Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade

By
Laureen Miles Brunelli
Laureen Miles Brunelli
Laureen is a former writer for Verywell Family and The Spruce Eats covering parenting topics.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 01/26/22
Fresh lemonade

Margaret Johnson / EyeEm/Getty Images

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 5 mins
Total: 20 mins
Servings: 24 servings
Yield: 3 quarts

For kids, making fresh lemonade is almost as much drinking it. Almost! What, for adults, is tedious work—squeezing lemons—can be made fun for kids. And so lemonade has the potential to be an independent activity and a treat all at once.

The problem with some lemonade recipes is that they call for boiling the water so all the granulated sugar doesn't sink to the bottom. And boiling a simple syrup is something younger kids can't do on their own. This no-boil lemonade recipe gets around that, plus it keeps your kitchen cooler.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups lemon juice, freshly squeezed, from 9 to 10 large lemons

  • 2 1/4 to 2 1/2 cups superfine sugar

  • 3 cups water, room temperature

  • 5 cups ice water

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Roll lemons on the counter. Press hard! This will make juicing them much easier.

  3. Cut lemons in half. An adult should cut them for kids who have not been taught how to cut safely. Extract the juice using a juicer until you have 2 cups of lemon juice.

  4. Add 3 cups of water and sugar to the pitcher. Use the least amount first; you can always add more sugar later. If you like your lemonade tart, you won't want to. Screw on the lid and shake for 30 seconds or until sugar is dissolved. A minute or two after shaking the water should look clear.

  5. Add the lemon juice, pouring it through a small strainer or slotted spoon to catch the seeds. Don't worry if you don't catch them all. That's how people know it's homemade. If you like pulp, scoop some of it out of the strainer and add it along with the iced water. Screw on the lid and shake again.

  6. Refrigerate and then enjoy.

Tips

  • Superfine sugar is available in stores but is relatively expensive compared to making your own superfine sugar. You can make superfine sugar in advance and have it available for the kids to use.
  • Sugar substitutes, such as Splenda and stevia, will dissolve using this method. If you substitute one of these for all or part of the sugar, you should use less since those sweeteners are made to equate with granulated sugar. You can always add more to the finished product if you don't think it is sweet enough.
  • While this recipe is written with kids in mind, it is not necessarily meant for little ones to make without adult help. Consider kids' ages and level of cooking skill.

Variations

  • Give this homemade lemonade a bit of a pink hue—and delicious flavor—by adding either fresh strawberries or raspberries. Or puree the fruit to create a thick juice and add along with the lemon juice.
  • You can easily turn this refreshing drink into a fun, summertime treat—frozen lemonade! Make the lemonade as instructed using only 2 cups of the water. Pour the mixture into a pan deep enough to hold it all and place in the freezer for 1 1/2 hours, stirring every 30 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 1 cup water, adjust sweetness if necessary, and place mixture into a blender to puree until smooth.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
84 Calories
0g Fat
22g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories 84
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 8mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 22g 8%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 3mg 15%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 23mg 0%
*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.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)