Fabulous Farm Girl

Simple. All-natural. Fabulous.

Easy Homemade Lemonade Recipe

Do you love lemonade? This quick and easy homemade lemonade recipe tastes like summer in a glass and you’ll feel good knowing it’s all-natural.

Summer is in full swing and that means one thing–my kids are bored. Seriously?? School has only been out for a few weeks! Since we limit their screen time to a few hours a day in the summer, there’s been a lot of grumbling and rolling of the eyes.

And that’s just from me! 

So I decided what my boys needed was a tall glass of homemade lemonade to cool off and a pen and paper to make a list of activities they enjoy doing (preferably outside). As I squeezed lemons and my kids brainstormed things they could do to keep themselves entertained, it became clear to me that the real joys of summer are always the simplest. And what’s simpler than a delicious glass of ice-cold of lemonade? 

Glass of homemade lemonade with two straws sitting on a table

After we drank our lemonade I started making my own list. With my crazy schedule, boredom is never a problem so instead I wrote a gratitude list of things I love about summer. The list made me so happy that I taped it to my desk and plan to keep adding to it.  

Summer Pleasures by Leah Harvath

–seedlings poking up in the garden
–hummingbirds darting around the feeder
–a great summer read
–barbecued anything
–the laughter of children playing in the yard
–farmers markets
–the feeling of grass on bare feet
–dining al fresco
–evenings on the porch visiting with friends
–kids selling homemade lemonade on the corner, of course! 

Is it weird that just a list of summer pleasures can make me smile?

Now, of course there are things I don’t love about summer like road construction, mosquitoes and sunburns just to name a few. When farm kid #2 came home from a camping trip last week with a pretty bad burn I was so happy I had recently made a batch of my Soothing Sunburn Relief Spray. Farm kid #2 was happy that his brothers hadn’t quite finished off the homemade lemonade. 

lemons sitting on an outside table

Is Homemade Lemonade Healthy?

As a health conscious mom and an all-natural living blogger, it’s a question I had to ask. But I was pleased to learn that lemons are actually considered a superfood since they are high in vitamin C and antioxidants which boost health and well-being in several ways. Since lemonade is just lemon juice combined with water and some sugar, it’s an easy way to get a healthy dose of lemon.

That said, it requires a lot of sugar to make it taste good so drinking it occasionally, or on special occasions, it probably best. Adding a slice of lemon to your water, on the other hand, is a good idea any time. 

Lemon being juiced on a manual juicer

Unless life also gives you water and sugar,
your lemonade is gonna suck.

Is It Really Easy To Make?

Yes. Yes it is. You’re gonna need one cup of lemon juice for this recipe and that will take 6-8 lemons depending on the size. To make the job easier, roll each lemon on the counter with your hand to break up the fibers and release the juice. Don’t worry if you end up with extra juice either. Just freeze it in an ice cube tray, pop it in a freezer bag and you’ll have fresh-squeezed lemon juice whenever you need it.

pan on stove with water and sugar on itThe secret to perfect homemade lemonade is one cup each water, sugar and lemon juice. You just put the sugar and the water in a sauce pan and heat just until sugar is dissolved. This is called a simple syrup and it ensures that the sugar is completely dissolved in the water. Pour the simple syrup in a pitcher in the fridge until it cools. Then just add the lemon juice and six to eight more cups of cold water to taste. I think seven cups is just right.

pitcher of blueberry lemonade next to three glasses of lemonade

If you want to take this recipe to a whole different level it’s as easy as adding either fruit or herbs or both. Berries go particularly well with lemonade but you really can let your imagination go wild. Here a a few of my favorite add-in ideas to get you started:

  • Berry Lemonade–add 1 1/2 cups mashed strawberries, blueberries, raspberries or blackberries. Strain if desired.
  • Cucumber Lemonade–add 1 peeled and sliced cucumber.
  • Basil Lemonade–add 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
  • Pineapple Lemonade–add 1 cup pineapple juice and a squeeze of lime. 
  • Mint Lemonade–add 2 tbsp. chopped mint leaves.
  • Pomegranate Lemonade-–add 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice.
  • Sparkling Lemonade–replace 5 cups of the cold water with club soda   

I’m making a promise to myself to spend more time this summer enjoying those simple pleasures on my list and the many others I haven’t even thought of yet. I will also try to keep a pitcher of homemade lemonade in the fridge because there’s nothing that would make those simple joys better than adding a glass of fresh-squeezed lemony goodness.

