Oh, summer! You have arrived in all your glory and heat. Nothing cools off a hot summer day like a refreshing glass of ice-cold old fashion lemonade.
What’s so great about this Old Fashioned Lemonade recipe?
- 1) It’s from the Anne of Green Gables cookbook
- 2) The recipe starts with a concentrated syrup that will last all summer in the refrigerator,
- 2) makeup one glass of lemonade or a gallon,
- 3) Flavor possibilities are endless.
How to make the simple lemonade concentrate:
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6- In a small saucepan mix the sugar and water together.
- Bring the sugar and water to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 5 minutes.
- Let cool slightly. Pour the warm mixture into a large measuring cup or bowl.
- Pour in the freshly squeezed lemon juice.
- Add fresh lemon zest. Stir, then let the mixture cool.
- Pour cooled lemonade syrup into a jar. Refrigerate until ready to use. The syrup will keep in the refrigerator for at least a month.
Sparkling Old Fashioned Lemonade:
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6- Add 1/4 cup of the lemonade syrup to a 12 oz glass.
- Add sparkling water or ice-cold water. Stir mixture together.
- Add slices of fresh lemons and a sprig of fresh mint, if desired.
- For strawberry lemonade and 2 tablespoons of fresh strawberry puree to the lemonade syrup.
- Stir mixture together. Fill glass with sparkling water or ice-cold water.
- Add fresh strawberry slices and a sprig of mint, if desired.
Old Fashioned Lemonade
Make the best ice cold Old Fashioned Lemonade with this simple lemonade concentrate recipe. The homemade concentrate will last all summer in the refrigerator, and is perfect to create a variety of delicious lemonade flavors!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- Zest from one lemon
- 1 ½ cups fresh lemon juice
- Ice cubes
- Cold water or sparkling water
- Lemons slices
- Fresh mint leaves
Instructions
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Measure the sugar and water into a saucepan. While stirring with a wooden spoon, bring the mixture to a boil for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat. Let cool slightly.
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Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice and lemon zest to the sugar syrup. Cool completely. Pour the lemonade syrup into a quart jar. Cover tightly with the lid. The syrup can be kept in the refrigerator for 2 or 3 weeks.
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When you’re ready to serve the lemonade, put some ice cubes in the bottom of a glass. Our ¼ cup of the lemon syrup over the ice cubes. Add ¾ cup cold water or sparkling water and stir.
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Float a thin slice of lemon and, if you like, a fresh mint leaf on top of each glass.
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The recipe makes enough syrup for 14 glasses of lemonade.
Recipe Notes
- Don't forget to about adding fresh herbs to lemonade: Fresh basil, rosemary, mint, not to mention lavender! Yes, lavender!
- Add fresh pureed fruit that is in season. Apricot, peach (yes please), blackberries.
- Toss is slices of cucumbers for an extra refreshing taste.
- Ginger! How could I forget fresh ginger lemonade with Thai basil?
- Pink lemonade: add 1/2 cup grenadine syrup to the jar of lemonade syrup and stir.
- Strawberry lemonade: add 2 tablespoons of puree of fresh strawberries into each glass.
- Limeade: Replace lemon with lime juice and lime zest.
- Beet lemonade: 1/4 - 1/2 cup beet juice (best)
Lemonade syrup will store well for up to a month in the refrigerator.
It will keep well in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight, or place the container in a warm water bath for 30 minutes or so to defrost.
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Very tasty, perfect for summer
Thank you so much Lena.
Really cool I loved it
I’m thrilled you love the old Fashioned Lemonade. It’s a favorite summer time recipe.
Hmm is anyone else having problems with the images on this blog loading?
I’m trying to find out if its a problem on my end or if it’s the blog.
Any responses would be greatly appreciated.
The pictures work for me. Maybe one doesn’t load, but the rest do.
Hi, I love your blog, I’ll share it with my friends.
Thank you so much!!
