There’s nothing more summery than a tall glass of icy cold lemonade. Go claim your favorite porch swing or rocking chair and get ready for a refreshing treat! This easy Homemade Lemonade has an extra kick thanks to the concentrated lemon flavor from our homemade simple syrup. I also add a little pinch of salt at the end, so it can help support your electrolyte balance on these super hot summer days, too!

Easy Recipe for Homemade Lemonade

Making lemonade seems easy until you try to wing it and end up with something way too sour or barely lemony at all. Trust me, I’ve made every too-puckery, too-sweet mistake in the book. Nowadays, I stick to this simple ratio using fresh lemon juice, homemade simple syrup (made from just water and sugar), cold water, and a little salt. This recipe is easy to scale up or down, and I can’t think of a better way to cool off on a hot day. No more store-bought bottles or powdered mixes for me!

how to make Homemade Lemonade step-by-step photos

Gather all your ingredients.

Peel a lemon: Start by peeling one lemon with a vegetable peeler. Reserve the peels for your simple syrup.

Make the simple syrup: Follow my homemade simple syrup recipe (all you need is 1 additional cup of water and 1 cup of sugar) to make your simple syrup. Add the lemon peels from your peeled lemon during the cooking process.

Once the sugar is dissolved, let your lemon simple syrup cool on the countertop. It can still be warm when you mix it with the other lemonade ingredients, but we don’t want it to be too hot.

Juice the lemons: Slice two lemons into rounds and set aside. Then, juice all the remaining lemons to make 3 cups of juice.

Make the homemade lemonade: Add the sliced lemons to a large punch bowl or carafe. Pour the warm simple syrup over the lemon slices.

Now pour in 3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice…

…and finish with 5 cups of cold water.

Then add a pinch of salt for flavor balance.

Stir to combine and serve over ice! Enjoy.

Variations to Try!

1. Add fruit puree for a fruity twist. Stir in 1 to 1½ cups of fresh or thawed fruit puree for an extra fruity flavor. Strawberries, raspberries, peaches, and watermelon all work beautifully, though I’m partial to strawberry lemonade myself! Add the puree before the water so you can adjust the amount of water if needed. You can also swirl puree directly into individual glasses if you don’t want to flavor the whole batch.
2. Add fresh fruit. For a more subtle flavor and a pretty presentation, toss a handful of fresh berries or sliced fruit right into the pitcher.
3. Use a herb-infused syrup. Infuse your simple syrup with fresh herbs like mint, basil, or rosemary while it cools for a light herbal note. Or just toss a few sprigs directly into the pitcher before serving!
4. Make it an Arnold Palmer. Mix this lemonade with iced tea for a super-easy Arnold Palmer!

Storage Instructions

You can store your fresh homemade lemonade in the refrigerator for up to 5-7 days. However, I’ve found it tastes best within the first three days when the lemon flavor is at its peak brightness. Add ice just before serving to avoid watering down your yummy lemonade!

The simple syrup can be made up to four weeks ahead and stored (with the lemon peels removed) separately in the refrigerator.

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