When one thinks of lemonade, images of outdoor picnics and a hot summer sun might come to mind. But whether it’s cold and rainy or warm and sunny, the truth is you can make lemonade anytime of the year.
Read more below to discover some of the best lemonade recipes to make this summer (or winter for that matter!)
Fresh Squeezed Lemonade
There is nothing better than the scent of juicy lemons! Almost as refreshing to make as it is to drink, this homemade lemonade will satisfy your taste buds and thirst. All you need is a handful of ingredients.
For a large pitcher of fresh squeezed lemonade, you’ll need:
● 8 lemons
● 8 cups water
● 1.5 cups white sugar (or 1 ¼ cup cane sugar)
Squeeze the lemons until you have nearly 2 cups of lemon juice (remove seeds). In a small saucepan, dissolve sugar with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Let cool and mix in a large pitcher with remaining water. Refrigerate for 3 hours until ready. Serve with a slice of lemon to garnish the glass.
Pink Raspberry Lemonade
For a lemonade with a hint of razzmatazz and rosé color, make a pink raspberry lemonade. For this recipe you will need:
● 5 fresh squeezed lemons
● 8 cups water
● 10 cups raspberries
● 1 ¾ cups sugar
Mix ½ cup of water with 9 cups of raspberries in a food processor. Strain raspberries to remove seeds and to collect juice. In a saucepan, place raspberry juice, 2 cups of water and sugar. Heat until mix is dissolved. Let cool slightly and incorporate mixture into a large pitcher with remaining water and lemon juice. Add remaining cup of fresh raspberries to mix with slices of lemon. Serve pink lemonade with a sprig of mint for each glass.
Citrusy Lemonade
Make the ultimate summertime drink with this citrus-packed lemonade! Bursting with fresh lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits, this citrusy lemonade is a definite crowd-pleaser.
For this recipe, take:
● 6 lemons
● 4 limes
● 3 oranges
● 1 grapefruit
Squeeze juice from the lemons, oranges, limes, and grapefruit, keeping 2-3 slices of each to garnish the pitcher. As 2 cups white sugar and 2 cups water to a saucepan and let boil until mix is dissolved. Let cool before incorporating with remaining water and citrus juices. Throw in fruit slices into the pitcher with a few ice cubes. Let cool and serve with a sugar-coated glass rim.
Sparkling (or Spiked) Lemonade
For both kids and adults, this sparkling lemonade offers a bubbly twist on the traditional lemonade!
For this recipe, repeat the same steps as if you were making a classic lemonade, however, replace 6 cups of water (of the 8) with natural or lemon-flavored sparkling water. To add extra fizz, replace all 8 cups of water with soda water. Garnish with a handful of lemon and lime slices for color. For a spiked version (adults only!) of this sparkling lemonade, add in ½ cup of vodka or ¼ bottle of Champagne.
There you have it! Some of the best lemonade recipes to share with family or friends on a hot (or cold) day. What’s your favorite lemonade recipe of all time?