Homemade Lemonade
Squeeze in Homemade Lemonade This Summer
When your grocery list includes lemons, make lemonade. It’s one of the most refreshingly perfect porch-sipping beverages, and it’s easier to make than you think. Plus, there’s more than one way to peel a lemon…you can add different flavors, swap out the sugar and more. But first, we’ll aid in the answering of a few of your most pressing lemonade questions.
What’s the Origin of Lemonade?
Homemade lemonade definitely feels like one of those classic American drinks, but what if we told you it started in the land of pyramids, not porches? While lemons originated in what’s now China, India and Myanmar, the earliest written record of a lemon drink comes from 12th-century Egypt.
Is Homemade Lemonade Good for You?
Calling lemonade healthy might be a bit of pulp fiction. While lemonade absolutely brings a grove of goodness with its high vitamin C content, plus antioxidants, how good it is for you typically depends on how much sugar is hitting your pitcher. So, if you’re looking for better-for-you alternatives to traditional lemonade, here are some suggestions.
- Use sugar substitutes, like stevia, coconut sugar or honey boiled with water to make a syrup.
- Add more fruits for extra sweetness, like watermelon, strawberries or mango. Tossing in herbs like mint, basil and lavender can also make for even more delicious, unique flavors.
- We’ll spill the tea on another delish idea…adding tea to your lemonade is next-level refreshing (and tea brings its own health benefits to the mix). Be sure to try our recipe for Strawberry Green Tea. Black tea, Early Gray and many others also make for a tasty lemonade addition.
And while this last idea doesn’t boost the health benefits of your homemade lemonade, it definitely boosts the bubbly benefits. Swap out half or all of the water for club soda or seltzer to make lemonade with bubbles.
Can Lemonade Be Made with Alcohol?
For adult beverage enthusiasts, spiking homemade lemonade is sure to hit the spot. Lemonade goes with lots of different spirits, and here are a few of our favorite combos:
- Bourbon + lemonade + ginger ale + mint
- Gin + lemonade
- Vodka + lemon juice + lavender simple syrup
- Whiskey + lemon juice + triple sec + lemon-lime soda
And our recipe for Firecracker Vodka Lemonade is great for the 4th of July, or any other day the summer sun is shining.
Pick the Perfect Lemons
Before you get started squeezing and sipping, here’s how to avoid lemons that’ll let you down.
1. Lightly Squeeze - The lemons should have a bit of give but still be firm.
2. Bright is Best - Pick lemons with the brightest yellow color.
3. Check the Skin - Choose lemons with smooth skin. As lemons get rougher, they lose their juice.
4. Go Small - Smaller lemons offer more juice.
How to Make Homemade Lemonade
With just a few ingredients and steps, this homemade lemonade will never leave you feeling sour.
Ingredients:
4-5 lemons
Water
1 cup granulated sugar
Simply halve your lemons and squeeze the juice into a pitcher. Add the sugar and mix completely. Add water, stir and enjoy over ice.
Tip: To get the most juice out of the lemons, before cutting, lightly press on them and roll them around your counter.
Tip: Don’t feel like getting your hands dirty? Lemon squeezers are affordable and efficient.