I really want to try this recipe! Where did you get those cool tall glasses?
You’ll love the lemonade recipe. My glasses are actually Weck jars that come with rubber rings and glass lids. Here is a link: https://weckjars.com/product/905-cylindrical-jar/
Thanks for the reply and link!
One of my all time favorites homemade lemonade. Thanks so much for sharing. Great recipie.
Simon
Thanks so much for your recipe! Definitely i'll try it ๐
Thanks Larry. ๐
I love your pictures and recipes it's so easy to follow. So glad I found you and your blog. Thanks
This looks sooo fabulous! I saw flowers on my strawberry plants today, yeah!
Lucky you to have strawberry plants. I have issues with the dang deer eating everything I love and try to grow.
nice jobs realy
ou're an awesome mom. I
Thanks for the recipe, I'll make some jars as gifts for my lemonade loving sons and grandsons!
You're an awesome mom. I had several jars on hand for my grandkids the past two weeks. It was a hit!
this is not traditional …. this is unbelievable
Thank you so much.
I'll make this for my mom.
Your mom will love the lemonade…and you!
I would like to make this for my daughters graduation party this weekend. I am using a three gallon dispenser with a spout on it. The dispenser has a reservoir that runs through the middle of it that holds ice to keep the drink cold without diluting it. So could you tell me how much syrup and water I would need to make three gallons of the lemonade and should I still add the ice cubes to the mix or put in the special reservoir?? Also you mentioned that you have to stir because the mixture settles..once I put this in the dispenser, stirring may not be an option. Will that cause issues with the flavor??
I made this for a baby shower and I used a dispenser that holds 1 1/2 gallons of liquid. I used 1 quart of the lemonade syrup then filled the container with ice and water. I think for 3 gallons you would need to double the recipe or make 2 batches. The ice does help dilute the lemonade. I like how cold the ice makes the lemonade. The lemonade didn't last long enough to get diluted by the ice. If you don't add ice, I would suggest tasting the lemonade. If it seems too strong just add more water. I hope this helps. Good luck.
Well, how interesting!!! Will try the recipes–THANK YOU, and enjoyed the
background info about AnnE–will make the lemonade even more enjoyable.
And by the way, your pitcher/set is beautiful–yes, it is a treasure!!! Harriett
Thank you, Harriett. I hope you enjoy the lemonade.
Wonderful! I like it very much
Greetings
miho
Tried this recipe and it is soo tasty. Perfect and easy, I've never made lemonade before and I nailed it..! ๐
Good job!!
Made the lemonade and absolutely LOVE it and I am not usually a lemonade drinker. I also made the strawberry puree and then made a blackberry one too–soooo good!! Thanks so much for sharing the recipe!
Oh my, blackberry sounds delicious. I'll have to try that. Thanks for the great idea and your fun comment.
I just made this! It looks and smells delish! I am just waiting on it to cool down. Do you strain the lemon zest or drink it? Just seems like it would be chunky! Thanks
I left the zest in. I think it enhances the flavor of the lemonade. My zester makes a pretty fine zest. You can certainly strain out the zest if you prefer. Good luck. You will love the lemonade.
oh my goodness.. last question I promise! Was your beverage dispenser one with a spout or one that you pour with? I had just decided on making it Strawberry, but wonder whether it will come out the spout very well? Just wondered what your experience was… thanks again!
No worries. It had the spout and I had the same concern as you. We didn't have any problems with it plugging up the spout. I did puree the strawberries quite well with a bit of water. Best of luck.
Thank you!!! This is awesome, love the pictures and your grandma's pitcher/glass set!
I am going to make this for my sister's baby shower on Sunday. Thinking I'll make a few batches of the syrup today and then add water the day of so I can have it in a drink dispenser. I hope making it as a big batch doesn't alter the taste at all… there will be too much going on to make each individually..
