If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would be spending my Saturday afternoon making homemade lemonade while my 2 kids watched The Little Mermaid, I would have probably spit my vodka soda all over you as I laughed uncontrollably.
But here I am, craving fresh lemonade and the only way to get it, is for me to make it my damn self. In all seriousness, how can you not like homemade lemonade though? It’s tart, it’s crisp, it’s refreshing – it’s just delicious. I have always wanted to make a batch from scratch but it seemed pretty tedious and just a pain in the ass. You know you’re thinking it too! Standing there juicing all those damn lemons by hand. I finally bit the bullet and tried it over July 4th weekend and it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought! I juiced those lemons like it was my day job and in no time we were enjoying fresh lemonade as we watched the rain pour down on our family BBQ. Whomp, whomp.
This is the absolute simple and easiest recipe EVER! It can be made a couple days ahead of time or you can drink it as soon as you mix it. Best part about it, its only 3 ingredients: Lemons, Water and Sugar (simple syrup). I like to make the simple syrup ahead of time so it cools off.
Anti Mom Blog’s Homemade Lemonade Recipe
- 6-8 Lemons
- 1 Cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Water (for simple syrup)
- 4-6 Cups Cold Water
First start off by making the simple syrup. You want this to be cooled off before incorporating in the lemonade. In a small sauce pot, combine 1 cup of water and 1 cup of sugar over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Reserve in refrigerator.
Juice lemons till you get 1 cup of lemon juice. Strain any pulp or seeds that may have snuck their way in.
In a large carafe or pitcher, add lemon juice, simple syrup and about 4 cups of cold water. Mix and taste. You may need to add more water depending on the tartness of the lemonade. Add more for a milder taste. Refrigerate or serve immediately over ice and lemon circles for garnish!
Want to add a party to your homemade lemonade? Spike it up with an ounce of one of the following liquors to make some simple summer cocktails:
- Vodka
- Flavored Vodka-cherry, raspberry, blueberry
- Sweet Tea Vodka (Hardcore Arnold Palmer!)
- Whiskey
Garnish with lemon and you’re good to go!
– Amanda
