Refreshing County Fair Lemonade Recipe
An easy homemade summer drink that balances tart and sweet flavors with a hint of homemade charm, perfect for beating the heat.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 6 large fresh lemons (about 1 cup or 240 ml fresh lemon juice)
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 5 cups (1.2 liters) water, divided
- Pinch of salt (about 1/8 teaspoon)
- Ice cubes as needed
- Optional fresh mint leaves for garnish
- Optional sparkling water to add fizz
Instructions
- Roll each lemon on the counter to soften, then cut in half and juice until you have about 1 cup (240 ml) of fresh lemon juice. Remove any seeds. This should take about 5 minutes.
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup (240 ml) water and 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until the sugar dissolves completely. Do not boil. This usually takes 3-5 minutes. Once dissolved, remove from heat and stir in a pinch of salt. Let syrup cool slightly.
- In a large pitcher, combine the fresh lemon juice and the cooled simple syrup. Add the remaining 4 cups (960 ml) of cold water. Stir well to blend. Taste and adjust sweetness or tartness by adding more water or lemon juice as needed. This step takes about 2 minutes.
- Add plenty of ice cubes to the pitcher or pour lemonade over ice-filled glasses. Garnish with fresh mint leaves if desired. Serve immediately for best flavor.
Notes
Roll lemons before juicing to release more juice. Stir syrup constantly and avoid boiling to prevent burning sugar. Add a pinch of salt to balance flavors. For sparkling lemonade, substitute half the water with sparkling water before serving. Simple syrup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to a week.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (8 fl oz / 240
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 30
- Sodium: 20
- Carbohydrates: 31
- Fiber: 0.3
Keywords: lemonade, summer drink, homemade lemonade, refreshing drink, simple syrup, county fair lemonade, easy lemonade recipe