Buzz
The charm of homemade lemonade concentrate lies in its ability to stay fresh for a long time, letting you whip up a refreshing drink in no time. While instant lemonade is convenient, it doesn’t compare to the taste of a homemade version and often contains artificial additives. Fortunately, crafting your own concentrate is simple, and you can store it in the fridge for up to three weeks or in the freezer for six months. Unlike most lemonade recipes, this one only requires making the concentrate, so you can store it and mix it with water and ice whenever you feel like it—whether you're grilling for friends or unwinding with a book on the porch.
P.S. While we appreciate a time-saving shortcut, this is one instance where bottled lemon juice just won’t cut it.
Hannah ZimmermanIngredients List
-
2 cups granulated sugar
-
2 ½ cups fresh lemon juice (from approximately 15 medium lemons)
Instructions
Bring 1¼ cups of water and sugar to a boil. Stir occasionally and cook until the sugar dissolves, which should take around 2 minutes. Once dissolved, remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
In a sealed container, mix the sugar syrup with fresh lemon juice. You can store the mixture in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks, or freeze it for up to 6 months.
To serve, combine equal parts of the syrup and cold water. Pour the mixture over ice for a refreshing drink.
Greg DuPreeFreezer Tip
For those who prefer just a small serving at a time, freeze the syrup in smaller portions, ranging from 1/2 cup (enough for one 8 oz. lemonade) to 2 cups (for four 8 oz. servings). You can defrost the concentrate either on the stove, in the microwave, or leave it overnight in the refrigerator. If using the stove or microwave, allow the concentrate to cool in the fridge for a few minutes before mixing it with water for lemonade.
Variations
- Make limeade. Substitute lime juice for lemon juice in equal amounts, or use a mix of both.
- Make sparkling lemonade. Instead of plain water, mix the concentrate with sparkling water or club soda.
- Add herbs to the syrup. Boil the water and sugar with a few sprigs of mint, rosemary, basil, or thyme. Leave the herbs in the syrup while it cools, then remove them before adding the lemon juice. This version can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days (not 3 weeks), but still freezes well for up to 6 months.
- Add ginger to the syrup. Boil water and sugar with fresh ginger slices. Keep the ginger in the syrup while it cools, then remove before adding lemon juice. This variation lasts 5 days in the fridge (not 3 weeks) and can be frozen for up to 6 months.
- Make it fruity (and colorful!). Add fresh sliced strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries to the boiling water and sugar. Leave the fruit in while the syrup cools, then strain it before adding the lemon juice. This version lasts for up to 5 days in the fridge (not 3 weeks) and can still be frozen for up to 6 months.
- Garnish it. Add slices of cucumber, berries, or a sprig of mint, basil, rosemary, or thyme to the finished lemonade for an extra burst of flavor.
- Spike it. Add 1 oz. (2 tablespoons) of vodka or gin to your prepared lemonade, or opt for a limoncello spritz instead.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 106 | Calories |
| 28g | Carbs |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 16 | |
| Calories 106 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Sodium 1mg | 0% |
| Total Carbohydrate 28g | 10% |
| Total Sugars 26g |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
