How to Make Fresh Lemonade

With summer around the corner, there’s a lot to look forward to. From beaches to barbecues, pool parties to picnics, the season means more time outside under the hot sun. And what’s the only thing better than a fresh, ice cold glass of lemonade on a hot summer day? That’s right – knowing you made it all by yourself!

Lemonade is vegan, gluten-free, and very easy to make. Here you’ll find recipes for the best lemonade, sugar-free lemonades, and sparkling lemonade.

Different Methods Of Making Lemonade

The ingredients may be basic, but surprisingly, there are plenty of different ways to make this summertime favorite! To get that distinct sour citrusy flavor, you can squeeze the juice out of lemons yourself*, use a juicer, or buy lemon juice from the store. You can use sugar, sweetener, or honey for that delightful and refreshing sweetness, and blend ingredients together warmed up on a stove top, or combine quickly in a bowl.

*A quick note on juicing your own lemons: the best way to get the most juice out as smoothly as possible is to use room temperature or warmer lemons, as opposed to cool ones straight from the fridge.

How To Make The Best Lemonade

What You’ll Need:

1 3/4 cups of white sugar
8 cups of water
1 1/2 cups of lemon juice
ice cubes
beverage pitcher

Instructions:

1. Pour 1 cup of water into a saucepan and mix in 1 3/4 cups of white sugar. Boil water on medium heat and stir until the sugar has dissolved into the water.
2. Let the mixture cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until the contents are chilled.
3. Remove the water and sugar mixture from the fridge and pour into a drink pitcher. Add 1 1/2 cups of lemon juice and 7 cups of water.
4. Add ice as desired, stir well, and enjoy!

How To Make Sugar-free Lemonade

What You’ll Need:

6 fresh lemons
1 teaspoon Lemon Drop Liquid Stevia
2 quarts of water
ice cubes
beverage pitcher

Instructions:

1. Slice 6 lemons into halves, squeezing the juice into a bowl. Filtering out the seeds, pour the lemon juice into a pitcher.
2. Pour 2 quarts of water into the pitcher and stir.
3. Mix in 1 teaspoon of Lemon Drop Liquid Stevia. Feel free to do a taste test to determine if you’d like your lemonade sweeter.
4. Add ice cubes as desired and serve.

How To Make Lemonade With Honey

What You’ll Need:

1 cup of lemon juice
1/2 cup of honey
4 cups of water
ice cubes
beverage pitcher

Instructions:

1. Warm 1 cup of water and mix thoroughly with honey until honey dissolves and mixture is smooth.
2. Blend with your remaining 3 cups of water and 1 cup of lemon juice in a large pitcher.
3. Add ice cubes and enjoy!

How To Make Sparkling Lemonade

What You’ll Need:

7 fresh lemons
4 cups of sparkling water or soda
3/4 cups of sugar
ice cubes
beverage pitcher

Instructions:

1. Juice 7 fresh lemons into a mixing bowl.
2. Mix 3/4 cups of sugar into the mixture and stir well.
3. Combine 4 cups of sparkling water or soda.
4. Add ice cubes as desired and serve.

Feel free to experiment with adding different fruits and flavors! Raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries go great with lemonade and are always a healthy addition.