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.