Everyday Kitchen

American · Drinks

Lemonade

Draft recipe — not kitchen-tested
VegEasy

Diet: Veg · Vegan · Gluten-free

Dissolve sugar in a small amount of hot water, then add lemon juice and cold water. Chill and taste before serving.

Prep
15 min
Cook
5 min
Soak, marinate, rise or chill
30 min
Total
50 min
Servings
6
Difficulty
Easy
Cuisine
American
Course
Drinks

Estimated times for the original batch. Preparation, cooking and listed waiting time are included. Batch cooking can take longer.

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Representative photograph of lemonade
The photo includes mint and ice. The measured draft contains lemon juice, sugar and water. This is a representative photograph, not a tested result of this draft. Photo credit and licence
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Ingredients

Metric weights use grams. US weights use ounces; liquids use fluid ounces. Conversions are rounded. Spoon measures use 5 ml teaspoons and 15 ml tablespoons; cups use 240 ml.

Serves 6

Choose any positive whole number of servings. Ingredients and measured amounts in steps scale together. Times, temperatures and equipment stay unchanged. For larger yields, cook separate original-size batches. Counted ingredients can become fractions; beat eggs before dividing them. Fixed correction-water checks remain fixed.

Syrup

Drink

Equipment

Saucepan; spoon; citrus juicer; jug; sieve.

Check all product labels and cross-contact. Diet groups describe this listed draft, not every substitution.

Steps

Make syrup · About 5 min

  1. Heat 100 g sugar, 150 ml water in a small saucepan for 3–5 minutes, stirring.

    Check: Sugar is fully dissolved; a long boil is unnecessary.

Cool and mix · About 10 min

  1. Cool syrup briefly. Mix with 180 ml fresh lemon juice and 850 ml cold water in a jug.

Chill · About 30 min

  1. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Stir before serving.

    Check: Taste cold; add a little extra water if too strong.

Tips

  • Strain seeds from fresh juice.
  • Sweetness varies with the lemons.

Substitutions

  • Use lime juice for limeade.
  • Use sparkling water added shortly before serving.

Storage

  • Refrigerate perishable food within two hours, or within one hour in heat above 32°C / 90°F. Store covered at 4°C / 40°F or below. Use within two days for this draft.
  • Reheat cooked dishes to 74°C / 165°F, stirring or turning for even heating. Serve cold salads, dips and chilled desserts directly from safe refrigeration.

Make ahead

  • Make syrup one day ahead and refrigerate.
  • Squeeze lemons ahead; keep juice covered and cold.

FAQ

Can I reduce sugar?

Yes. Reduce it to taste; it affects sweetness rather than setting the drink.

Why heat the sugar?

It dissolves more easily in a small hot-water syrup.

Can I freeze lemonade?

Freeze portions in an ice-cube tray for up to one month.

Food safety references

FoodSafety.gov: cooking temperatures · Food Standards Agency: rice storage and reheating

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