And of course I will still stop and buy a glass from any kid with a lemonade stand on the corner.

Easy Homemade Lemonade
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup hot water
1 cup lemon juice (from 6-8 lemons)
6-8 cups cold water, depending on taste (I use 7)

Put hot water and sugar in a pan over medium heat and stir until sugar is completely dissolved. Put sugar water in pitcher and put in refrigerator until cold. Remove pitcher from refrigerator, add lemon juice and 6 cups of cold water. Sir and taste. Add up to two more cups of water, one cup at a time, until lemonade reaches desired strength. Pour over ice and garnish with a sprig of mint.
Serves 6-8

What’s your favorite summertime pleasure?



Comments

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    • Fabulous Farm Girl says

      Hi Rebecca! I am with you on the store-bought stuff when it comes to lemonade. I stopped by some kids with a lemonade stand last weekend and when my teenager got back in the van with a cup he took a drink and said “Ughh, it’s CountryTime”. Luckily we had lemons in the fridge, I decided to do a blog post about it and here we are. That said, I still love kids with lemonade stands!
      –Leah

      Reply

  6. Melissa says

    Oh my! This just sounds delicious! I have my bridal shower coming up this weekend I was planning on having lemonade and sun brewed ice tea for the shower, so I may just have to make this for it. Thanks for sharing. 🙂

    Reply

    • Fabulous Farm Girl says

      Wow Melissa, your comment made my day! Congratulations on your upcoming wedding and I hope it all turns out perfectly for you (weather included). I raise my glass to you and you fiancee for a life full of love and happiness. Cheers!
      –Leah

      Reply

    • Fabulous Farm Girl says

      You’re welcome Kara! I went to get a glass of lemonade yesterday only to discover my boys had drunk it all! Guess they’ll be making me some more this weekend. LOL! Thanks for stopping by.
      –Leah

      Reply

  9. Marissa @ Life is Fantasmic says

    This looks so yummy! We may have to make this for a lemonade stand sometime soon! Thanks for sharing at Saturday Dishes! You’re one of my features as well so I hope you’ll stop by this weekend to grab a button & link up any old or new camping or dutch oven recipes you may have (:

    Reply

  11. Rena Bucad says

    Please let me know if your kids sell this lemonade on the corner. Being your neighbor is the bomb.

    Reply

    • Fabulous frm Girl says

      Since you are never home it’s quite possible that my kids have sold this lemonade on the corner and you just missed it. Being your neighbor is the bomb but it would be be a bigger, better bomb if you were ever home. Miss you!

      Reply

    • Fabulous Farm Girl says

      Hi Tiffany–thanks for stopping by. Making simple syrup is a technique used in canning fruit. It takes a bit longer but it’s worth it. This step guarantees that the sugar is completely dissolved in the water and you know the entire sweetness level as you add the lemon juice. If you don’t do this step and just add the lemon and sugar to cold water, then the lemonade will continue to sweeten over time as the sugar slowly dissolves. It’s the difference between good lemonade and great lemonade. Enjoy!
      –Leah

      Reply

  13. Allison says

    Last weekend, I visited a country store in New Hampshire. I purchased a bottle of Rubarb Lemonade and loved it so much, that I decided to purchase an extra bottle so that I might try making it myself.

    Reply

    • Fabulous Farm Girl says

      You totally should, Allison! I’ve made this recipe with different kinds of berries (blueberry is my favorite) but never even thought to try adding rhubarb. If you make it please come back and let me know how it worked. Thanks for stopping by!
      –Leah

      Reply