Quench your thirst with a ice cold glass of Old Fashioned Lemonade! A simple lemon syrup stirred into freshly squeezed lemon juice and water served over ice. Serves 6 to 8.
A few summers ago, I was at our local county fair. It was hot and I was so thirsty. My eyes landed on a little stand advertising “old fashioned lemonade!” so I ordered a cup. It was horrible. Basically I got a paper cup of hose water with a few squished lemons and lots of seeds. It didn’t taste like lemonade at all.
I was punked.
The next day I started making lemonade from scratch and never looked back.
To Make Old Fashioned Lemonade You Will Need:
- sugar
- (not hose) water
- lemon rind
- fresh lemons (juice)
First make the lemon simple syrup. This is what will sweeten your lemonade to perfection.
In a sauce pan add 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar and the rind from 1 large lemon. I use a vegetable peeler to do this, just be mindful not to have too much of the white pith on your lemon rind.
Lastly pour in 1-1/2 cups water.
Heat on medium heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the lemon rind and discard.
To speed the cooling process up, pour the lemon simple syrup into a bowl (or a liquid measuring cup) and set that into another bowl of ice. Cool completely.
Meanwhile, cut 6 to 8 large lemons in half.
Squeeze enough lemons until you get 1-1/2 cups fresh lemon juice.
As you go, pour the juice through a strainer set over a liquid measuring cup to catch pulp and any seeds.
Next, pour 1-1/2 cups lemon simple syrup into a large pitcher.
And then pour in the 1-1/2 cups lemon juice.
Lastly, pour in 4 cups of cold water.
Slice up a few extra lemons.
Stir the lemonade to combine and add a few slices of fresh lemon.
Fill glasses with ice and pour lemonade over top.
Insert straws and sip.
Nothing quenches your thirst like a ice cold glass of old fashioned lemonade.
Cheers!
Love lemonade? Try my vanilla lemonade or my honey lavender lemonade! So refreshing!
Enjoy! And if you give this Old Fashioned Lemonade recipe a try, let me know! Snap a photo and tag me on twitter or instagram!
Old Fashioned Lemonade
Ingredients
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 lemon rind
- 5½ cups water, divided
- 1½ cups lemon juice, freshly squeezed, about 6-8 large lemons
- lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
- In a heavy bottom saucepan, add sugar, lemon rind and 1½ cups water. Stir and heat over medium, bring to a low boil before reducing the heat to low. Stir until the sugar has dissolved. Cool completely (see notes).
- Pour the freshly squeezed lemon juice through a mesh strainer to catch any seeds or pulp. Then pour the strained juice into a large pitcher.
- To that add 1½ cups of the lemon simple syrup and 4 cups cold water. Stir to combine.
- Add a few slices of lemon and serve poured over ice and garnished with an extra lemon slice.
Notes
Buy the Cookbook: Simply Scratch : 120 Wholesome Homemade Recipes Made Easy Now available on Amazon »
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Love the Baked Maryland Crab Cake and Lemonade recipes. Will be tryn both for Sunday brunch. Ty
Laurie thank you for the “Simply Scratch” Old Fashioned Homemade Lemonade. I had never thought to make the lemon simple syrup as a base since I was a kid it was just water sugar and lemons. I keep the simple syrup and lemon juice around just to speed up making more. I usually have a pitcher of Arnold Palmers (ice tea and lemonade) in the fridge, goes good with the addition of a splash of bourbon or scotch when you feel like a late afternoon pick me up.
I started with 1c of sugar worried the full amount might be too sweet and I’m glad I did cause 1c was perfect for my taste buds! Also thank you for putting the actual measured amount of lemon juice. my tree gives me really juicy lemons and 2 large lemons gave enough juice for this recipe!!!
Ses