If each batch makes 14 glasses that means I need 10 1/2 c water per quart of syrup, right?! (14 X 3/4c water)
I just made this last week for a baby shower. I doubled the batch and it only took about 15 minutes to prepare. I have a 1.5 gallon dispenser. I filled the dispenser half way with ice then added a single batch of the lemonade syrup then filled with water and it was the perfect amount. Oh I also added about 1 1/2 cups of pureed strawberries. IT was fabulous! Best of luck. Your amounts look spot on.
Great thanks! I know – I can't decide between regular or strawberry lemonade.. I've been debating far too long on this trivial decision!
I noticed you have the 1776, 1976 canning jars. Don't you love them? I have some and will pass them on to my daughter someday….don't know if they will ever be worth money, but I think they are cool. Thanks for the recipe…will try it soon.
I have a few, but didn't realize their significance. I will keep better track of them now. Thanks for the comment.
I loved Anne of Green Gables as a kid (and still do, of course) but I had no idea there was a cookbook! Thank you for this recipe, and mentioning the book itself. ๐
I was curious to see if the cookbook was still in print. I found it on Amazon for $39.95. Holy cow. That's expensive for a little paper back cookbook.
I just paused to check out ebay. I just bid on one for $5.00. How crazy am I? Maybe I'll use it as a give-away? Let's see if I win the bid.
Found your post via Pinterest. I made this today and it's delicious! My concentrate is a little darker in color due to the natural golden color of the organic cane sugar I used. So yummy! I'll definitely be making this often ๐
Cane sugar, what a great idea. I'm so glad you found me on Pinterest. Thanks for your comment.
I love Anne as though she were a real friend of mine…I will make this for sure. i think I will make it for my "boozum buddy" lol
I definitely want to make this soon. It sounds so refreshing.
This sounds and looks amazing and totally worth putting fresh lemons! I tried an Anne recipe years ago when I was in my Anne phase–Raspberry Cordial. I was totally disappointed. After buying, cooking and straining fresh raspberries, it ended up tasting just like Kool-Aid! Anyway, I WILL try and LOVE this lemonade recipe!
Recipe sounds great. Can you tell me how much the recipe makes so I can make a pitcher. Thanks.
I have had this cookbook since I was a young girl & loved Anne of Green Gables! I haven't gotten it out in years. I did make the plum pudding, but never tried the lemonade. I will definitely try it soon!
I just found this via Pinterest, and wouldn't ya know it, I just got a big bag of lemons from my mom, who was visiting my grandmother in California- my grandma has a lemon tree. Every once in a while she'll mail me a big box and I make lemonade, lemon bars, lemon linguini, or throw a lemon on the grill with a piece of fish. I just love lemon anything. I am so jealous of your beautiful glassware! That is a treasure- they don't make them like that anymore!
Just saw this on Pinterest, lovely! Firstly, I need this cookbook, so cute, also, I love your glassware set and what a wonderful piece of family history it is! Can't wait to try this recipe when it gets a litter warmer (we just got a foot of snow so more of a hot cocoa season here).
Thanks for your comment. I'm in hot chocolate mode myself. Lemonade will be months away ๐
Good idea to add the zest with the heat process, but leave the juice out till the mix cools a bit as heat destroys vitamin C.
I often do lime juice on ice and water without the sugar 'cos I love the sour!! The strawberries look delicious! Will have to wait till I'm back in Europe. But I have some ideas already to substitute the strawberries….!
Thank you so much for sharing!
that is amazing.. and looks so good!
Why thank you. I hope you try it someday.
Wow I have made this for years but I zest all the lemons and heat all together until sugar is melted. Never knew it was in the Anne of Green Gables book, will have more meaning to me now. Loved that story. Thanks you.
Rachel
What a great idea. That would give the syrup even more flavor. Thank you for sharing.
Can't wait to try this. And that pitcher and set of glasses is just beautiful!
Such a treasure. Thank you for commenting.
