When life gives you lemons, what do you do? I say you make a very chilled glass of lemonade, or maybe three. Lemonade is one drink that’s refreshingly simple and always welcome irrespective of the season. But girl, do they come alive in summer! In addition, they boast such amazing health benefits it’ll almost be a crime not to indulge in your favorite variations. As a result, we’re sharing five simple lemonade recipes to give you a lemon-y dose of Vitamin C. So, how do you make a franchise-worthy lemonade?
Well, the best way to make the perfect lemonade is to first make a simple syrup by heating up water and sugar together until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then, mix that with your lemon juice. However, if you want to take this basic lemonade recipe up a notch, you can make a few tweaks to it and that’ll make all the difference. Trust me when I say your homemade lemonade experience is about to change.
Check out 5 lemonade recipes you and all your guests will absolutely love…
#1. Basic lemonade
Even basic lemonade recipes can vary greatly, thus, not all lemonades are created equal. So how do you make the most memorable and refreshing lemonade that’s different from the bunch? Well, swap the sugar with honey or another sweetener. This will give your drink a different taste and is also healthier than the sugar-rich options. Here’s how:
Ingredients
- 3 large lemons
- 1/3 cup of raw honey
- 6 cups of water
- 1 lemon, sliced
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Extract juice from lemons
- Combine 1 cup of the water with raw honey and gently heat until the honey is dissolved, then transfer out of the saucepan and allow to cool.
- Add the freshly squeezed lemon juice to the bottom of a pitcher, followed by our simple honey syrup, and then fill the remainder of the pitcher up with the remaining 5 cups of water. Stir to combine.
- Cover and refrigerate until chilled.
Voila, your basic lemonade is ready!
#2. Grapefruit pink lemonade
This is a grapefruit drink courtesy of Juls’ Kitchen, but we thought it wise to take things a notch higher with lemonade. Duh! Here’s how to do it:
Ingredients
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 pink organic grapefruits
- 6 tablespoons sugar + a few tablespoons for decorating
- Fresh water and ice
- Mint to decorate
Instructions
- Extract juice from grapefruits, then filter through a strainer to separate seeds.
- Add the sugar and stir until melted. Follow with diluting with cold water according to your taste. Here’s the suggested ratio: use 1/3 of grapefruit juice and 2/3 of cold water.
- Next, pour in fresh lemon juice to add a bit of tartness. Do this to taste putting a little bit at a time.
- Decorate the rim of the glasses with sugar and serve the pink lemonade with ice and a sprig of fresh mint.
#3. Sparkling Tart Cherry Lemonade
Jenn Sebestyen of Veggie Inspired is responsible for this absolutely delicious and refreshing lemonade drink. According to her, this Sparkling Tart Cherry Lemonade is sweet, tart, and a little fizzy. We tried it and can attest that her summer drink game is up to date. Here’s the scoop:
Ingredients
- Tart cherry juice (Sebestyen recommends R.W. Knudsen Organic Just Tart Cherry® Juice)
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Lime sparkling water
- 1-2 tablespoons of sweetener
Instructions
- Moisten along the rim of your glass rim with lime then line the area with sugar.
- Mix the tart cherry juice, fresh lemon juice, and lime sparkling water together.
- Next, pour the sparkling cherry lemonade into the sugared glass and include ice cubes.
- Top off with a squeeze of lime juice if needed.
#4. Strawberry lemonade
This is a great lemonade recipe as the sweetness of the strawberry complements the tartness of the lemons. Great choice if you fancy a bit of sweetness and strawberry flavoring is your favorite.
Ingredients
- 1 lb strawberries (to yield 1/2 cup juice)
- 2 cups of basic Lemonade (see recipe above)
Instructions
- To break down the strawberries, add fresh strawberries to a blender and then puree them until they’re evenly broken down.
- Then, transfer the pureed strawberries to a fine mesh sieve and press through to get strained strawberry juice.
- Add 1/4 cup of the strawberry juice to the bottom of a jar, followed by the basic lemonade juice from before, and then finish off with some ice cubes.
#5. Blueberry lemonade
I know you may be wondering: “what, blueberry lemonade?” Yes, blueberry lemonade, and it’s super delicious. Just like with the strawberry recipe above, we’ll be using the basic lemonade recipe as our base and substituting the strawberries for blueberries. If you love blueberries, this is a great excuse to indulge.
Ingredients
- 2 pints blueberries (to yield 1/2 cup of juice)
- 2 cups of the basic lemonade above
Instructions
- Start by adding fresh blueberries to a saucepan and heating over medium-high heat. The blueberries should break down and release their juices. They’ll also take on a darker color in the process.
- Next, transfer the cooked blueberries to a fine-mesh sieve and press through to get strained blueberry juice.
- Add 1/4 cup of the juice to the bottom of a glass, followed by our fresh lemonade, and then add some ice cubes on top.
Cheers!
Featured image: VeselovaElena | iStock
For the latest in fashion, lifestyle and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_
