American
Classic Fresh Lemonade
Fresh lemon juice, fragrant peel syrup, and cold water make a brisk, clear lemonade whose sweetness supports the citrus instead of flattening its natural acidity.
8 servings · 18 minutes prep · 5 minutes cook
Ingredients
Lemon Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 6 thin strips lemon peel, no white pith
Lemonade
- 1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice, from 8 to 10 lemons
- 5 cups cold water
- 4 cups ice, for serving
- 8 lemon wedges, for serving, optional
Directions
Infuse the Syrup
- Combine the sugar, water, and lemon peel in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer, stirring until clear, then remove from heat and steep 15 minutes.
- Strain out the peel and chill the syrup for at least 30 minutes.
Juice and Balance
- Strain the lemon juice into a 2-quart glass jar or pitcher. Stir in the cold water and 1 cup of the chilled syrup. Refrigerate the remaining syrup for adjustment.
- Chill and taste. Add reserved syrup 1 tablespoon at a time for a sweeter drink, or cold water 1/4 cup at a time if the lemons are unusually sharp.
Pour and Serve
- Stir the pitcher, fill eight glasses with the ice, and pour. Add optional lemon wedges and serve over the ice before it melts enough to dilute the lemon.
Refrigerate Promptly
- Refrigerate the lemonade and any reserved syrup promptly in covered containers at 40°F (4°C) or below. For best quality, use mixed lemonade within 3 days and plain syrup within 7 days; discard sooner for off odor, clouding unrelated to pulp, fermentation, mold, or mishandling.