This sounds so good and I like the idea of the syrup, handy in a rush and takes up less space than the whole batch mixed up.
Thanks for your comment. It's quite simple and great to have on hand.
Janet…This is such a wonderful recipe! But I really hate it when the ice cubes melt down and makes the lemonade watery! Have you ever tried making ice cubes with some of the lemon syrup to maintain the flavor? I'm thinking that they would even be good in iced tea. Hmmmmm.
Fabulous idea! It completely makes sense. Thanks for the great tip.
You can do the same thing with orange juice. Lovely.
This sounds great, but I'm wondering if I would be able to make it using Splenda as I need to avoid sugar in my diet.
You could give it a try…why not?
Thanks for the recipe, I'll make some jars as gifts for my lemonade loving sons and grandsons!
Can the syrup be frozen in the jar for later use? Would love to make several batches at a time and freeze for later use. Sounds wonderful!
Thanks
Frances
I'm just sure you can freeze it. I freeze everything.
I make homemade lemonade by the gallon, weekly! I am going to have to try this recipe, and see how it will freeze for a concentrate of sorts. It takes many less lemons than the recipe I have calls for. Another tip, from someone who makes about 95% of everything from scratch….save your lemon peels in a pint/quart jar, add vinegar leaving 1" of head space, cover and keep in a cool dark place for about 10-14 days. Strain out the juice and it will clean anything! I do this with orange peels as well! Then all the scraps go to my chickens or the compost pile! ; )
Oh Wow! Thank you so much for your helpful hints. I will start saving my lemon peels from now on. I hate using chemicals. This sounds amazing.
This looks really tasty. Wonderful colour, perfect pictures!
Thanks, Julie.
I don't know anyone else that has that cookbook. My mom bought it for me when I was about 10 years old. I love it and this lemonade recipe is excellent!
I purchased the book probably 20 years ago, when my daughter and I used to sit and watch Anne of Green Gables together on PBS. Good times.
I love this! Great recipe with even greater variations and a pretty blog with lovely photos. The Stawberry daiquiri mix is a fun one, too! I'll try this….thanks for the recipes! :o)
I want to live in Maine…really I do. Thanks for your comment.
Thank you so much for this recipe. I just loved your post, with all the beautifull step-by-step photos!!! Nice work. I'm going to try this lemonade, as soon as I have the time! And how about the strawberry lemonade? Definitely a must-try!
Thank you for your nice comment. It is such a hot day that I decided to put the lemonade into my ice cream maker. Frozen lemonade was so refreshing. Next I will try the strawberry lemonade frozen.
That looks so refreshing! I absolutely love strawberry lemonade and love your hint about the equal amounts (1-1/2 cups)of water, sugar, and fresh lemon juice! Even I will be able to remember that and I can't remember anything anymore…lol!
Sounds like you have my parimenopausel brain. I can't even remember how to spell that! Good luck with the lemonade.
This is CRAZY! I also have that cookbook and although I haven't used it in years, I know there are some great things in it- thank for the reminder!
If one were constrained for time, they could skip making the strawberry puree and use the bottled premade strawberry daiquiri mix.I'm sure it's not as good (although I made a puree not too long ago for a margarita (different recipe) and couldn't tell the difference) but it will save time and messing up a few extra dishes. I got this idea from watching restaurants such as TGI Fridays and O'Charleys make their strawberry lemonade ๐ I love the idea of making a lemonade concentrate to have on hand…thanks!
What a fabulous idea. Everyone is wanting to simplify and make their lives easier. I think it would be great to have on hand. Thank you for passing on a great tip!
Do you think you could make limeade syrup the same way? I'm obsessed with limeade this summer. LOVE that you can make this up and then mix it with sparkling water!!!
Absolutely! Lime juice is fabulous. Thanks for commenting.
Hey Kim, Come see me sometime. I miss our visits! July????
I looove lemonade. Thanks for the great recipes… So fun to read and fun to make. I love it!