons until there are 1 1/4 cups of lemon juice. 1 cup sugar
Whisk the lemon juice and sugar together in a pitcher. Once the sugar has been completely dissolved, add 7 cups of cold water. Continue to stir until the lemonade base and water are fully incorporated.7 cups water
Slice the remaining half lemon into lemon wheels and add them to the pitcher. Chill for at least 15 minutes to let everything come together. Serve over ice.