There is nothing that screams summer more than a glass of refreshing ice-cold lemonade. And the best kind of lemonade is a homemade kind made with real lemons and real sugar (and really nothing else, besides water)!

While it is perfectly fine to squeeze the lemons and mix the juice with water and sugar, it can be difficult to dissolve all the sugar that goes in lemonade if using cold water. To resolve this dilemma, you can first make a syrup to ensure all the sugar dissolves completely. One way of making the syrup is to boil the sugar with water first, then using the cooled syrup to make the lemonade.

But there is a better way! Who wants to turn on the stove on a hot summer day to make lemonade? Not me! Instead of boiling water to dissolve all the sugar, you can simply put lemon slices with sugar in an air-tight jar. The juice from the lemons will slowly dissolve the sugar to create lemon syrup.

This lemon syrup is versatile; you can it mix with icy water to make fresh lemonade, or mix with seltzer to make sparkling lemonade! Sparkling lemonade is my personal favorite. You can also use it to make hot lemon tea once the weather starts to cool. The lemon syrup is great for baking, or for making salad dressing as well.

It takes about a day for the sugar to completely dissolve in this lemon syrup recipe. But with a little planning ahead, you will be ready to enjoy many hot summer days!

Ingredients

7 Lemons
2.75 cups Granulated sugar
Baking soda for scrubbing, optional

Instructions

First, wash the lemons thoroughly, scrubbing with baking soda.

Then, cut the lemons into 1/4-inch thick slices. Be sure to remove all the lemon seeds; otherwise, the seeds will add bitterness to the syrup. Also, discard the end parts that only have the peel.

To make this syrup, you need to use equal parts of lemons and sugar. If you use less sugar, the syrup will not keep as long. The lemon slices I had prepared were 20 oz. So, I measured out 20 oz (or 2 3/4 cups) of granulated sugar to make the syrup.

The amount of sugar that goes into making this lemonade syrup may seem intimidating. But remember that you can control how much syrup you use when making your lemonade. If you use only a spoonful or two of the syrup to make each glass of lemonade, this jar of syrup will last you a long time.

In a clean, air-tight jar, layer the lemons and sugar. Keep the jar at room temperature for 24 hours to allow the sugar to dissolve in the lemon juice. Stir once every 6 hours to dissolve the sugar that settles on the bottom.

Once all the sugar has dissolved, store the lemon syrup in the refrigerator. It will keep in the fridge for 3 months. Mix a few spoonfuls of the syrup with lemon slices in water, or sparkling water if you prefer a little fizz. Throw in some ice cubes and enjoy a glass of ice-cold, homemade, sweet, tart lemonade!

If you like this recipe, you might also want to check out this Honey Ginger Tea with Lemon recipe. To get the latest updates on my newest recipes, sign up via email or follow me on Instagram!

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5 from 1 vote